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Morning all,
Finally got a chance to hit the Brooklyn Flea yesterday with a few friends. WOW. Just walking in the door and seeing the space and the vault downstairs was enough for me. I thought the “stuff” was terrific…really terrific, but not stellar enough at those prices to get me to buy anything. There were a few things I would have bought had they been about 50% cheaper.
Montrose, Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I did not expect to cry this morning.
Legion, why put crisis in quotes? Give me a break. If you were, or had a family member dying of a ‘pre-existing condition’ (in quotes appropriately), or were spending half of your income on health insurance for your family, or were about to lose health insurance for you and your family, you might not be so cavalier.
It’s all about the multiplier effect, MM. If the unemployment rate is 15% +/-, that means that 85% +/- are working. If you cut the taxes of the 85% that are working, they are likely to spend the money.
READ the transcript. Just because the Republicans presented a bill doesn’t mean it’s going to get passed some people – the President for instance- looks at the facts and the consequences. I’m sure even you, benson will agree that he is privy to much more information and professional data/advice than you or I.
No one bashed republicans- but which party is still calling for Obama’s birth certificate, accused him of hobnobbing with terrorists, claims he is ruining the country and makes it a policy to obstruct anything- anything!- the other party tries to do? (It begins with an “R”). That’s all they do- think of ways to stop Obama from accomplishing anything. They wanted an across the board tax cut. More tax cuts for the wealthy. They wanted less regulation of the markets, less regulation for corporations and financial institutions. Trickle down economics has NEVER worked. And if you need further proof- take a look at our jobless recovery. More in the pockets of the CEO’s and no job recovery. Big government expanded under Bush- it did not get leaner or cleaner. So you can see why I hear what the Republicans are yammering about with a fair degree of skepticism.
As for last years finances- it was the budget and policies of the Bush administration that created last year’s finances. Not Obama’s. That’s a fact- because bills and budget decisions are for the year ahead, not the year behind.
A six month suspension of the SS payroll tax?????? Wow. That just solves everything.
Considering that a moribund economy is shedding jobs like fleas off a dog, who’s paying SS taxes? Those depend on deductions from JOBS. This economy needed to be jumpstarted with a short term influx of money. Maybe it didn’t get to everyone, or every industry, but it did help, it at least stopped the elevator from crashing to the basement floor. THere is so much wrong, and everything is so interdependent, that nothing anyone does can fix everything in 6 months. At least the stimulus preserved teacher’s jobs, and other necessary civil service and public sector jobs that are the first to go, but are the bread and butter of communities, not to mention, necessary for other important parts of life, like the education of the nation’s kids. Does anyone have a better plan? Remember the plan to fix the economy by going out and shopping?
THe GOP health plan does not do a damn thing for the millions of people who are not covered. The proposed Dem plan doesn’t walk on water either, but at least they are trying to cover as many as possible. This too, is complicated and can’t be solved with nay saying sound bites and pontification. Let’s see some viable alternatives, if what the Dems want is so evil. All I see is no, won’t work, socialism, we’re against it.
-accurate accounting of individuals in need,
even the President has come down in his assessment of individuals in need, the 47 million number previously discussed has come down to 30 million. (my own understanding of the issue has the number more at 10-15 million)
-tort reform and the end of defensive medicine which wastes billions yearly.
-doctor courts to adjudicate malpractice fairly and without bankrupting municipalities.
-healthcare portability to have unscrupulous insurance companies compete with others throughout the nation, like care insurance companies.
-health savings accounts, puts the emphasis of good health on the individual as well as the power of the purse. incentivizes good healthy lifestyles since the money saved is your own.
-healthcare malpractice insurance industry reform, why can’t doctors benefit from good claims history, like drivers do. Place high risk doctors in their own insurance pool. As it is, good doctors pay through the nose for bad ones and the malpracticei insurance industry makes out like bandits.
-control MASSIVE medicare and medicaid fraud and abuse. I could write a book on the waste of this money. needlessly.
there are more proposals, that won’t cost a trillion dollars and can be implemented quite rapidly.
One more thing. You may claim that Bush did not account for the two wars in his budget, but the numbers I cited above are from the non-partisan congressional budget office, via the WSJ.
Morning all,
Finally got a chance to hit the Brooklyn Flea yesterday with a few friends. WOW. Just walking in the door and seeing the space and the vault downstairs was enough for me. I thought the “stuff” was terrific…really terrific, but not stellar enough at those prices to get me to buy anything. There were a few things I would have bought had they been about 50% cheaper.
