Is America coming apart?

[Barter_Town]

Barter_Town:

I'd appreciate it if you didn't use the "Laugh" feature to mock my serious posts. I'm sure others feel the same way. If you feel something is absurd, leave it alone or comment on it, please.

Sorry. LOLs have been removed.

[MrsAri]

Hmmm...I wonder what the 'grade' would have been if a child had written the following letter, or something similar:

What I Can Do to Help the President

1 - I can send letters to my local representatives and the President reminding them that they are bound by the Constitution. Anything they attempt to do in excess of that authority is tyranny and a crime, as well as a violation of their oath of office.

2 - I can outline my own positions on why the President's agenda is in excess of the Constitutional authority given to our Federal Government. I can attend rallies and events to help others be aware of these misdeeds being committed by our elected officials.

3 - I can write up a purchase order for the President, assigning to him the debt he is planning on assigning to me with his agenda. I can ensure that every politician is aware that we, the future generations, are watching. And, we are aware of the theft they are commiting against our future, to make their present more palatable.

Do you think the teachers, DoE, President, etc, would approve of such a student? Or, are they instead looking for the indoctrinated answers of trying to help the president pass his agenda by talking to friends and neighbors, etc. Sorry, but, the best way to help this President is to make him WELL aware of the crimes he is committing against our children.

This deserves being read again. Excellent!

[talisyn]

Hmmm...I wonder what the 'grade' would have been if a child had written the following letter, or something similar:

What I Can Do to Help the President

1 - I can send letters to my local representatives and the President reminding them that they are bound by the Constitution. Anything they attempt to do in excess of that authority is tyranny and a crime, as well as a violation of their oath of office.

2 - I can outline my own positions on why the President's agenda is in excess of the Constitutional authority given to our Federal Government. I can attend rallies and events to help others be aware of these misdeeds being committed by our elected officials.

3 - I can write up a purchase order for the President, assigning to him the debt he is planning on assigning to me with his agenda. I can ensure that every politician is aware that we, the future generations, are watching. And, we are aware of the theft they are commiting against our future, to make their present more palatable.

Do you think the teachers, DoE, President, etc, would approve of such a student? Or, are they instead looking for the indoctrinated answers of trying to help the president pass his agenda by talking to friends and neighbors, etc. Sorry, but, the best way to help this President is to make him WELL aware of the crimes he is committing against our children.

I would have given it an A, but would have called for reference for the crimes against our poor children.

[bytor2112]

If it's over something as innocuous as this, then, no.. I can't really respect anyone who would bar their kids from hearing from the democratically-elected leader of our country.

Sorry but when parents' personal politics leads to censorship over the silliest of things, that's just sad. I can't respect foolishness and paranoia. Sure you might not agree with some of his policies, but he's still the leader of your country and was elected by the majority for a reason. People forcing their kids to stick their heads in the sand alongside themselves is just bad parenting, IMO.

Blame the Dept. of Education for the paranoia........but, yeah, I would have encouraged my kids to see the speech and would have taken them if he spoke locally.

Michelle's father was a pump worker at the city water plant. Her mother was a secretary at a catalog store.

Barack's mother did have a PhD... in anthropology. Not much money to be made in anthropology.

Sounds pretty middle class to me. So.. not sure what you're getting this idea that they're "exaggerating" their humble beginnings. They have every right to say their beginnings were humble, because it's true.

It isn't like they were born into wealth and political connections like, say, Bush Sr. and Jr.

The President has made a habit of portraying himself as an underprivileged kid......he is a third generation college grad and Michelle didn't grow up in the ghetto. Middle class...agreed. But that's not how he likes to portray it. $42k per year and living in a brick home is respectable. A PHD and a University Professorship can be a solid six figure income, so I guess it depends on your definition of much

[MrsAri]

I would have given it an A, but would have called for reference for the crimes against our poor children.

Abortion

Indoctrination of 5 yr. old children via sex education

[Gatorman]

Crimes against our kids? How about increasing the debt we will leave them with. I can not believe ANYONE would support programs that would continue to saddle our children with further debt.

[bytor2112]

I would have given it an A, but would have called for reference for the crimes against our poor children.

He is referring to the debt.......Our children's children will till be trying figure out how to pay for it.

[talisyn]

Blame the Dept. of Education for the paranoia........but, yeah, I would have encouraged my kids to see the speech and would have taken them if he spoke locally.

