HeyYou

True, but, we are (some of us, at any rate.) aware of such attempts at manipulation. Hell, even my grandkids try and manipulate me. :D

To me, we would be switching one insurance scheme for another insurance scheme. The problem is neither is that great. Back when Obamacare was being voted on, I disliked it because, for me, it addressed the wrong part of the problem. This guy's bill was $89,000, that's the problem. Having insurance, or even a government insurance isn't reducing that number. Until we get around to tackling that issue, won't matter if we have private or single-payer, the price of healthcare will be an issue. That's very true. However, with a single-payer system, (socialised medicine for all you republicans out there. :) ) The government would actually dictate what they were going to pay for goods/services. Another reason many industries don't like the idea. That would seriously cut into profits for the drug companies. They claim that it would compromise research..... thing is, a fair bit of said research is also subsidized by tax dollars..... so, while on the surface, it sounds reasonable, in reality, its a straw argument.

Yeah, "free" healthcare is paid for by higher taxes. Everybody pays, everybody gets health care. Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Only trouble is, it would eliminate the health insurance industry. Lots of jobs, billions of dollars in CEO's pockets, etc. It isn't so much the "socialist" aspects of it that some folks don't like, it's the campaign contributors that happen to run insurance companies that don't like it, so, whatever negative press they can come up with, only helps their cause.

You are missing what I am saying completely. On purpose? Health care is NOT just drugs. For just about any other service, yeah, opening up another facility would be a viable answer. And yes, it would create more jobs. The problem you run into there though, is that practioners themselves are what is declining. Fewer folks are electing to go into the medical field, spend the time, and money, necessary to become even general practitioners. Look it up. It has been a trend for some time now, brought about mostly by the rapidly rising cost of malpractice insurance, and the litigation happy folks that are just LOOKING for a reason to sue. Not to mention all the lawyers advertising their services for just such an opportunity.

Erm, prices only go down when supply is greater than demand. When demand is greater than supply, prices go up. That is an economic fact, and the democrats cannot repeal it. The ACA is going to increase demand, but, does nothing about supply.

I didn't say this is the fault of the ACA, I said the ACA is only going to make it worse. How? You ask? Well, lets think about this a bit. We are adding millions more people to the ranks of the insured. (supposedly) All these people are now going to want to make use of the their shiny new insurance. The population of health care practitioners is remaining constant, or declining...... So, this implies that demand for their services is only going to rise. What happens in a capitalist society when demand for a product/service goes up, yet supply remains constant, or even declines? That's right. Prices go up. It is unavoidable. It IS going to happen. The ACA did absolutely nothing to address this particular point. Now, let's follow that a bit further up the food chain..... as healthcare costs increase, guess what the price of insurance is going to do? Yep, exactly, it ALSO is going to go UP. I will agree that we needed to do something about health care in america, but, as it stands, the ACA was exactly the WRONG thing to do.

Gotta be a mod conflict. Post your load list.

Post your load list.

Have a look at SSME. Combined with ENBoost, this is a serious game-changer for crash-prone folks.

I have seen far too many accidents where all the folks that were wearing seatbelts, walked away with bruises. Those that were not wearing theirs, were carried off in a bag. (same accidents.) Some of the accidents weren't that major either. The vehicles were repaired, for not much cost. (of course, they were then sold, as the owners didn't care for the memories that went with them.) Today, we have traction control, anti-lock brakes, air bags, lane-drift warning systems, and a host of other electronic doo-dads that reduce the skill required by the driver to stay where they want to be. Trouble is, none of those things will actually help you if you go beyond their design parameters.... That usually gets you dead.

Hospitals charge seriously inflated prices for any variety of care. Drug prices are inflated by a factor of ten, or more. (much more, in this case.) Supposedly, they do this to cover the losses on folks that don't pay..... Apparently then, MOST folks don't pay..... at least, that is what the hosipitals seem to want us to believe. I agree. It's stupid. Obamacare was supposed to address this issue, but, in typical government fashion, they pass legislation that is supposed to 'fix' something, but only make things worse.

Inattention. Caused by overindulging in alcohol, or those consarned phones. :) (and a selection of other distractions as well.) When I didn't care about points on my license, I would speed all the time. (and I mean SPEED) I think my best ticket was 108 in a 55. (I didn't notice the AIRPLANES......) The only accidents I have ever been in, weren't my fault. Back when I rode motorcycles a lot, I learned there are two things that can kill you. Your stupidity, which you can do something about, and someone elses stupidity, which you have to watch out for. That applies equally to cars.

If time travel were possible in the future wouldn't evidence exist of it now and in the past? Only if the travelers weren't careful. But, that could be a topic in and of itself. (and in fact, it has been.......)

Must be different where you live Lisnpuppy. Around here, your driving record is reviewed every three to six months by the insurance companies. (and then they raise your rates anyway.....) Also, most of the banks REQUIRE you to carry full coverage insurance on any vehicle you have that is security on the loan. Of course, Michigan has some of the most expensive insurance in the nation..... thank you Detroit......

