Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Keep the Change — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:24:38 GMT

So I guess Obama's auto czar is a quitter.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

GT Brunson, Kent, Ohio — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:25:27 GMT

Bush's deficit last year was a record at the time, $450 billion dollars. That's pocket change for Obama. Service to the debt (to you liberals, that's paying the yearly interest on the debt) is coming up on $450 billion dollars. That would buy at lot of health care liberals. But what does Obama do? He keeps plowing ahead, wasting money on pay offs to political donors, and telling us "Everything is right on track".

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Jerry S., Texas — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:44:05 GMT

FR: Today in Warren, MI, Obama will propose "a multibillion-dollar investment in the nation's community colleges, a $12 billion effort to help the two-year institutions reach, teach and train more people for 'the jobs of the future.'

Great. But after they graduate, who is going to hire them, seeing there are no jobs?

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Pocket Change — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:52:11 GMT

Obama proposes this, Obama prosposes that. How is he paying for any of this? Oh wait:

"Headline: Deficit reaches $1 trillion for the year, will be $2 trillion by late fall."

Now we know.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

To President Obama — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:56:10 GMT

President Obama, we've already learned from the way the stimulus was slammed down our throats (full of pork, not sufficient time to be reviewed by congressmen...) that words like "urgent" are just buzz words to get your agenda through no matter how wise or unwise your plans are. SLOW DOWN. DO IT RIGHT! You promised us transparency, but are not living up to it. You've already broken promises to us on lobbyists, earmarks, and public viewing of bills before signing them. Your rhetoric is getting old and annoying. We want the right results done the right way. The good of our nation is more important than your polling numbers. Getting people jobs and keeping our nation secure is more important than you being a "star" on the international scene.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

The Democrat Soldier — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:58:20 GMT

When you say "Wastefull Spending" - the US Govenrment is the first thing that comes to mind.

I remember $600 hammers and $800 toilet seats.

Some call it "pork" - I call it stealing!
Both Repubs and Dems love to steal.

Now we see 500,000 being spent to:
"why men dont like to wear condoms"

We see 18 Million being spent on a website to track spending. (I have developed hundreds of websites and could do this for thousands / not millions.) Why, you ask. Simple - the No-Bid contract was given to a company that contributed to Majority leader!

Pay-to-play is the Washington Way - that is not going to change no matter if its a D or a R following their names!

What will be the waste and pay-to-play and kickbacks be if the Government gets control of the largest financial exchange of dollars in the US (healthcare)?

Does anyone think the corruption will increase or decrease?

The governments job is to "regulate" and "oversee"
NOT Run, Controll, Finance, Own or dictate businesses!!!

The more our CORRUPT GOVERNMENT controls (instead of regulate) the more our freedoms fade.

Absolute Power - thats what they are asking for - and thats what some want to give them

And we all know what happens when you have absolute power (it corrupts absolutely)

If the Government owns the healthcare industry will corruption increase?

I think so - and history and current events say - YES

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Juan,Ft Lauderdale, Fl — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:13:20 GMT

How ironic that when The GOP have the presidency and control congress "It's what deficits" Ronald Reagan stated that Americans do not care about deficits and than the DICK C. was heard saying thaT "Reagan proved that deficits do not matter" So spare me your fake/pathetic outrage now that our deficits is 1 trillion. It's called partisan gamemanship, hippocracy, subterfuge, obstructionism and destroy the messenger. That's all the GOP is about which is simply to get back into power, cut taxes again for wlthiest, limit civil liberties some more, put the final death to clean environment for corporate greed, implement a theocracy and than finally destroy the middle class where the United States is becoming a classic caste system like India and/or third world country. So please nominate the dim wit Palin in 2012 so Obama can continue to clean up the collossal mess the GOP have reaped on us for years. For you GOP apologists/enablers keep drinking the kool-aid because us PROGRESSIVES will fight you morons tooth and nail.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

cindy, las vegas, nv — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:15:40 GMT

Obamas agenda: more talk no action

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

The - Democratic Solderer — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:19:01 GMT

I think so - and history and current events say - YES

The Democrat Soldier

------------------------

Thank You! And God Bless America!!

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Dave — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:43:27 GMT

Give me a break. I wonder how many of you commenting on this board were crying out when Bush was running up the deficit, financing the wars off the books, and spending like a drunken chickenhawk. If history is any indicator, you people probably said nothing. It sure seems that when a Republican does it (Reagan, Bush Sr, Bush Jr), it's okay. However, when a Dem runs up deficits while trying to fix the messes left by the GOP, you people become unhinged.

You people gave us the idiots that got the country into this mess. Now, please offer some constructive ideas or get out of the way and let us fix it (once again).

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Moderate, Miami FL — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:51:05 GMT

You people on the far right really astound me. For the record, unemployment was at or above 9.5% until about 1983(Carter was out by 1/1981 www.bls.gov). Deficits were above 50% of GDP at the time. Did we recover, yes but did it take time...ABSOLUTELY!!! You are crucifying the man when he has been in office less than 6 months. I know that we have become a nation of immediate gratification but his is silly.

Can anyone who love to criticize please tell me what Republican leadership is doing to fix the serious issues we have as a nation? Where are their plans for HCR, energy, economy, etc??? Why is it everytime I see Cantor, McConnell et al in front of a camera its never to say "we have a plan that we think will work, here it is and we would like to sit down with our colleagues and the President to talk it out and reach a compromise to better the American families. No, its always NO NO NO, he's wrong , he's this, he's that. If they spent as much time doing their job instead of trying to keep it, maybe we all would be in better shape.