The President has made a habit of portraying himself as an underprivileged kid......he is a third generation college grad and Michelle didn't grow up in the ghetto. Middle class...agreed. But that's not how he likes to portray it. $42k per year and living in a brick home is respectable. A PHD and a University Professorship can be a solid six figure income, so I guess it depends on your definition of much

But just because you have a degree doesn't mean you can find a good job (just ask my fiance lol). Don't forget Pres. Obama grew up without much of a paternal figure and a mom that took him to all sorts of places and left him with his grandparents for long stretches at a time, not a very stable childhood. You can have all the money in the world and still be underprivileged. At least that's what I tell my daughter when she wants something I can't afford

[talisyn]

Crimes against our kids? How about increasing the debt we will leave them with. I can not believe ANYONE would support programs that would continue to saddle our children with further debt.

Wait, you mean we had a balanced budget before Obama was elected? You mean I didn't have to wait 'til age 70 to get full social security benefits (according to my birthday social security statement 4 years ago)? I'm just stunned.

[bytor2112]

Wait, you mean we had a balanced budget before Obama was elected? You mean I didn't have to wait 'til age 70 to get full social security benefits (according to my birthday social security statement 4 years ago)? I'm just stunned.

Your quite correct...we didn't. Two wars and a medicare prescription bill ran up a considerable debt. The "emergency" stimulus bill is what many are angry about and the concern obviously is that when we throw in some government healthcare the burden is going to be unsustainable. Probably already is.......

[MrsAri]

What's social security?

[FunkyTown]

Your quite correct...we didn't. Two wars and a medicare prescription bill ran up a considerable debt. The "emergency" stimulus bill is what many are angry about and the concern obviously is that when we throw in some government healthcare the burden is going to be unsustainable. Probably already is.......

Bytor has a legitimate concern here, Tali: The war in Iraq cost $658 billion dollars and the stimulus bill allowed for $787 billion. People are arguing up those numbers, but I'm going to go with what's on paper and be conservative.

Americans have a right to be concerned about out of control spending. The GDP of the US is 13.84 Trillion according to the US factbook.

Canada blew about 1.5 percent of the GDP on a stimulus plan and Japan about the same, but the US has had the slowest recovery out of any of the nations. We're looking at over a 5% cost to the GDP of this.

The US debt(Not deficit, but DEBT) is only 11 trillion dollars. If you combine the War in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Stimulus bill, that makes up almost 20%.

That's right: The US has accrued 20% of its debt in the past 8 years and just in 3 actions by the government. That's just sheer fiscal irresponsibility.

For long term consequences of a devalued currency, which could very well come about because of this reckless spending, I invite others to do their own research.

That having been said, I think the US can have a medical plan and balance the budget. They just have to be careful.

[bytor2112]

That having been said, I think the US can have a medical plan and balance the budget. They just have to be careful.

So do I. Repeal the stimulus bill, slash government spending, reduce taxes and reform taxes, reduce or end foreign aid, eliminate and cut back.

They don't need to reinvent the wheel. Allow health insurance to be purchased across state lines and increase medicaid.

Edited September 14, 2009 by bytor2112

[FunkyTown]

So do I. Repeal the stimulus bill, slash government spending, reduce taxes and reform taxes, reduce or end foreign aid, eliminate and cut back.

They don't need to reinvent the wheel. Allow health insurance to be purchased across state lines and increase medicaid.

I would disagree with one part of this: 'Increase medicaid'.

I would say 'Scrap medicaid entirely and make sure it works'. Other than that, I would agree with you wholeheartedly.

[bytor2112]

I would disagree with one part of this: 'Increase medicaid'.

I would say 'Scrap medicaid entirely and make sure it works'. Other than that, I would agree with you wholeheartedly.

Medicaid is State run and would be a good backbone ........are you referring to Medicare?

[FunkyTown]

Medicaid is State run and would be a good backbone ........are you referring to Medicare?

My problem that I've heard is that Medicaid and Medicare have had problems providing needed medicines to people. Basically, because bureaucracy takes a very long time, I have heard horror stories about people being unable to receive the care they need.

Cuba might have some things wrong, but I quite like their medical field. I'm not certain where you stand on this, Bytor, but I'm a big fan of government placing caps on what can be charged for essential services.

On the one hand, it means that the cost will always be the maximum allowed by the government, on the other hand I have personal experience saying that privatizing those industries never... Ever... Reduces my bill.

I can say that when Bell privatized in Ontario, my families phone bill increased even when we went to another provider. When Hydro in BC was privatized, costs increased for electricity and water across the board. The 'savings' from going private didn't manifest, nor did our taxes lower because we were no longer subsidizing costs.

In short: Privatization of those fields brought nothing but higher costs, which is contrary to what most people say should happen when competition arrives.