Raising minimum wage isn't the answer. All that would do is temporarily make folks feel better. Then, the price of EVERYTHING would go up to compensate for the additional labor cost, and we would be right back where we started. Minimum wage jobs were SUPPOSED to be 'entry level' jobs, that those just starting out in whatever industry, or, the workforce in general, would be able to get, work at for a while, and then move on to better paying jobs. Trouble is, the better paying jobs seem to have left the country..... Fully 70% of the jobs created in the last year, were low-wage, part-time. Not exactly something you can work at to support your family. What this all comes back to is: We need to bring those good jobs BACK to the US. All of our manufacturing, and mid-skill jobs, (tech support, for instance) need to come back to the US. We need to dump the free trade agreements with third world nations, and repeal the tax breaks for "creating jobs in developing nations". (moving jobs to developing nations.) Our government has slit the throat of the middle class, and their answer to it was Obamacare...... Just stupid. We need the JOBS. That would go a long way toward solving a host of ills we see in our country today.

Future. I would get the winning lottery numbers for the next several weeks, come back, and retire a very wealthy man.

People drive like they own the road, instead of the car...... I blame insurance companies. :) There is no downside to totaling your brand new whatever, as insurance will just buy you a new one..... Cell phones are rapidly overtaking drunks as the leading cause of accidents here. My daughter was rearended by a guy trying to text whilst coming up to a stoplight. Some damage to the rear of the blazer, his car was totaled. I fixed the blazer for about 50 bucks..... and drove it for another two years. His went to the scrap yard. Now, I drive a full-size Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4. I don't care what pulls out in front of me. Not like its gonna hurt the truck. Folks are aware of this, so, they aren't quite so brave when they see me coming. Gas mileage sucks though. :D

I wanna see Daggerfall remade. :) The WHOLE of Tamriel.

Please don't anticipate the level of pathetic stupidity in the upcoming political season. I'm sure there will be a mind numbing level of immaturity that will beacon in the next figurehead to the presidency so their party can manipulate the wealth others produce in order to placate their benefactors. Oh Geez.... I almost wet myself I was laughing so hard at these two comments. The sad part is, they are SO TRUE. Thank You very much for the laugh at least. :D

The republicans REALLY need to get their heads screwed on tight if they expect to do anything other than be horribly embarrassed in the next election cycle. None of the legislation they think is oh-so-important has a hope in hell of passing. But, they seem to think they need to give the appearance of "doing something", even if they know it is wasted effort. Not like they have to worry about not getting their next paycheck if they don't accomplish anything...... Our government is in serious trouble. BOTH parties have lost their way, and NEITHER party has even the remotest clue on how to salvage the situation. So, they both go along on their merry way, doing the same old things, that they KNOW FOR A FACT don't work, but, gotta be doing something.... right? We are ALL in serious trouble. Our government doesn't care about america anymore. All they care about is getting (re)elected, so they need to keep their campaign contributors happy. You know, the filthy rich folks, and the corporations. We do indeed have the best government money can buy. Only thing is, its more like a lease, as the owners change every two years or so.

Some aspects of his foreign policy I actually like. (His stance on Iran for instance) The rest of it, I think he is being blind to reality, and is repeating mistake we have made in the recent past.

They are basically slinging any mud they can come up with, hoping something will stick. We also appear to be assuming that slick willy used his office to influence Monica to do his will. We weren't there, and so, have no idea what really happened. Who knows, maybe SHE seduced HIM. Wouldn't be the first time a man has given in to carnal pleasure, even when he knows it is morally wrong. :)

Isnt' acting in the tradition of previous presidents? His immediate predecessor did some of the exact same things. Obama is merely continuing that trend. But, Obama, cannot MAKE law. That is reserved for congress. (Article 1, Section 1 of the constitution.) He can issue orders within the framework of existing law. That's it. (basically, enforcement policy) Such orders are still subject to judicial review. He is by no stretch of the imagination a dictator. Now more than George Bush was. Then trend for the government in general assuming responsiblity for more and more aspects of every day life, their free and loose interpretation of what constitutes "spying" on americans citizens and such though, THAT is becoming scarey.

Assorted gun control legislation, that will do nothing for the issues they are putting up as justification for it. REQUIRING me to purchase a product from a private company. Immigration "reform". Etc. I am not going to debate any of these with you though, as it would be pointless, neither of us is going to change the others views.

There are a fair few 'american citizens' fighting with al queda. It is impractical to bring them to trial, and also extremely expensive. Not just in money, but in the lives of those that we would have to send to arrest them. If you are hanging out with terrorists, BY CHOICE, then YOU are a terrorist, and abdicate all rights to anything other than what happens to the rest of the enemy combatants during a war. Demanding they should get a 'fair trial' is ludicrous. If you are FIGHTING against this country, that makes you an enemy. We tend to shoot first, and never ask the questions. So, join al queda, fight the US, be it at home or abroad, don't expect the niceties of a civilian trial. You can expect a bullet, bomb, or missile. That's it.