I am not saying that President Obama is right on everything, HCR needs to go slower to make sure it is right, he should NEVER have attached a job number to the stimulus since it was going to take 12-18 months to be in full effect anyway....but I see the amn is trying to do what is best for our nation. If next year, he is a colossal failure, then we vote him out on 2012 which is our right. Until then, he derserve to have the support of our nation to get the job done.

And if you do not like him, that's fine but at leat respect the office and quit the name calling and disrespect. Some people on this site need to grow up (and I mean that for the left as well).

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Willing to Work — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:52:35 GMT

Why isn't Obama's Michigan visit an open town hall? Obama can't stand the heat of all those peed-off unemployed people with their shovels ready, waiting for the jobs he promised.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Obama's One World Order King — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:12:58 GMT

Yes, Bush sucked and ran up huge deficits!

However, Obama is running up deficits 10 times as much.

Does that mean that Obama sucks 10 times more than Bush?

Some have asked "dosent Obama realize that he is bankrupting our country"
Obama is not stupid - he knows exactly what will happed as deficits increase, jobs decrease and inflation increases. Obama's agenda is obvious if you listen to what he says to other countries. He talks about a global currency and global economy. Biden also talks about a "one world order" plan - only Biden is to stupid to mute that talk in this country.

Obama is running for office - its just that the job of One World Order Leader hasn't been created - YET.

All hail King Obama
Some of you laugh at this notion - but just look at the changes already made and the ones proposed. NOW - Obama already controlls more of this economy than any president in our history - and he is working on taking over the healthcare industry and the energy industry. If he is able to accomplish this - he will have DIRECT control of over 60% of the USA.

What will he do with his newly aquired absolute power?
History teaches us that the outcome will not be good!

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Cicero — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:21:01 GMT

Boy, Paul Krugman sure gave me allot of hope regarding the economy last night on "Colbert" (Not). Unless he was talking down the economy on purpose so he could instill an even larger government takeover of our economy.

Paul Krugman is like that bad mechanic that can never seem to get your car fixed right. Yet we keep going back to the same guy.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

kevin eau claire wi — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:42:44 GMT

I cant believe that we as americans cant see what our politicians are doing to us. Repubs and dems have to look at the energy bill as a job killer, not the green answer. I would like to go to clean energy as much as the next, but this will tax us to death, not to mention the tax we are going to pay just to get our deficit payed. Quit with the dem repub crap and fix the problem, open your eyes, we are very close to being a totally socialistic society, and yes i was a dem, but now neither, just want some common sense in dc.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

James C. Rickett, Tampa, Fl — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:03:53 GMT

As I see it, creating a system of health care that is beneficial to those in need is paramount in order to bring down the overall costs of health care to this government. That being said, 100% control of health care by the government is not the answer. The obvious 2 reasons for this are 1. It would have to be paid for with tax dollars and 2. In order to not overly burden the average American with a large tax increase, they would have to trim services. This would not be acceptable as, after all this is America where we demand the best of everything, have become accustomed to that lifestyle and would not be willing to sacrifice that privilege. These are just simple facts of economics and has already been shown to be the pitfalls with respect to Medicare and Medicaid. Yes, corporate health care is out of control for the simple reason that they are big business with big expenses with respect to executive pay and shareholder responsibilities. The only way to compete with that is through free enterprise. But the government cannot undercut private enterprise to the point of running them out of business. Once that happens, they call all the shots and provide only those services that they feel is necessary (once again giving up the possibility of receiving the best of all care).

Here is my proposal. You create a government sponsored alternative with specific limitations placed on who can make use of that option. Not make it available to everyone. These limitations will be based on annual salary for independent users and size of small business with respect to the number of employees in those businesses. The federal funding would be separated by state as health care costs are not the same in all areas. Each program would be administered by each state. This alone would create jobs and provide employment and training for an altogether new job set and a provision could be put in place to funding that training ( let’s decrease unemployment while we are at it).

For example, let’s say anyone who makes less than $40,000 qualifies for the program and any small business with fever than 10 employees could make use of the system (these numbers are only examples and not written in stone). If you are an independent individual, your monthly premium would be based on your salary and pro-rated to an affordable monthly premium. Small business would benefit from the large pool created by other small businesses becoming involved in the plan (large numbers decrease overall costs). If a large enough group of people make use of the program, the overall costs will diminish due in part to the large pool of participants as well as the decreased operating costs due to no high executive salaries or payouts to shareholders (the object is to cover the cost of health care, not make a profit in a government sponsored set up) In this way, those who are not as affluent can afford adequate health care leaving the current system in place for those who can afford the services currently provided through the private health care system. For those of you who think the more affluent are not paying their fare share, this evens the playing field. If a large enough group of people move to the government sponsored program, thereby cutting into the profit margins of private enterprise, those companies will be forced to either decrease their costs in order to compete or continue to loose business (that’s supply and demand). Lastly a provision should be put in place that everyone should be required by law to carry health insurance. No one should have the ability to burden someone else to cover their health care costs just because they would rather drive a nicer car or live in a bigger house rather than plan for their future well being with respect to health care. As always, there will always be people that are unable to pay anything and will have to continue on Medicare or Medicaid, but we do live in a real world not utopia.

Unfortunately we live in a governmental society that has shown that when one group is in power, they like to stick it to the other group whenever possible. And also, our congressional leaders never do what is needed without adding a lot of extras to pad their resume prior to re-election and to push potential future agendas. It’s time as American citizens that we require our elected officials to provide programs that help us now with a potential to improve those programs as time goes on. Now is not the time to try and plan for ever future contingency and overspend.

Obama agenda: deficit, health, Michigan

Clara Kansas City, MO — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:29:48 GMT

Cicero (Sent Tuesday, July 14, 2009 11:21 AM)

Could be why Obama didn't put him in his administration,...