American Politics

[~Kat~]

~Kat ~ you still didn't answer whether BC for other issues should be covered. If it should but the main reason is not covered than it requires a lot of fighting to get it.

For other issues health wise, I do not mind, but not to stop pregnancy. They should have guidlines they have to follow for other health issues.

[WereJace]

You'd prefer to cover pregnancy and abortion then, both of which cost more than the majority of birth control options?

[skauble]

For other issues health wise, I do not mind, but not to stop pregnancy. They should have guidlines they have to follow for other health issues.

So you do believe that insurance should have to cover things that employers don't believe in. Or are you saying that women should not be allowed to have sex while they're taking birth control pills for medical reasons if birth control is against their employers' beliefs?

[brairtrainer]

Also that would require proof for people to be able to get BC covered, and I know already how tough that can be. My parents had to cover half the cost of the BC (per regular plan on the insurence) until her doctors paper work had been processed.

[skauble]

Decrying attack, protesters overtake Islamist group's HQ in Benghazi

 

And we're voting on cutting off foreign aid to Lybia, why?

[TikindiDragon]

It does help a lot to hear from other countries about how their health care works. Most of the time people get caught up in the politics of it all. But being able to say, I know someone that got open heart surgery for 500$. That hits home fast. I really appreciate people sharing those stories.

Now, see, here you still wouldn't have to pay for that. That's why I pay my National Insurance stamp - it means I (and everyone else) can get health care for free when they need it, and not worry about something is ridiculous as medical bankruptcy.

[Alpha1]

I still can't understand why you guys think an employer should be paying to keep you healthy at all.

 

Yeah, it's really dumb.

 

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/...e-worth-saving/

 

"The objective of current health reform efforts should not be to abolish the employment-based system to which so many Americans feel attached, brittle and expensive as that system may be. "

 

Even the health policy experts can make little sense.

 

Here's the way I see these things.

 

Do you like people who aren't American?

 

If yes, chances are you are not Obama or Romney.

 

[...]

 

My point being this is the scariest election ever.

 

What are you worried about? I'm a little confused.

 

The bill is loosely based on the Civilian Conservation Corps as well as targeting other areas. It concerns, as I understand it, Afghanistan and Iraq vets whose unemployment rate, although slowly declining, is still well above the national average.

 

From what I've read, many people in the 18-24 group are unemployed.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Alpha1

[Kestra15]

Now, see, here you still wouldn't have to pay for that. That's why I pay my National Insurance stamp - it means I (and everyone else) can get health care for free when they need it, and not worry about something is ridiculous as medical bankruptcy.

It's great, isn't it?

[inlaterdays]

Now, see, here you still wouldn't have to pay for that. That's why I pay my National Insurance stamp - it means I (and everyone else) can get health care for free when they need it, and not worry about something is ridiculous as medical bankruptcy.

Wow...it gives me hope that there are places in the world where people can call medical bankruptcy "ridiculous" and it makes me fear for my country even more, because that's pretty much the #1 worry for a lot of people here.

 

I keep seeing published (and well-known) science fiction writers and editors holding fundraisers on their journals for things like surgeries...because most careers in the arts may get you awards and recognition, but they don't give you insurance. And private insurance is prohibitously expensive.

[Vhale]

Can I put myself up for international adoption? I catch uncommons pretty well and am a pretty decent cook

 

As far as BC, I can't imagine legally, how that would work out. Rick Santorum, when asked about privacy said he thought it was acceptable for the government to monitor people in their homes. So, we'd all have to have little cameras in our houses to enforce such a thing. And if you were caught having sex while on the company paid pill, you'd go to jail. Sounds horrid. It was only recently that the last laws making it legal for a husband to rape his wife were struck down. Given how widespread spousal/child abuse is, sounds like a lot of people would go to jail for being raped/molested too.

 

“This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don’t think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone … [that] government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues. … Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can’t go it alone.”

