Would you like Canadian style healthcare and eliminating the Pentagon as it currently exists?

[Electric Monk]

Thanks to Mr Gibbs for suggesting this :)

[Erose999]

1. And an ad blocks the poll once again. I can't vote. nt.

[dipsydoodle]

19. Tried an ad blocker ?

:shrug|:

[Erose999]

21. On a work computer, can't install any software.

[dipsydoodle]

26. Oh dear !

.

[slackmaster]

31. All you need to do is make your browser window wider.

If necessary, drag it partly off the screen to the left, then pull the right margin out until the ad is clear of the poll.

HTH

[Erose999]

33. Thanks for the tip, I'll try it in the next poll. nt

[Erose999]

34. Didn't work. I tried making the window wide as possible even hit F11 to get rid of the toolbars nt

[Subdivisions]

32. Here's a thought...

Get you ass back to work and quit fucking off!

:hi:

[scarletwoman]

39. Since you have a job, maybe you ought to consider donating 5 bucks to DU - voila, no ads! (nt)

[Renew Deal]

43. Donate to DU and become a member for a year.

And I don't think there's a minimum. ;)

[ensho]

2. kick

nt

[ecstatic]

3. Yes, but that is not my line in the sand by which I'd judge the

success of a democratic administration. I think most people on this site would like to see those things. But some of us realize that the votes just aren't there.

[Winterblues]

4. While I don't want to eliminate the Pentagon, I would like as Glen Greewald put it

"Turn it into a Square or Triangle" And actually I would like something even better than Canadian Health care....

[BzaDem]

5. Gibbs wasn't even attacking single payer. He was attacking those who think it is remotely feasible.

In general, policies for which a barely double digit number of senators would vote for are not politically feasible policies. The people could change that. But they don't (at least not at this point in time in our history).

[harun]

9. If it is possible to come up with a trillion dollars for the Iraq war they can

figure out how to make it possible to do a lot of other things they aren't doing. They just need to put the heat on the Senators like it was put on them to go to war in Iraq (and this wouldn't even be based on lies).

[RufusTFirefly]

15. But why ISN'T it politically feasible?

Because it's bad policy?
Because voters with correct information (facts, not fear-mongering) don't want it?

Or because it jeopardizes the wealth and entrenched power of a few corporations who actually rake in money from people who are sick or think they are sick?

This reminds me a little of the "we can't just cut and run" arguments. You can't use an illegal, immoral, or inequitable situation as a justification for its own perpetuation.

At some point you have to stop and say, "This is wrong. Morally and economically wrong."

Then you go from there.

What you don't say is, "This is the system we've got. It's too big to fail."

[nightrain]

23. yes!! Imagine what it would be like to see Obama really owning his support

of a particularly helpful, but politically-challenging policy like single payer, or ending rendition, or torture, or personal privacy issues! Wow! Stand for THE PEOPLE Obama!

[phantom power]

6. I would absolutely like to have canadian-style health care...

I actually don't see any need to "eliminate" the Pentagon, although significant (major?) reductions in defence spending would be extremely helpful in my opinion.

I think the fact that Gibbs lumps in "canadian health care" -- a reasonable health care proposal (which is in fact used in multiple countries) with a completely unrelated, and extreme concept like "eliminate the Pentagon" says a lot about how he thinks, which is to say he seems to still literally think we're back in the 60s.

Likewise, the whole straw-man "Obama == Bush" comment. Quite a lot of people are advocating for "medicare for all" and/or a strong public-option. A completely insignificant number of people are advocating things like "Obama == Bush" or "Eliminate the Pentagon"

:shrug:

[1776Forever]

7. Just a note: It says "eliminate the Pentagon AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS"

I think we would all like to see Gates do more of what he has proposed and weed out the contractors and give more support to our troops and bring them home sooner then later!

[Electric Monk]

16. Yes, I am not advocating the idea of not having a national defense policy.

I'm advocating having a rational one. 9/11 MIHOP was a policy, but it sure wasn't rational.

[DirkGently]

8. Not requirements for satisfaction with a Democratic

leader, of course. The Pentagon needs to be whittled back to a -- as someone here recently said -- little triangle. And it would be nice to have access to those lower priced Canadian pharmaceuticals (not that I particularly need any) that Obama campaigned on so much.

What's weird is *mocking* Candian-style healthcare as though it were some nutty communist pipe dream. It's what the rest of the civilized world HAS. Snidely implying that America is incapable of such a thing is deeply, bitterly cynical and just ... gross.

[Froward69]

10. Canadian Style "eh"?

like Canadian Bacon is also healthier for you "eh".
the Pentagon... do not eliminate it "eh"

just re-size it like a Square or a rectangle "eh". :sarcasm:

(the "eh's" are my Canadian accent.) "eh".

[LostinVA]

11. I love Canadian bacon

[DirkGently]

12. Take off, you hoser* (*humorous reference, not attack)

[Froward69]

36. "ooo loook oo oo, do loook oo oo!"

I got my "toke" on...

[Raster]

13. What Gibbs didn't say: if we did institute Canadian-style health care...

...how would the parasitical American health insurance companies book their obscene profits?

If we did eliminate the Pentagon as it current exists, how would the American Military/Industrial Complex book their obscene profits?

And if either of those American "institutions" ceased to exist, who would pay off the American politicians?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. Yes to the healthcare --

but a massive redo/refunding of the Pentagon -- I do recognize the need for a military for self-defense, but enough with the imperial shit.

[blindpig]

17. That's a start...

Nationalize Finance and Energy too.

Plenty more on my list.

k&r

[mmonk]

18. Civilization wouldn't be bad about now.

[dipsydoodle]

20. Turn the Pentagon into a music venue

and dedicate it to Charlie Poole : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdNP9D7wbcM

[JonLP24]

22. Cut the defense budget

Not all of it. :)

[Confusious]

24. Yes to Canada health care,

The only thing that should change about the pentagon is a smaller budget. Fewer overseas base, or none.

[Confusious]

25. Delete, dup

[old mark]

27. Yes. Mostly the healthcare - I'd be happy just to reduce the number of

high level officers and contractors, re-form and re-equip our entire military.
The Pentagton itself can stay - it has one hell of a parking lot (I got lost driving in it once) that would be super for flea markets.
The building iteslf could be a bed and breakfast...


mark

[cliffordu]

28. Absolutely, I think the health care thingy is doable, but

the pentagon ain't going anywhere....

[Cleita]

29. You betcha! n/t

[Starry Messenger]

30. That would be a good start.

I liked the line about making the Pentagon into a Triangle. I'm not entirely opposed to a standing military in some form, but what we have is ridiculous. $5 billion for a single battleship? Are we going to be fighting nuclear sperm whales from outer space?

[Arugula Latte]

35. Oh hell yes.

[Electric Monk]

37. kick

:kick:

[Electric Monk]

38. one more

[maryf]

40. sure would...

how about guaranteed housing for all while we're at it! K&R

[undeterred]

41. I would like world peace, decent healthcare for all, a pony, and 200 male concubines.

I mean, who is childish enough to waste their time dreaming about single payer healthcare? :sarcasm:

[Zorra]

42. Of course. I'm one of those Professional Leftist Yellowdog Democrats. nt