Political Correctness,

[csgators]

The poster child for government waste.

 

Do you think that the problem of fraud, waste and abuse is not shared by the private sector? Because the same people who are developing technology for "forensic auditing" are addressing the issue in the public sector.

 

There is waste in the private sector but it pales in comparison and the private sector does not force me to buy their products. Government by it's nature has more waste, they have almost no motive to eliminate it. They produce nothing and the more money they spend, the more power they have.

You have to buy healthcare, you have to buy energy, you have to buy food, you have to buy virtually everything from the private sector.

 

Its unfair to say that the private sector doesn't force you to buy goods.

 

Also it seems every single topic in this section is turning into a economic debate :|

 

You only have to buy healthcare when Obamacare kicks in. Everything else is optional.

[myrmaad]

You only have to buy healthcare when Obamacare kicks in. Everything else is optional.

 

No, no.

 

Your healthcare is not free. I'm paying for your choice not to pay for it yourself, already. I pay because the cost of providing care to those who don't have insurance is passed along to me. If you have decided you don't need health insurance, you're basically telling me you're stealing out of my pocket. That should be illegal.

 

I'm paying for the fraud, waste and abuse in the private sector, that cost is always passed along to consumer.

 

There are myriad ways the private sector has been ripping me off, with fewer services and higher prices, and as corporations monopolize and consolidate, and corporate CEOs populate each others Board of Directors ensuring that money flows from the bottom 90% to the top 1%, I am left with less competitive prices, less competition, less innovation, less small business successes all leading to less value for my money which is already overinflated by a fed that prints money with abandon no matter who's in charge.

[csgators]

You only have to buy healthcare when Obamacare kicks in. Everything else is optional.

 

No, no.

 

Your healthcare is not free. I'm paying for your choice not to pay for it yourself, already. I pay because the cost of providing care to those who don't have insurance is passed along to me. If you have decided you don't need health insurance, you're basically telling me you're stealing out of my pocket. That should be illegal.

 

 

Health care can be paid for with cash, not everyone needs insurance. The other problems you mentioned has mostly to do with government granting special privileges to companies and massive regulations that create barriers to competition. Monopolies can only exist with government support. When profit margins become higher than normal other people will move in to the market, unless government has created artificial barriers or given special status to certain companies.

 

EDIT:

 

My grandfather was a Christian Scientist and never visited a doctor in his life, why should he have had to buy health insurance?

Edited May 22, 2011 by csgators

[HeyYou]

Sure, maybe our foreign aid spending is a drop in the bucket when you look at the 'big picture', but, ya gotta start somewhere, right? Just think what the 10 BILLION dollars a year we give to Iraq could accomplish here. Maybe we wouldn't have bridges falling down, and killing everyone on them. Iraq, and Afghanistan are the two biggest beneficiaries. But, have a look at this map. Notice that we are giving some flavor of aid to damn near everyone... including.... China, and Saudi Arabia..... (like either country really needs it....) As I said in an earlier post, seems we can take care of (or, attempt to at least...) everyone else, EXCEPT Americans. Imagine that.

 

And what do we get for our money? Another country to export our jobs to? "The Good Will" of the recipient nation? I hardly think so. Is the return on the investment worth it? Not from where I am sitting.

 

And sure, the economy is a big issue now. (finally......) and everyone is preaching "fiscal responsibility"....... as that is what is in fashion at the moment. So, what are the first things they want to cut? Social Security, Medicaid (medicare? I get the two confused.) They want to give MORE tax breaks to big business, in the forlorn hope they will deign to 'create jobs'. Sure, that'll work. Just about as well as it did the last time they tried, and the time before that, ad nauseum. It may create jobs, in China...... or India, or some other "developing nation" that congress, in its 'wisdom' decided to give yet more tax breaks for...... (yeah, creating jobs in developing nations, which translated literally to "Moving jobs to developing nations".) Basically, take money away from those that need it most, and give it to those that need it least. In Michigan, they want to start taxing pension income, so they can give corporations yet another tax break...... Some solution.

 

This is NOT the America I grew up in. I remember when so called 'american' products were actually made RIGHT HERE in America. Wander thru any department store, and TRY and find a product that was made here in the states. (good luck with that.) Even products that were once considered 'the best', when they were actually made here.... have moved to china, and now, quality has dropped thru the floor, passed thru the basement, and settled somewhere on the third level of Hell. (what? Me cynical? Nah......)

 

Now, is this all the governments fault? Partially...... Mostly, it is interesting things like Lobbyists. Where whomever has the most money, can get their pet legislation passed. Or the Supreme Court, deciding that corporations are people to, and therefore have all the rights to do whatever political advertising they care to, along with direct campaign contributions..... doesn't matter that most of the companys employees wouldn't have the same political bent as the folks that are actually in a position to decide where that money goes....... Corporate america calls the shots. Plain and simple. They decide who gets elected, they decide what legislation passes, and what does not. Think your vote matters? It's an illusion. Perpetuated to fool 'the people' into thinking they actually have a voice in government, and their opinion matters. No it doesn't. Your congressman will vote the way he is told to, by the folks that put him in office.