 

He almost sounds like a socialist in that last line. I guess we go it alone in regards to health care and food, but not in regards to sex. There we need lots of regulating. Citation

 

Sandra Fluke's testimony on Capitol hill was concerning a friend that was denied medical birth control coverage for religious reasons. This friend then developed cysts on her ovaries and they had to be removed. It was never, ever about tax payers paying for sex. And yes, the students there pay for health insurance. What good is health insurance if it doesn't cover what you need to remain healthy? And for asking this, she got called a s..t on the national airways for 3 days. Full Testimony, no frills

 

Since last year's surgery, she's been experiencing night sweats and awaking and other symptoms of early menopause as a result of the removal of her ovary. She's 32 years old. As she put it: "If my body indeed does enter early menopause, no fertility specialist in the world will be able to help me have my own children. I will have no choice at giving my mother her desperately desired grandbabies, simply because the insurance policy -- that I paid for, totally unsubsidized by my school -- wouldn't cover my prescription for birth control when I needed it." Now, in addition to potentially facing the health complications that come with having menopause at such an early age -- increased risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis -- she may never be able to conceive a child.

 

Of course, we could listen to the conservative groups at the Values Voter Summit.

- From the “Modesty: It’s nothing to be ashamed of” pamphlet:“Since men are particularly visual, immodesty in church can trigger lustful thoughts.”

 

“My men’s bible study group talks frequently about controlling our lust, thoughts, and eyes. Yes the problem and responsibility are ours, but is it really reasonable for the women of the church to make it THIS difficult for us?”

 

Remember! The election is about the economy! http://www.p2012.org/interestg/vvvoterguide122111.pdf

 

Very Snarky list of Value Voter attendees and related hijinx each has done

[skauble]

From what I've read, many people in the 18-24 group are unemployed.

True. However I think that veterans merit specific programs given the special circumstances they deal with, and bring home, in the name of securing the nation's safety.

 

Frankly, we send people to war at an age where I probably wouldn't even let them borrow my car, much less tell them to kill people. And even if you left all of the other considerations aside, there's a strong mental health argument to be made for getting veterans back into normal life as soon as possible. The suicide rate has grown to an alarming rate, and not being able to find work is a stressor in a myriad of ways that seems unnecessary.

 

I just find it amazing that when the country chooses to go to war, they find all kinds of money - even if we don't really have it - to send people into the battle. Then, when it's time to come home and veterans need help or various types, we're all about penny pinching. IMO, if they don't have plans in place to meet veterans needs, then they need to stop sending people to war until they can sort that out. This kind of thing shouldn't have to be pulled together as an afterthought.

[~Kat~]

@WereJace, I think pregnancy should be covered yes. Abortion, no if it is just because someone does not want their child. Now if the baby can kill the mother or the baby is so deformed, yes.

 

@skauble, My personal take on this is, this is not fair for an employer to have to pay for someones's carelessness if they get pregnant. This is not a DISEASE. This is a choice that each one of us have, male and female to have sex, with protection or no protection. You should be responsible for your own action, do not blame someone else for your mistake. Even if you were taking precautions, you still know it can fail and you can get pregnant. Why should anyone other than the two parties who chose to have sex, fix this!!!

 

BENGHAZI, Libya

 

I was watching the news last night and saw our ambassador being drug out in the street by his attackers.

 

These radicals whatever you want to call them, do not want peace, and as far as I am concerned this was a terrorist attack, I knew it when it happened ... now even Obama and his crew are saying it was a terrorist attack. But yet some want to put Romney down for already knowing it was a terrorist attack!!! I would cut off all foreign aid to these countries since we are hated so much. I also saw pictures and film where the radicals or terrorist, had Obama's coffin with the US flag over it and then started to burn it. That is how well they love Obama.

 

Obama is a laughing stock over in these countries as he aplogizes. This man has got to stop aplogizing. This shows weakness of a president and the American people.

 

Obama has also spent our tax money to have an ad that runs over there saying we had nothing to do with the film. I was half asleep, but I think the ad cost 70 thousound dollars. So this is how our tax money is being spent, nice isn't it. I did watch the ad. This is a ridiculous waste of our tax money.

 

Below is a reference

 

Hannity referenced a recent Associated Press report that revealed the U.S. State Department is spending roughly $70,000 on television ads in Pakistan, which the host said are meant to “apologize to all those radicals” whose feelings were hurt by the anti-Muslim YouTube clip being blamed for all of the violent protests across the globe.

 

According to Palin, Obama has weakened America regarding foreign policy, turning it into a “paper tiger” that will not defend itself or follow through on its threats.

 

“I don’t consider Barack Obama a leader, I consider him a politician,” she added

 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/hannity-ri...s-of-americans/

[Vhale]

Plural of Anecdote is a great site that contrasts stories from American patients with others around the world, including their treatment, wait time and their cost.

Oh thank you! I shall peruse this laters.

 

Totally agree skauble.

 

I think we'd be remiss not to note that the Libyan people just rose up and tossed out one of the militias rumored to be behind the consulate attack. It's also interesting that the head of the militia said that our ambassador was there to pave the way for US troops to come in. So, if our troops had gone in, they'd basically be proven right. It's also eerily similar to what the far right militias here say about Obama. That if he's elected, he'll take their guns and bring in UN troops. Is there an international indoctrination playbook out there?

 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/world/africa...test/index.html

Edited September 22, 2012 by Vhale

[Slaskia]

An interesting article I found on Cracked this morning regarding the (US) presidency. Link purposely broken cause...well...it's Cracked (the article itself is safe, but the ads and links to another articles may not be!)

 

www.cracked.com/blog/3-reasons-we-need-to-reexamine-how-we-elect-presidents/

[High Lord November]

I'm not terribly well-versed in my politics, so please bear with me.

 

I would cut off all foreign aid to these countries since we are hated so much. I also saw pictures and film where the radicals or terrorist, had Obama's coffin with the US flag over it and then started to burn it. That is how well they love Obama.

Again, the actions of few do not represent the whole. Skauble put out a very good link that I'll just repost here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/21/world/africa...test/index.html

Again, why should you cut off foreign aid?

 

Obama is a laughing stock over in these countries as he aplogizes. This man has got to stop aplogizing. This shows weakness of a president and the American people.

I'm not entirely sure why apologizing is a bad thing? The video they produced was very offensive. I see apologizing as a responsible way of acknowledging that they offended their religion and that the video was wrong. It also sends the message that that video isn't the USA (just like the protest in Libya - the actions of few don't represent the actions of a whole).

Edited September 22, 2012 by High Lord November

[inlaterdays]

Obama has also spent our tax money to have an ad that runs over there saying we had nothing to do with the film. I was half asleep, but I think the ad cost 70 thousound dollars. So this is how our tax money is being spent, nice isn't it. I did watch the ad. This is a ridiculous waste of our tax money.

I'd much, *much* rather have tax money spent on diplomacy than on war. Not only is it the right thing to do (in my opinion) - it's less expensive in terms of both dollars and lives. Good for Obama. I don't want to get locked into an endless cycle of you-hit-me, I-hit-you-back that never ends.

Edited September 22, 2012 by inlaterdays

[skauble]

These radicals whatever you want to call them, do not want peace, and as far as I am concerned this was a terrorist attack, I knew it when it happened ... now even Obama and his crew are saying it was a terrorist attack. But yet some want to put Romney down for already knowing it was a terrorist attack!!! I would cut off all foreign aid to these countries since we are hated so much. I also saw pictures and film where the radicals or terrorist, had Obama's coffin with the US flag over it and then started to burn it. That is how well they love Obama.

 

Obama is a laughing stock over in these countries as he aplogizes. This man has got to stop aplogizing. This shows weakness of a president and the American people.

The problem that people have with Romney was that he - who was nowhere near what was going on and had very limited knowledge of it - openly berated our front line diplomatic workers for doing their job when they put out a diplomatic statement before the attacks. The statement that those diplomats put out spoke specifically of the right to free speech, but also denied that we had a connection with what I think we can all agree was a film clip meant to inflame.

