Seriously: Who the hell is in charge of this country?

[AnArmyVeteran]

I seriously want to know. Democrats created the 'group of six' to craft healthcare reform when they didn't have to give republicans an equal number in the committee. Then it's been one compromise after another to rhe MINORITY. Now they are allowing a soulless thug like Simpson remain on a committee to oversee the future of social security after insulting, degrading comments to the poor, the elderly, women and all social security recipients. WHY? Aren't democrats in the majority in congress and don't they control the executive branch? Isn't there ONE leader in the entire lot of them?

[katandmoon]

1. I wish I knew. Whoever it is, is dedicated to screwing everyone who isn't already wealthy. K&R.

[movonne]

2. THE PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF MONEY...WHO ARE PROBABLY

90% REPUGS...

[pleah]

3. Those that have and want more?

:shrug:

[scarletwoman]

4. Well, it's not us little people, that's for sure.

I'm SOOOOOOOO fed up with it all. I'm sick of being totally powerless while the powerful fuck up every last bit of the world in their unending orgy of limitless greed.

And I'm sick of our mendacious and cowardly "leaders" who do nothing to stop it.

:nuke:

[John Q. Citizen]

5. I'm thinking it's not Dick Cheney and that's comforting in a way. But i wouldn't know, really.

Simpson should be sacked for insulting workers who paid and paid, and paid some more with the Reagan SS tax expansion on the self employed.

I always wonder why they never called that a tax increase?


Anyway, Simpson needs to go.

[Steely_Dan]

6. I Honestly Don't Know...n/t

[Fumesucker]

7. Bushie's base..

The have's and the have more's.

SATSQ

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. The haves and the have mores. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. We are closer and closer to an oligarchy

there, I said it.

[ShamelessHussy]

10. They are actually revealing themselves more and more with these blatant affronts to fairness

and weTHEpeople.

I think they have become overly confident since the stolen elections, the patriot act, 2 wars... they think they have us all check mated and that there is nothing we can do about it, so why worry too much about anyone thinks as they can just paint them as the 'fringe' or 'terrorist'.

they are getting lazy, their game used to be so much better, and i think their hubris, have sown the seeds of their own destruction... their Achilles.

[RandomThoughts]

11. very true.

hubris is a flaw.

although here is the thing, they have to either change, and that has not been seen by secondary reactions, or they have to get more extream, so they destroy themselves.

:shrug: and it is there choice.


But so far, I have not seen the proper corrections, and they are not difficult, so I figure they have chosen to destroy themselves.

So just get as many good people out as you can first, then watch the fireworks.

What else can you do.

[Marr]

25. I don't think it's a coincidence that it ramped up after the Soviet Union fell apart.

Why maintain the facade? Why bother advertising when the competition's gone out of business?

[AndyA]

12. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw Bush and Cheney leave the building, but

maybe they slipped back in the side door.

That change we were promised has been pretty underwhelming, I just see attempts to satisfy the GOP, and over and over and over again, we get nothing back for the attempts. But yet they keep trying, and they keep giving up things that are important to the people.

Why?

Bipartisanship means BOTH SIDES GIVE. So far, it's been a one way street all the way, with the Democrats giving 100%. It's way past time for that to stop.

[newspeak]

70. and so, it may be tinfoil ly, but one must wonder who and what is the New World Order,

and what is their agenda? Poppy has publicly spoken about the NWO and so has Kissinger. Now, to me, the NWO is global corporations owning and running the world with no voice from the "little people." Where countries and nationalism will mean nothing, unless, they can use it to get the people to do their bidding. Where no country will have the will or money to bring these sociopathic structures to heel.

I might have my tinfoil hat on a wee bit tight--but that's what it looks like to me.:tinfoilhat:

[MichiganVote]

13. Well it sure as hell isn't the citizens of this country.

[amborin]

14. Wall Street

[IndianaGreen]

15. The people are not!

That's for sure.

[depakid]

16. David Michael Green phrased it this way:

...Any chance you could take your mandate and put it to work protecting the public, while permitting the Republicans to fulfill the mandate they got to go sit in Siberia for a while? Any chance that you could for once not bring predators to the negotiating table while leaving those who fight for the public interest standing at the White House gate? Any chance you could do away with negotiating tables altogether, and just take some serious actions to benefit the country - you know, like actually using the powers of your office?

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/david-michael-green/29576/present-obama-doesnt-strike-again

[jannyk]

18. that's beautiful!

[saorsa]

23. Neatly turned and nicely put

[SammyWinstonJack]

30. Nope, no chance AT ALL!

He uses the power of his office, just not to benefit the country or the majority of we, the 'lesser' people.

[AnArmyVeteran]

32. Perfect! Even a mediocre leader would realize what's in your post.

[BigBearJohn]

17. They rely on the stupidity and apathy of the people, thinking they don't even realize

how utterly screwed they are.

[AnArmyVeteran]

42. We had a great chance to take our country away from corrupt corporations in the 1990s.

The Reform Party in the 1990s would have stopped the current system where only the rich or whores of the rich are allowed to run for office. But instead of people changing the way elections are bought they kept voting for the two corrupt major parties. Granny D, who spoke at the first Reform Party convention, walked across the country for campaign finance reform. 

The Green Party also believes in strict financing laws. But the republicans and democrats who control our government and country have no intention of reforming the way we finance elections. They love the current corrupt system because they benefit from it and neither major party could care less about representing the people. They like the whoredom they created and are always eager to sell out the people to their corrupt corporate pimps. 

And people will keep remaining loyal to those who are victimizing them. I wonder if Americans will ever wake up and begin to vote for THEIR interests instead of being lambs willingly going to a slaughterhouse. 

Without strict campaign finance reform our country is doomed.

[TBF]

66. It's deeper than that -

we need to get rid of Capitalism to have any real chance of taking back power and actually saving our planet.

[AnArmyVeteran]

71. But you will never get rid of capitalism as long as it owns our government.

At the root of everything is campaign finance reform. Have publicly sponsored elections. Eliminate all political advertising. Force all media to air every debate during primetime hours. Shorten elections. Debates should include all candidates. Have proportional representation. Etc... Capitalists don't want the current corrupt system to change. They love corporations owning candidates.

Not a word of reform is coming from either major party because they own the system. They rigged the 2000 election to prevent Ralph Nader from debating. Had Nader been 'allowed' to debate he would have humiliated Bush, because Gore certainly had no intention of doing so. In fact, Gore agreed with most of what Bush said. Nader would have destroyed Bush and the benefactor of that destruction would have been Gore.

The republican and democrat parties do NOT own our electoral process. We the people are supposed to own it. But the corrupt bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, a front group to restrict all other candidates from being included in the national dialogue, made sure the public only heard their corporate-owned messages. Both sides were terrified of Nader's message and that's why the people were denied the right to listen to what truly affects them.

[TBF]

72. Voting sure won't do it. It will be done by other means.

Eventually...

[lunasun]

19. Money talks baby!

[UrbScotty]

20. Meanwhile:

The lead item on Politico--titled "Dems Urge Obama to Take a Stand"--is almost surrealistic. Take a stand? The guy passed health care, a stimulus bill that helped avoid a Depression, a groundbreaking financial reform bill that is too complicated to be popularly described, a bailout that enabled General Motors and Chrysler to survive. He nominated two estimable women to the Supreme Court. He restored America's image in the world. I can go on... But Dems are distressed? He's not populist or ideological enough? Oh please. There are several ways to go about the presidency. Ronald Reagan chose one way: he said one thing and did another. ...Barack Obama has chosen another way.

...

He has pretty much done what he said he'd do. His achievements are historic. But he hasn't wrapped them up in an ideological bumper sticker--or provided some neat way for the public to understand it, or pretended to be a yeoman simpleton, noshing on pork rinds, clearing brush and excoriating the business community. That is a real political problem. He delivered a stealth tax cut to 95% of the American people; I've never seen a politician cut taxes and not take sufficient credit for it before. He made it impossible for Americans to be denied health care coverage because of pre-existing conditions or chronic problems; somehow this has gotten lost in the "socialist" shuffle as well. He ended major combat operations in Iraq, on time and without much fuss--without using the word "victory" or denying the continuing problems involved in cobbling together a coherent government there. Another President might have hyped this "achievement" relentlessly.

More truth here.

[rusty fender]

31. We must be too stupid to see how great his accomplishments are because

the historic health care bill will prevent the insurance companies from excluding those with pre-existing conditions but it doesn't prevent the ins. cos. from increasing the premiums to the point that people can't afford to pay for them. Mine and about 25,000 fellow New Mexicans' BlueCross/Shield premiums just went up by 26.2%. That's change you can believe in!:sarcasm:

Meanwhile, the hoplessness of the unemployed is increasing as is their ranks. The #s are historic. So, yeah, there's your "historic.":eyes:

[Zenlitened]

37. 26.5% increase from BC/BS of Mass. here.

An extra $104 per month for a single, older but no major health issues female.

Ouch.

Approx three weeks of groceries.

[Recursion]

41. What would lack of HCR have done to prevent that?

The insurance companies raise rates anyways. At least with HCR if they price you out (and, yes, we need to liberalize that definition) you'll have other options. You didn't before.

[Hydra]

47. What options will those be?

The public option was supposed to be the answer for why the corp insurance "providers" would not be able to collude and price us out of existence.

So enlighten me on what I'm supposed to do beyond paying a $750 fine not to be robbed blind. I need to know what my options are so I can figure out how much food I need to cut out of our budget.

[boppers]

51. You don't think a public option would raise rates?

How does that work? The drugs are getting more expensive, as are the treatments, workers, overhead, etc.

[Hydra]

56. Right...

And the 30%+ overhead/required share value growth has nothing to do with those rising rates? Also, drugs from places like Canada not being allowed in the marketplace has nothing to do with it too, I suppose.

Keep in mind that I don't mind paying my doctor more if he's doing a better job of treating me. Paying my insurance company more for efficiently scamming me? Not so much.

[Zenlitened]

58. What Hydra said.

[Recursion]

61. But if the profit/overhead is more than 15% they have to give it back

so, no, neither of those are part of this increase, and if they turn out to be, the insurance company has to cut a bunch of checks.

[Zenlitened]

59. This is not rocket surgery...

... so to speak.

Eliminating a major middleman would somehow RAISE rates? Where do you get this stuff? :eyes:

[Recursion]

62. The rates would go up because *PROVIDERS CHARGE MORE EVERY YEAR*

Even for a public option.

[latebloomer]

67. Providers do NOT "charge more every year"

Providers get what the insurance companies, or Medicare, DECIDE that they get. I am a provider and Medicare has raised my allowed rate a very small percentage over the last 15 years. Insurance companies have not raised my allowed rates AT ALL, despite the fact that patients' premiums go up exponentially every year.

[Recursion]

60. Currently a menu of more-or-less affordable plans for people priced out

Later a full blown exchange, required to include at least one non-profit.

[Zenlitened]

57. Wrong question. Better question: What would actual H *C* R have done to prevent that?

[rusty fender]

68. No problem, then! What are my options?

:shrug:

[Recursion]

69. