livendive

I have no control over what services my elders decided should be publically supplied. All I can do is vote to restrict scope creep. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It looks to me like it's being assumed that J thinks people who no longer jump shouldn't post here. I don't see where he's said any such thing, and I seriously doubt that's what he thinks. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

remains un-affirmed. And that, I agree with. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Read this post, then this thread, and you tell me. Blues, Dave (Personally, I believe that Jim and others like him still contribute tremendously to our community, even if, and in part because, they are "retired".) "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

. . . Is there an assumption being made that black voters will vote based on race rather than characteristics, issues, etc of the candidate? Why is that considered a valid assumption? Similar for women. If you think that's merely an issue-related correlation with no causality, we'll have to agree to disagree. And I'm not saying it was only the blacks or only the women. I think it whites and men were just as guilty. I'm also not saying it was *all* the blacks, whites, women, or men. But some significant percentage of each were certainly opting to vote their own color and/or gender rather than for a specific platform. If color and gender did not factor into people's decisions, we wouldn't see such obvious lines of demarcation. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

To be brutally honest, neither is paying for people who don't work. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Unfortunately, the Ron Paul revolution is a thing of the past (unless he takes a 180 and runs libertarian, which he has ruled out repeatedly). But seriously, do you think McCain is interested in a theocracy? If so, what has he done/said that gives you that impression? I never got that impression from him, even though he made some speeches at Liberty U and/or similar Christian colleges. Edited to add: I'm amazed at what a comeback his campaign has made. I remember just a few months back the press was reporting that his campaign was effectively dead in the water. I wasn't referring to McCain. I was talking about the Romney supporters who insist McCain is a liberal giving their support to Huckabee instead. And yes, I too am amazed by the turnaround his campaign made. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

If any of his supporters are actually conservative and disinterested in theocracy, they'll throw themselves behind Ron Paul.

What you assert you are seeing "all over in DZ.com," I'm not. What am missing? And I don't mean that sarcastically or snark-ily. I provided three specific examples & one general (i.e., whole thread) counter-example. The original assertion was explicit (& let's extend it even more broadly: or even implicity) assertion by a plural group of individuals claiming they are voting for a person specifically because the candidate is "black" or "female." Is there any evidence or is that a strawman argument? VR/Marg Can you think of a better reason why 88% of Utah Republicans voted for Romney? Or 93% (IIRC) of black Georgian democrats voted for Obama? Or why Hillary is routinely winning the adult white female demographic? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

How does this relate to complaints about others who want *additional* services provided to them by taxpayers? I have not asked the government to give me anything beyond what it already does, so how is it hypocritical to complain about others who want more and more? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It would be no different than if they had private health insurance that paid for a preg test in a doc's office, but didn't pay for an OTC preg test in a box - some would choose to go directly to the doc. Me - I could pay about $30-$40 a week on Nexium if I bought it OTC; but instead, with my group prescription plan, I pay nothing - zero deductible - to get it with a prescription. If I was a company instead of an individual, that would be called "good business". Yes, it is different with a private plan. Your fellow participants in the plan have the option of shopping for cheaper, more restrictive insurance if too many people are using the more expensive, community-funded options and driving up their costs. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Our personal healthcare decisions should be between us as individuals and our chosen health professionals, not politicians or gov't bureaucrats and regulators hamhandedly trying to 'control abuse', whatever that means. And therein lies my reason for not wanting it to be mandatory. I believe that optional, affordable, basic healthcare with controls to prevent abuse is what I advocated in my first or second post in this thread. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Heading the charge of elitism are a doctor and a lawyer two people who worked much harder than most to get where they are, one of whom has far more knowledge of healthcare than me...... you'll have to excuse me if I'm just a shade less than totally shocked. Fixed it for ya. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Have you ever been to the DMV? I have, and I've seen how well the government takes care of the governed. I have zero interest in seeing my healthcare decline to that level of service. I've worked hard all my life, and have earned my good job, decent insurance, and some level of freedom in making my healthcare decisions. Why do you think the quality of my healthcare should decline? Why do you think I should be responsible for paying for the healthcare of people who haven't worked as hard as I have? I'm not opposed to the idea of basic healthcare being available and affordable to everyone, provided it has substantial controls in place to prevent abuse, but I'm quite opposed to any sort of mandatory system, or being required to pay for stupid shit. A gal I know who works in the ER routinely sees women come in for pregnancy tests. On the nights she's working triage, she points out the door at the Rite-Aid across the street and suggests they pick up a pregnancy test there for 10 or 15 bucks instead of burning through several hundred in the ER. The answer is always some variant of the same thing..."Yeah, but the state won't pay for that and they will pay for this." I don't want to support that kind of selfish fucktardedness. Blues, Dave That's a wild assumption. People here have already stated that the US system is worse in ways, equal at best. Again, I agree, fuck my fllow American, they can die, all that matters is my tax rate. 1 - Some people may have said the US system is worse in ways, equal at best, but others have said the US system is better. Did you catch the part where wealthier Canadians come down here and pay cash for their healthcare? 2 - You may not care if your fellow Americans die, but I do. That's why I said everyone should have access to affordable basic healthcare. That does not include pregnancy tests on demand, breast enhancements, lasik surgery, and a host of other costs that should be borne by the people requesting them. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

You mean I'm special? Of course you're special, Krisanne. Sorry if we don't remind you often enough.

Good! Now go gossip about me behind my back!

I've never thought of a "medical co-op" before. Why wouldn't it be legal? Edit to add: And if it were legal, why couldn't it require a waiver similar to what we have in skydiving, protecting the healthcare providers from all but the most serious lawsuits, thereby reducing the cost of insurance paid by the membership? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

That's an asinine opinion...I totally disagree.

Can you explain to me the rationale behind your opinion on the West Virginia thing? I really don't understand why anyone's offended by it. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Textbook definition of "Grudgefuck." That...if she'd shut up long enough for me to get an erection. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Yes, the USPS is one of the few examples of where the government has gotten something right. It fits in my model of what government should be (a provider of basic infrastructure to facilitate commerce). Somehow, I doubt that univeral healthcare (especially of the mandated variety) would be so customer-oriented and cost-effective. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I generally restrict my attacks to the people I like, and try to ignore the people I dislike. So am I a mean or nice poster? Edit to add: And by "poster", I don't mean in the "poster child for birth control" sort of way. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I bet you're proud of the things a conservative administration has done during the last 7 years. Record budget deficits, record trade deficit, spying on citizens without a warrant, imprisonment without trial, ruining the nation's image among our traditional allies, gagging government scientists, leading us into a quagmire of a war under false pretenses. IF I were "very conservative" (gag on the thought) I wouldn't advertise it on the internet. What has Bush done that qualifies as "conservative"? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

This is a prime example of why I should not have my pocket picked for others' healthcare. Shit heads. We live in a community, and not some self centered world. If we have any human in us, by nature we want to help others. Some cultures are brought up that way, others are not. I like to believe that when someone needs help, I'm there for them. It's funny that most of the extremely self-centered individuals posting here were also beneficiaries of a taxpayer subsidized education. I used the taxpayer subsidized education, I didn't abuse it. As a result of that education, I've put more dollars into the coffers than I took, so it was a good investment on the part of the government and tax-paying public. A woman using hundreds of taxpayer dollars to avoid using a dozen or so of her own is abusing the communal trust. Do you see a difference? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Badnarik for President! He got my vote in the last election. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)