 

Is any of that going to change? Not bloody likely. The folks that are in a position to make the necessary changes, are the very people that benefit most from leaving things just as they are. We are firmly ensconced in the handbasket, and we are accelerating rapidly on our journey. We hope you enjoy your ride. :D

[marharth]

Sure, maybe our foreign aid spending is a drop in the bucket when you look at the 'big picture', but, ya gotta start somewhere, right? Just think what the 10 BILLION dollars a year we give to Iraq could accomplish here. Maybe we wouldn't have bridges falling down, and killing everyone on them. Iraq, and Afghanistan are the two biggest beneficiaries. But, have a look at this map. Notice that we are giving some flavor of aid to damn near everyone... including.... China, and Saudi Arabia..... (like either country really needs it....) As I said in an earlier post, seems we can take care of (or, attempt to at least...) everyone else, EXCEPT Americans. Imagine that.

 

And what do we get for our money? Another country to export our jobs to? "The Good Will" of the recipient nation? I hardly think so. Is the return on the investment worth it? Not from where I am sitting.

 

And sure, the economy is a big issue now. (finally......) and everyone is preaching "fiscal responsibility"....... as that is what is in fashion at the moment. So, what are the first things they want to cut? Social Security, Medicaid (medicare? I get the two confused.) They want to give MORE tax breaks to big business, in the forlorn hope they will deign to 'create jobs'. Sure, that'll work. Just about as well as it did the last time they tried, and the time before that, ad nauseum. It may create jobs, in China...... or India, or some other "developing nation" that congress, in its 'wisdom' decided to give yet more tax breaks for...... (yeah, creating jobs in developing nations, which translated literally to "Moving jobs to developing nations".) Basically, take money away from those that need it most, and give it to those that need it least. In Michigan, they want to start taxing pension income, so they can give corporations yet another tax break...... Some solution.

 

This is NOT the America I grew up in. I remember when so called 'american' products were actually made RIGHT HERE in America. Wander thru any department store, and TRY and find a product that was made here in the states. (good luck with that.) Even products that were once considered 'the best', when they were actually made here.... have moved to china, and now, quality has dropped thru the floor, passed thru the basement, and settled somewhere on the third level of Hell. (what? Me cynical? Nah......)

 

Now, is this all the governments fault? Partially...... Mostly, it is interesting things like Lobbyists. Where whomever has the most money, can get their pet legislation passed. Or the Supreme Court, deciding that corporations are people to, and therefore have all the rights to do whatever political advertising they care to, along with direct campaign contributions..... doesn't matter that most of the companys employees wouldn't have the same political bent as the folks that are actually in a position to decide where that money goes....... Corporate america calls the shots. Plain and simple. They decide who gets elected, they decide what legislation passes, and what does not. Think your vote matters? It's an illusion. Perpetuated to fool 'the people' into thinking they actually have a voice in government, and their opinion matters. No it doesn't. Your congressman will vote the way he is told to, by the folks that put him in office.

 

Is any of that going to change? Not bloody likely. The folks that are in a position to make the necessary changes, are the very people that benefit most from leaving things just as they are. We are firmly ensconced in the handbasket, and we are accelerating rapidly on our journey. We hope you enjoy your ride. :D

This pretty much sums up every single topic about the government posted in the debate section.

 

Hope you post more here :D

Edited May 22, 2011 by marharth

[grannywils]

I'm speechless....

 

So, HeyYou, when we spoke briefly yesterday you said that you didn't post much in debates. Guess you've been making up for lost time since then, huh? :tongue: Well, thank goodness. I just don't know what to say. You have managed to get it all said so clearly and well, that I can just sit back and read now.

[HeyYou]

I have not yet begun to rant! :biggrin:

[csgators]

I'm speechless....

 

Care to elaborate? ;D

[grannywils]

I'm speechless....

 

Care to elaborate? ;D

 

I did. See edited version.... :biggrin:

[HeyYou]

I'm speechless....

 

So, HeyYou, when we spoke briefly yesterday you said that you didn't post much in debates. Guess you've been making up for lost time since then, huh? :tongue: Well, thank goodness. I just don't know what to say. You have managed to get it all said so clearly and well, that I can just sit back and read now.

 

Actually, I discovered this section by accident...... and I haven't been real active on the forums here until recently. I find this section rather enjoyable. Intelligent discourse, on a variety of topics, without any of the mudslinging, insults, character impugning, etc, that I find on a number of other forums that I actually AM pretty active on for political/ect. commentary. Its refreshing. :D

 

and it gives me a soapbox.....