Friday News Roundup - Domestic
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-12-09/friday-news-roundup-domestic
Newt Gingrich takes the lead for the Republican presidential nomination in the key states of Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida. Rival Mitt Romney launches attacks on his policy positions and personal behavior. President Obama criticizes a Republican filibuster of his choice to head a new federal consumer protection agency. He also defends his administration's decision to block the FDA plan to allow unrestricted sales of the "morning-after" pill. With a week to go before the planned holiday recess, the Senate rejects both Republican and Democratic plans to extend the payroll tax cut. And a judge sends a tough message: former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich gets fourteen years in prison on federal corruption charges. David Leonhardt of The New York Times, Laura Meckler of The Wall Street Journal and John King of CNN join guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
Guests
David Leonhardt
Washington bureau chief, The New York Times.
Laura Meckler
White House correspondent, The Wall Street Journal.
John King
anchor of CNN's John King, USA, and chief national correspondent.
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
"ecgberht wrote:
gbloper,
Look at my response to your last post from last Friday the 2nd. The idea that "government is more effective" has been disproven time and time and time again. It was supposed to provide "effective", "reasonably priced" healthcare for seniors. The NYT has written that IT'S OWN DIRECTOR says it is FAILING as he leaves. USPS, bailed out by the FG, is dropping its overnight service because IT CANNOT COMPETE WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
I think you think that if there were no more private industry, and the FG ran everything somehow the corruption would go away?
On the other hand, maybe you just post these ideas for a goof on all of us. For your own sanity, I hope that's what it is.
December 9, 2011 - 8:29 pm"
The Post Office has problems, but is still providing services that no private firm can currently provide.
Their biggest problem is that in addition to contributing the funds for current Employee's Medical, Congress now requires them to prepay Medical for 75 years into the future and they have to do it in only 10 years. That's an intolerable drain and no other Government agency or private firm has to do anything like that.
Furthermore the Congress is spending the prepayments anyhow just like they do with Social Security and there won't be any money in the Fund when it's needed.
If the PO didn't have to make the $5.5 Billion prepayment, they would be solvent.
In addition, Magazine Publishers have lobbied Congress to pressure the PO into carrying some stuff at a loss.
The Republicans want to bankrupt and privatize them.
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
Teece Bowman wrote:
"The national wisdom up to this point has been that privatizing insurance would spur market competition and decrease the price….but like so many false promises in the capitalist system “the exact opposite has happened”.
Proponents of private healthcare maintain that Americans may be paying more, but have access to the best and fastest healthcare in the world. This is a myth."
No. The myth is that "market competition" in the health insurance industry has ever actually been tried. It hasn't been. Insurance companies are "state-bound". They cannot sell across state lines. THAT is what is needed to create real competition. When you can buy health insurance like you do Geico or State Farm, you will see insurance rates fall.
Democrats will never let that happen. Because if it did, their dream of single payer FG health care mandated for everyone would be dead - along with your dream of a communist state.
"monte wrote:
mchaun wrote:" Shadenfreude blowhards."
As a former landlord, the last thing you want is an eviction, they are costly and counterproductive. I can only speak for myself and common sense, landlords bend over backwards to help the situation but in the end cannot afford to carry no matter how worthy or sad the situation the people involved forever.
I was a Landlord in Massachusetts and evicting my only Tenant was a very unpleasant experience. But I understood the reasons for the laws since Landlords are notorious for cheating on deposits, refusing repairs etc, etc, etc.
But that is not Shadenfreude.
"Of all the posts are have read here I cannot remember anyone seeking pleasure derived from the misery of others."
An example might be after a DR Commenter tells a sad story about a failed Mortgage, lost job or accident and there is always someone who crows about how stupid the Losers are for trusting the System, about how the Loser could find a job if S/He wanted to, or how clumsy the Losers were to allow their infant Daughter to be run over by a truck.
I see no shortage of nastiness on this Site. Pink Floyd is a good example.
But you don't need to take my word for it, poll the other Commenters and see what they think.
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
Monte, I believe that is what the healthcare bill debate was all about. Changing the way health care is delivered paying for the illness instead of the treatment so Dr.'s don't pad your bill with unnecessary test. If America was serious about health care we would have single payer and get rid of the blood sucking leeches known as insurance company's.
Why not have an agency to protect the "Chronically Dumb" from themselves. We can't all be as smart as you monte who God must really love, especially that compassionate streak you got going. Since our education system is broke we need this agency even more since the best and brightest all head to Wall St. to figure out how to take a cut of our money without producing anything of value.
monte you must be a troll."Rush Limbaugh is an expert on political analysis and those who dismiss him do not know what their missing by not listening to his very good show". There is no way you listen to the DRS, its a scientific fact that if you listen to both Rush Limbaugh And DRS you will stoke out.
We are broke because of two unpaid for tax cuts two unpaid for wars and one unpaid for medicare drug benefits because as Cheney told us all"Deficits don't matter" unless the Dem's are running things. Then lets not forget our crash and burn economy the GOP handed to us all and the spender of last resort the US Government so please stop your crying about debt I didn't hear a sniffle till your boys lost.
ndbltwy wrote:
Monte, I believe that is what the healthcare bill debate was all about. Changing the way health care is delivered paying for the illness instead of the treatment so Dr.'s don't pad your bill with unnecessary test. If America was serious about health care we would have single payer and get rid of the blood sucking leeches known as insurance company's
It already been proven that one payer systems rations health care ndbitwy. For example look at Medicare and Medicaid and the people who soley rely on this insurance coverage, many health practitioners do not accept these patients. This is what will happen under a one payer system.
"ndbltwy wrote:
We are broke because of two unpaid for tax cuts two unpaid for wars and one unpaid for medicare drug benefits because as Cheney told us all"Deficits don't matter" unless the Dem's are running things"
ndbitwy:
Defense spending is 20% of the Federal Budget or 600 Billion. Our total spending under Obama has reached 15 trillion. A trillion is 11 zeros ndbitwy.
You are dead-on meangreen.
Average deficit spending under Bush; 1.66B per day
Average deficit spending under Obama; 5.00B per day
Now ... once again ... why are we broke, ndbltwy?