 

Now, people can love Mitt or they can hate him, but at the end of the day, it is in no way okay to insert yourself into a developing crisis, when you don't have all the facts, especially when lives are on the line. It doesn't matter what someone thinks that they know or what they believe would be best, if you're not the one with the actual information, and if people's lives are hanging in the balance, going on TV and making rash condemnations is irresponsible.

 

But I don't understand why you'd support cutting off aid to Libya? Did people really expect that right after their revolution everything would be 100% safe and none of the terrorists would still be there? Because that seems kind of unrealistic.

 

Yesterday the Libyan people took to the streets and marched on an armed complex of those suspected of being involved in this to drive them out. What more would you have them do? We get in everyone's business all over the world because we want to spread democracy, and here's a group of people who are fighting for it - why would we desert them?

 

Obama has also spent our tax money to have an ad that runs over there saying we had nothing to do with the film. I was half asleep, but I think the ad cost 70 thousound dollars. So this is how our tax money is being spent, nice isn't it. I did watch the ad. This is a ridiculous waste of our tax money.

 

When did we, as a country, give up on diplomacy?

 

I think that sometimes, in America, because our Constitution is this massive part of our identity, we don't necessarily realize how other cultures might view things. To country's that don't have our outlook on speech, their view is, understandably, that the American government approved of that film in some way.

 

Why on earth would we not try to peacefully correct that notion? Does every hand we extend to our fellow humans have to hold a gun?

 

As far as BC, I can't imagine legally, how that would work out. Rick Santorum, when asked about privacy said he thought it was acceptable for the government to monitor people in their homes. So, we'd all have to have little cameras in our houses to enforce such a thing. And if you were caught having sex while on the company paid pill, you'd go to jail. Sounds horrid. It was only recently that the last laws making it legal for a husband to rape his wife were struck down. Given how widespread spousal/child abuse is, sounds like a lot of people would go to jail for being raped/molested too.

 

Cameras in our houses? Don't be silly; they'd put them in our pants...and that's probably best case scenario.

 

Personally, I love how the say the election is about the economy as if that's going to stop everyone from talking about anything but budgets and taxes. Newsflash to politicians from America: The war on women is the economy. Gay marriage is the economy. Racism is the economy. Immigration is the economy.

 

It's as if they don't understand that these things are massive parts of people's lives and they don't just affect us socially, but also financially. You can't tell a woman that, no matter what the circumstances, she'll have to carry any pregnancy to term and expect that not to impact every single part of her life.

Edited September 22, 2012 by skauble

[~Kat~]

Again, why should you cut off foreign aid?

 

 

I'm not entirely sure why apologizing is a bad thing? The video they produced was very offensive. I see apologizing as a responsible way of acknowledging that they offended their religion and that the video was wrong. It also sends the message that that video isn't the USA (just like the protest in Libya - the actions of few don't represent the actions of a whole).

Our foreign aid is always misspent and it is stuck into the pockets of their government.

 

Do the radicals and terrorist ever apologize for desecrating Jesus Christ our God, or burning our American flag. These are terrorists, not reasonable people. I do not believe that film had anything to do with it anyway.

 

Do the radical and terrorist ever apologize for killing our people, do the radicals and terrorists ever apologize for anything.

 

 

[~Kat~]

I'd much, *much* rather have tax money spent on diplomacy than on war. Not only is it the right thing to do (in my opinion) - it's less expensive in terms of both dollars and lives. Good for Obama. I don't want to get locked into an endless cycle of you-hit-me, I-hit-you-back that never ends.

These terrorist and radicals have been fighting for over 2,000 years against each other. You will never get these barbaric people to be rational, fighting is in their blood.

 

Why spend our (MY) tax money on something that you can never fix!!!

[inlaterdays]

Our foreign aid is always misspent and it is stuck into the pockets of their government.

Do you have a reputable citation for that? I'm curious about where this information comes from and by what you meant by "misspent".

 

Do the radicals and terrorist ever apologize for desecrating Jesus Christ our God, or burning our American flag. These are terrorists, not reasonable people. I do not believe that film had anything to do with it anyway.

