...

 LL>>> As it should.  However, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
 LL>>> is NOT universal health care.  It is an improvement from
 LL>>> what we had before, but even when fully implemented far
 LL>>> from what Americans need and truly deserve.

BK>>That is true. It's a first step, not a panacea.

 LL> The Affordable Care Act brings us in line as to what
 LL> Switzerland and the Netherlands have.  Not a perfect
 LL> system, with a lot of fixing left to be done, but better
 LL> than what we have now.

 It's not even that good, but you do have the right idea. In
 fact, Switzerland is the country I always compare out system to,
 because it's the most expensive of the other industrial
 countries. Yet still 1/3rd cheaper than our system. That's a
 $trillion a year we would save.

 LL>>> What exactly do Americans need and truly deserve?  Improved
 LL>>> Medicare for All via single-payer health care.

BK>>It could be done within the same general system we have now.
BK>>Most other industrialized countries do it, but they regulate it
BK>>much more.

 LL> More regulation is needed in this country if access to
 LL> quality health care is to become a reality for all, or even
 LL> most.

 Just for the health care system to survive. When it hits 20% of
 GDP, which it's close to, it will be way too much.

BK>>In this country I believe the republicans are going to force
BK>>single payer on us, by simply destroying the system we have now.
BK>>Impoverish too many people, reduce business to the point where
BK>>few get medical benefits, and you have a failed system.

 LL> For Republicans, it is all about power.  Not healtcare.

 Which they demonstrate in their arguements against Obamacare.

 LL> IOW, Republicans are willing to do anything and everything
 LL> to get back into power, even if it means gutting access to
 LL> quality healthcare. Right now they are threatening to
 LL> defund the Affordable Care Act. However, that is an empty
 LL> threat as Democrats continue to control the Senate, as well
 LL> as the White House.  As such, it is just a stalling tactic,
 LL> an attempt to make President Obama look bad.

 And that last sentence sums it all up.

 LL> What is going to happen when people find out they like
 LL> Obama's health care plan more than what we had before?  Do

 The right will tell them they are secretly on drugs.

 LL> you think they will want to turn back the clock?  Do you
 LL> think Republicans can retain the House and take over the
 LL> Senate by promising to repeal "Obamacare"?  Do you think
 LL> the Republicans can win the White House in 2016 with that
 LL> line?

 Once it's complete they will start reminding us it was their
 idea in the first place.

 LL>>> Notice I did not say Obamacare, Romneycare or Hillarycare.

BK>>I noticed.

 LL>>> Leecare is the solution.  Paid for by Bob K. and US
 LL>>> taxpayers.

BK>>Uhh... wait a minute until I get my boots on.

 LL> The world owes me a living, not the other way around.  :)

 Yeah, but you gotta work to collect on it.

 ...

 LL>>> Regardless of rank, our men and women in uniform deserve
 LL>>> better than what they get.  What we have today is a

BK>>Oh is that ever true.

 LL> That is an understatement.

 When I was in it was not as good as the generation before. Now
 it's awful.

 LL>>> mercenary army that has been brainwashed to think that only
 LL>>> they can save the world. The reality is far different, as

BK>>They have learned that. 10 years of foreign wars have taught
BK>>them that.

 LL> And yet, all too soon we seem to forget.  Look at Syria.
 LL> Look at warhawks in the Congress.  Look at President Obama.
 LL> Seems like war has been with us from the time we were born.

 Damn few of them ever wore a uniform, I doubt any saw battle.

 LL>>> it is led by a president who is a wimp (re: Syria).

BK>>Bush was the whimp. Obama is trying desperately to keep from
BK>>getting us into another military trap. Syria? Which side really
BK>>did use the poison gas?

 LL> Wimps go to war.  Tough guys get bullies to back off without
 LL> ever having to throw a punch.  That is why Jimmy Carter was
 LL> such a great president.  I would have been so easy for him
 LL> to have taken us to war in Iran.  Instead, he chose to get
 LL> our American diplomats who were held hostage returned to
 LL> our soil, all safe and sound, using diplomacy as his weapon
 LL> of choice, without losing any combat troops during his
 LL> presidency.

 If he had sent the military first thing he would have won
 re-election, and we would never have had Reagan or the losers
 who followed him. We would not be in this situation now.

 LL> Ronald Reagan would have simply nuked the joint, killing
 LL> untold numbers of Iranians, as well as all 52 Americans.

 Nah, he may have been a puppet, ok he was a puppet, but the
 puppet masters were not that crazy.

BK>>He suffers from the same failing Bush did, the inability to name
BK>>the real enemy, Saudi Arabia.

 LL> Saudi Arabia is our friend (as long as they keep selling us
 LL> oil).

 If we bought it from Iran we would not need near as much Saudi
 oil, and it would all become cheaper.

 BK>>> IOW, BFD.

 LL>>> That is exactly what President Assad of Syria said about
 LL>>> President Obama's warning not to cross that red line ...

BK>>He may learn the hard way.

 LL> Oh, come now!  Russians and Iranians are his friends!
 LL> And with friends like that, who needs enemies?

 Think about what you just said.

 LL> The fact of the matter is that Bashar al-Assad has
 LL> survived in Syria far longer than you or me ever could.

 We are not brutal enough.

 LL> The guy lives in a tough neighborhood and knows how
 LL> to survive.  We might not like the guy, but you do have
 LL> to give him credit.  He has survived where others have
 LL> not.

 Only by killing good people. OTOH, Ghadafi and Saddam did the
 same.

 LL> Will he run away and seek exile in Saudi Arabia (or some
 LL> other Muslim country) if we invade Syria?  Nah.  He'll
 LL> stay where he is and let his bodyguards (Iran and Russia)
 LL> protect him.

 Iran won't. Russia can't, realistically speaking.

 LL> Not that I expect us to invade Syria anytime soon ...

 Just bomb and arm the rebels.


BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Ever wonder why Hooked on Phonics advertises so much on Rush's show?
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