M4L: Did you try Mee Thai this weekend??
MM, lovely note, so glad to hear you and your family are doing well. It does do a heart, body, and soul good to see our loved ones remembered well.
Montrose, Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I did not expect to cry this morning.
Legion, why put crisis in quotes? Give me a break. If you were, or had a family member dying of a ‘pre-existing condition’ (in quotes appropriately), or were spending half of your income on health insurance for your family, or were about to lose health insurance for you and your family, you might not be so cavalier.
It’s all about the multiplier effect, MM. If the unemployment rate is 15% +/-, that means that 85% +/- are working. If you cut the taxes of the 85% that are working, they are likely to spend the money.
READ the transcript. Just because the Republicans presented a bill doesn’t mean it’s going to get passed some people – the President for instance- looks at the facts and the consequences. I’m sure even you, benson will agree that he is privy to much more information and professional data/advice than you or I.
No one bashed republicans- but which party is still calling for Obama’s birth certificate, accused him of hobnobbing with terrorists, claims he is ruining the country and makes it a policy to obstruct anything- anything!- the other party tries to do? (It begins with an “R”). That’s all they do- think of ways to stop Obama from accomplishing anything. They wanted an across the board tax cut. More tax cuts for the wealthy. They wanted less regulation of the markets, less regulation for corporations and financial institutions. Trickle down economics has NEVER worked. And if you need further proof- take a look at our jobless recovery. More in the pockets of the CEO’s and no job recovery. Big government expanded under Bush- it did not get leaner or cleaner. So you can see why I hear what the Republicans are yammering about with a fair degree of skepticism.
As for last years finances- it was the budget and policies of the Bush administration that created last year’s finances. Not Obama’s. That’s a fact- because bills and budget decisions are for the year ahead, not the year behind.
A six month suspension of the SS payroll tax?????? Wow. That just solves everything.
Considering that a moribund economy is shedding jobs like fleas off a dog, who’s paying SS taxes? Those depend on deductions from JOBS. This economy needed to be jumpstarted with a short term influx of money. Maybe it didn’t get to everyone, or every industry, but it did help, it at least stopped the elevator from crashing to the basement floor. THere is so much wrong, and everything is so interdependent, that nothing anyone does can fix everything in 6 months. At least the stimulus preserved teacher’s jobs, and other necessary civil service and public sector jobs that are the first to go, but are the bread and butter of communities, not to mention, necessary for other important parts of life, like the education of the nation’s kids. Does anyone have a better plan? Remember the plan to fix the economy by going out and shopping?
THe GOP health plan does not do a damn thing for the millions of people who are not covered. The proposed Dem plan doesn’t walk on water either, but at least they are trying to cover as many as possible. This too, is complicated and can’t be solved with nay saying sound bites and pontification. Let’s see some viable alternatives, if what the Dems want is so evil. All I see is no, won’t work, socialism, we’re against it.
As for the GOP he
The solutions to healthcare “crisis”
-accurate accounting of individuals in need,
even the President has come down in his assessment of individuals in need, the 47 million number previously discussed has come down to 30 million. (my own understanding of the issue has the number more at 10-15 million)
-tort reform and the end of defensive medicine which wastes billions yearly.
-doctor courts to adjudicate malpractice fairly and without bankrupting municipalities.
-healthcare portability to have unscrupulous insurance companies compete with others throughout the nation, like care insurance companies.
-health savings accounts, puts the emphasis of good health on the individual as well as the power of the purse. incentivizes good healthy lifestyles since the money saved is your own.
-healthcare malpractice insurance industry reform, why can’t doctors benefit from good claims history, like drivers do. Place high risk doctors in their own insurance pool. As it is, good doctors pay through the nose for bad ones and the malpracticei insurance industry makes out like bandits.
-control MASSIVE medicare and medicaid fraud and abuse. I could write a book on the waste of this money. needlessly.
there are more proposals, that won’t cost a trillion dollars and can be implemented quite rapidly.
Montrose;
One more thing. You may claim that Bush did not account for the two wars in his budget, but the numbers I cited above are from the non-partisan congressional budget office, via the WSJ.
benson, you’re right about the SS payroll tax suspension. The stimulus plan, as enacted, did nothing to stimulate the consumer, absolutely nothing.