Recession coming

[The Leaper]

Where the hell do you get that? Universal means universal. Like for everyone. And please explain to me what keeping troops in Iraq is getting us that's better than healthcare for everyone?

Oh, I don't know...perhaps a civil war in the Middle East and $10 a gallon gasoline.

If Iraq collapses into civil war...which is a real possibility if we go Obama-o-rama and just yank everyone out and tell them to get along nice without us...the world economy, which is based strongly on the oil coming from that region of the world, will become increasing unstable.

I'm fine with people who don't agree with the Bush administration's decisions regarding Iraq...Rumsfeld was an incompetant moron and Bush isn't exactly a genius. Disagreement doesn't change the status quo though. We are there and basically the one thing standing between peace and civil war. Ignoring that reality is very dangerous IMO. Thinking you can just reverse everything and make it all better by pulling everyone out is NOT a solution at this point.

We can easily maintain peace in Iraq and provide a solution to health care and balance the budget. However, it will take politicians who want to find solutions...not cling to party lines and special interests. Unfortunately, Washington has very few of these individuals...so WHOEVER becomes president doesn't have a chance in hell of accomplishing anything.

[Partial]

We can easily maintain peace in Iraq and provide a solution to health care and balance the budget. However, it will take politicians who want to find solutions...not cling to party lines and special interests. Unfortunately, Washington has very few of these individuals...so WHOEVER becomes president doesn't have a chance in hell of accomplishing anything.

Now that I do not believe.

Health Care was going to boost the taxation to something like 40-50% of take-home pay. That is ridiculous. That means they need to generate new revenue to accomplish this. That means it is very, very expensive(especially when handled by the efficient government).

This, paired with Iraq operations will be very expensive.

We need to get a small government that doesn't spend a lot of money.

[Scott Campbell]

if american companies don't have american workers......

If?

That horse left the barn years ago. The american factory worker can not compete in a global economy when skilled Chinese factory workers are making 70 cents a day. And if it weren't China, it would just be some other low wage country.

Capitalism has little pity for the weakest competitors. You either adapt, or die.

[Harlan Huckleby]

if american companies don't have american workers......

If?

That horse left the barn years ago. The american factory worker can not compete in a global economy when skilled Chinese factory workers are making 70 cents a day. And if it weren't China, it would just be some other low wage country.

Capitalism has little pity for the weakest competitors. You either adapt, or die.

How do you expect American workers to adapt to these realities? Work for 65 cents per day? Beg in the streets?

If health care is tied to employers, many people are going to suffer badly, there simply aren't enough jobs with good benefits to go around. It is very hard for people to retrain themselves.

I don't see how we can have relatively free trade without massive consequences to people. Yes, people must adapt, but do you truly beleive they will be able to do it, in large numbers, on their own?

[Scott Campbell]

if american companies don't have american workers......

If?

That horse left the barn years ago. The american factory worker can not compete in a global economy when skilled Chinese factory workers are making 70 cents a day. And if it weren't China, it would just be some other low wage country.

Capitalism has little pity for the weakest competitors. You either adapt, or die.

How do you expect American workers to adapt to these realities? Work for 65 cents per day? Beg in the streets?

I don't understand you. I feel reasonably safe in saying that you aren't stupid. A little less secure in thinking you are not cruel, but we'll go with that theory for sake of discussion. Why are you so unwilling to help people who are displaced by globalization? If health care is tied to employers, many people are going to suffer badly, there simply aren't enough jobs with good benefits to go around. It is very hard for people to retrain themselves.

I don't see how we can have relatively free trade without massive consequences to people. Yes, people must adapt, but do you truly beleive they will be able to do it, in large numbers, on their own?

First off, don't shoot the messenger. Life is cruel. Nature is cruel. Capitalism is cruel. Competition is cruel. The government has its hands full without taking on all life's injustices. First you wanted Forum Utopia. Now you propose Government Utopia. I believe that much of the well intentioned Liberal agenda will just end up enabling mediocrity.

I think our philosophical differences come down to just a few things. I think people are capable of more. You think nobody is lazy, or that nobody has made poor choices that resulted in their misfortune. Everyone has reached their full potential in your world. The "haves" are just lucky, and the "have nots" are just unlucky. I think you struggle accepting personal accountability for your own lot in life, and project those same rationalizations on everyone else who struggles.

Do I enjoy other people's suffering? No, not even yours. I just think that the government can't make it all better by stealing even more than they already do from those who are achieving. It'll destroy this country.

[Freak Out]

Cheney goes to rehab.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/telnaes/telnaes03072008.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[Scott Campbell]

I don't see how we can have relatively free trade without massive consequences to people.

"IF YOU DON'T LIKE CHANGE, YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IRRELEVANCE EVEN LESS."

--Gen. Eric Shinseki, former Army Chief of Staff

[Scott Campbell]

If health care is tied to employers........

I do think that employer provided health care is not working. It restricts free agency. I'm not sure what the answer is. Maybe insurance portability. Though I am fairly certain that the answer isn't free boob jobs for everyone.

[Harlan Huckleby]

First off, don't shoot the messenger. Life is cruel. Nature is cruel. Capitalism is cruel. Competition is cruel. The government has its hands full without taking on all life's injustices.

We could go back to 1800's Charles Dickens world. Let everybody fend for themselves.

But that is an extreme characterization. I don't THINK you would vote for an end of social security, public education, labor laws. Or would you?

There is a happy balance. It is possible to be pro-business AND care about people. Most people are trying to find that balance. And then you have a few extremist who think they can just implement a one-sided ideology. You caricature me as utopian socialist, but that's not where I'm coming from, I look for a practical compromise.

[Harlan Huckleby]

If health care is tied to employers........

I do think that employer provided health care is not working. It restricts free agency. I'm not sure what the answer is. Maybe insurance portability. Though I am fairly certain that the answer isn't free boob jobs for everyone.

Employer-provided health care is certainly not working. It is crushing innovation from entrepreneurs, overburdening other businesses. 58 M people run around without insurance.

Its doable to provide health insurance to all.

[Scott Campbell]

I look for a practical compromise.

....as long as it involves you getting more government handouts at the expense of people making more than you.

[Scott Campbell]

Its doable to provide health insurance to all.

Possibly very basic health care. Much healthcare has gotten too expensive for the government to provide the best care to everybody.

[Scott Campbell]

There is a happy balance.

There is no happy balance. Every choice involves unpleasant consequences.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I look for a practical compromise.

....as long as it involves you getting more government handouts at the expense of people making more than you.

no, um, not so. In fact, my opinions have little or nothing to do with my own personal finances or situation. I am looking for policies that both expand the economy and help people who are struggling & under-represented.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Its doable to provide health insurance to all.

Possibly very basic health care. Much healthcare has gotten too expensive for the government to provide the best care to everybody.

the government can provide basic care to all. We're already paying for this anyway through indirect costs.