Ok, I know I'm not posting (see below) right now. I'm on break. But I love Dennis Kucinich. I think he's a great man. I haven't been able to make this video run - or any other - but I've read the text and I just have to share my man Dennis.
Now I will return to my sort of cave.
8 comments:
Glad you posted that, I watched the convention but didn't get all of it,missed the beginning of his speech. Excellent! Hope you are feeling better.
Dennis is so under estimated, so under valued and the media's treatment of him is among their most shameful work - and they have a lot to be ashamed of.
He is a genuine American. A decent man with a wonderful mind.
I was jumping up and down on my sofa Raven. Even Siren stopped to listen.
Raven,
Taking a break is great. Sorry to hear, though, that it was prompted by sickness.....
Full disclosure---I'm a conservative. Having said that, I noticed your response to Robert in the previous post. Do you have a post where you back those statements up with fact(s).....like:
"If universal health care were passed by congress, the total impact on the nat'l debt, now nearing 10 Trillion, is estimated at an additional 800 billion over a ten year period.
And did you know that Obama's tax plan calls for a "3 millon exclusion per person, with a 45 percent federal tax thereafter. This would hit thousands of small business entities hard since much of America's growing wealth is now controlled by the independent entrepeneurial sector." Furthermore, from the same article by Morris R Beschloss, he notes that those hurt most by Obama's tax plan WOULD BE retirees and others depending on fixed incomes and Capitol gain on STOCK MARKET SALES, and small businesses.
So, please clarify---how would that be a better situation?
Hi Dillo,
I'm not sure where you got your figures. I believe they are inaccurate. As I understand it Obama proposes eliminating taxes completely for the elderly and disabled. His capitol gains cuts are designed to protect small businesses while eliminating some of the "free ride" for those getting rich on my nickle.
Here are three comparison's of the two tax approaches:
#1
#2
#3
Access to health care would also make a huge difference in the lives of the poor. Sometimes it's important short term costs pay for themselves in the long term. No real study that I know of has looked at the cost to the nation in terms of death, disability and medical costs which are higher because people can't get treatment until they are too sick to function without it... so that instead of early relatively inexpensive intervention they end up with costly medical intervention which is often too little too late.
I would also like to posit that taxes are not necessarily a bad thing. Federal tax cuts are to some degree slight of hand. We pay for them down the line at the state and local level or we pay for them in failing infrastructure and neglected schools.
I think shifting the tax burden from the shoulders of the poor and middle class and asking more from those who have more to give is not a good change in any case.
There are many areas in which the poor pay in extreme disproportion to the rich. I am permanently disabled and grateful that I receive even my small amount of SSD income. My stipend is very small. I pay $93/month towards Medicare Part B. In my case this is 17% of my stipend. Someone who's stipend is $80,000 pays the same amount as I do. Someone with a $250,000 or $500,000 stipend pays $760 approx. more per year than I do or less than 1 10th of a percent of their annual stipend. This seems insane to me. I can't help be believe that we could come up with something that would be both more compassionate and more sensible.
Guess that's enough of a response for the moment.
"Guess that's enough of a response for the moment."
I'm guessing you're feeling better! I respect the amount of research you always do and I really respect the civil tone you always maintain. I have a harder time doing that but I try to learn from your example.
I'm going to come back and read the 3 comparisons. I did try to find some info on Morris Beschloss - there's not a lot out there - his articles are everywhere but not much on what makes him qualified. He has a degree in journalism and economics - so what? Bush has a degree too. He is an extremely successful businessman - pipe valves and such. His only public service/governing credentials appear to be that Mary Bono likes him and appointed him her advisor.
Anyway - I have to go to the Dr. soon - the appt. I have waited 3 months for even though I pay $800 a month for health insurance. Then I have to stop by my 2nd job and hope they won't cut my hours because I hurt my ankle. That 2nd job pays for the health insurance. Then I have to hope I get back home to call my clients - the ones from the small business I have worked my ass off for 15 years to build. The one being decimated by huge corporate takeovers and outsourcing of the services I provide - I'm sure Clinton will be blamed for that.
Oh and did I tell you - I'm also going on interviews for either a 3rd job or a better paying 2nd. Whichever I can find.
I believe that makes me one of those invisible to Bush folks and I suppose this entire comment makes me one of those "whiners" that McCain's top guy talks about.
The only other thing I'd like to mention is how it disgusts me that we live in a society where 800 billion for healthcare can be questioned in such a cold and abstract way BUT 600 billion to kill American soldiers and Iraqi civilians is so easily accepted.
Raven,
I, too, appreciate your willingness to dialogue. I understand your issue re: the amount of $ paid out being proportionate. I'll have to come back to the $$$ comparisons.
One key issue though is this: Folks always want to tax "the rich." But who provides the jobs? My ex has a small business and employees 15 people. If her taxes go up substantially, that means she can't pay them as much....or pay as many. But she is employing folks. Thereby already providing significantly to others and spreading her wealth. Whereas, someone who makes little money doesn't raise the bar---they don't help feed anyone but themselves. Seems rather odd to me to increase the tax on one who already spreads the wealth to many--- so that the one who only provides for themself has more.
Another example---my daughter is top of her class. Should she (hypothetically) take lower grades (and spread the wealth) so that those with Cs,Ds, and Fs can get higher grades---though they don't contribute as much nor work as hard?
Let's keep chatting.....
Obama is specifically not targeting small businesses, so your ex wife will probably do fine. I think the idea that all the jobs will go away is nonsense. What might - what needs to go away are golden parachutes and CEOs making multi-million dollar salaries while the people who make their companies run go without proper insurance and pensions.
I don't get your example about your daughter. If I wanted to be really argumentative, I'd say that grades are often quite subjective and that someone may have worked just as hard for his or her C as your daughter did for her A. But again, I'm not sure what the point of this as an example is. It doesn't make any sense to me as a comparative.
If you are implying that the local janitor doesn't work as hard as the golden parachute CEO - I'd say you have to be kidding. They work hard in different ways. I don't think one deserves millions in income while another can't feed his family. Nor could our society function without the poor who do yucky jobs any better than it can function without high-powered jobs. I don't begrudge anyone wealth. Money is fun to have and spend. I do think there's something wrong with a society which gives the rich and greedy absurd breaks at the expense of the poor and desperate. I think there's something wrong with a country in which anyone can't afford medical care. I think it's not only indecent, it's self-destructive. A country survives and prospers on the the well-being of all of it's citizens. Not caring for our citizen's health is much more expensive ultimately than caring for it.
One additional thought, Dillo....
If the economy continues to spiral down the way it has been doing, your ex-wife's business will fail because there will be nobody left to buy her products. That's not good for business either. A public that is solvent enough to feed their family and have a little extra to spend on other things - serves the interests of small business too. No customers will cause as many lay-offs as anything else and be far worse for her business than extra expenses.
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