 

Do the radical and terrorist ever apologize for killing our people, do the radicals and terrorists ever apologize for anything.

 

Libya has formally apologized, and there was a link a few pages back to photos of Libyan people holding up signs apologizing for the violence, saying it did not represent them or Islam as a whole, and standing up in support of the US Embassy.

 

I don't see why an entire country should be punished for the actions of a violent fringe group. Who are we to "punish", anyway? We need to stop thinking of ourselves as the world's policemen. That is not our country's job.

 

There are terrorists and extreme fringe groups in every nation, unfortunately. Including the US. I'd for other nations to judge us solely on the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, for example.

 

Edit:

These terrorist and radicals have been fighting for over 2,000 years against each other. You will never get these barbaric people to be rational, fighting is in their blood.

 

Why spend our (MY) tax money on something that you can never fix!!!

 

Kat...I'm sure you didn't mean that to sound the way it sounded. I hope not. Fighting is in no one's blood and it's unfair to stigmatize an entire country.

 

My ancestors come from Northern Ireland. Do the centuries of fighting there make me violent by nature? I don't even hit people.

 

And if you don't want tax dollars being spent, how would going to war help? That's just adding to the violence.

Edited September 22, 2012 by inlaterdays

[lightbird]

Do the radicals and terrorist ever apologize for desecrating Jesus Christ our God,

Wait, what.

 

Just because Christianity is the most common religion in USA doesn't mean that it's USA's official, untouchable religion.

Edited September 22, 2012 by lightbird

[Kestra15]

Do the radicals and terrorist ever apologize for desecrating Jesus Christ our God...

Sorry, what about this much-vaunted separation of State and Church?

[skauble]

These terrorist and radicals have been fighting for over 2,000 years against each other. You will never get these barbaric people to be rational, fighting is in their blood.

 

Why spend our (MY) tax money on something that you can never fix!!!

I come from a very long line of hardcore conservatives, so I say this with love - this is where the conservatives are losing people. It can't be all about God in the social platform that tells people gay marriage is wrong or that they can't have abortion, and then turn around and screen out Christ in the foreign policy by having such contempt for their fellow humans.

 

Even if you think that Obama was wrong, he's speaking to an entire nation in that commercial. Can they really be written off so easily? If terrorists burn our flag and don't ask our forgiveness, do we really stop loving them? I understand that a country needs a good foreign policy, but where is Christ in this push we keep seeing to strike out, to spurn those people, or not waste time with country X, Y, and Z.

 

This can't go all ways. If the people running the right want to be taken seriously about having religion control my actions, it's going to have to start controlling theirs, too.

[brairtrainer]

Sorry, what about this much-vaunted separation of State and Church?

^^ This so much. We have women at my school who are from conflict heavy areas and they are the nicest sweetest girls you can meet.

 

Honestly ~Kat~ considering how the violence started we desecrated their countries main religion first. Yes what we did was wrong, and yes everyone should be entitled to free speech. But just because you are entilted to free speech doesn't mean that you can shout 'Fire!' in a crowed theator when ther is none. If what you are saying constitutes a public danger then you can get in trouble.

 

Honestly the producers of the movie need to be fined... I'd say the actors as well but they've issued a statement saying that they were not informed about what the movie was really about and that things were dubbed over.

[~Kat~]

@inlaterdays, I am only talking about the radicals and terrorist, not your ancestors come from Northern Ireland.

 

Us being at war helps to wipe out the terrorists and radicals and helps the good people of that country. But, I am so sick of this war, as I have 2 sons in the Military, and one son just came home from his 2nd tour. End this war and let them kill each other.

 

Diplomacy, does not get it with Terrorists and Radicals. These people will be fighting long after we are all dead.

 

@skauble, sorry but I do not love the terrorists at all, or evil people who kill good people.

 

To others, I am sorry, but to spend $70,000 is ridiculous. Obama can relay the message and it can be given to the people. A ridiculous waste of money to start with.

 

These terrorists and radicals are not finished with us yet.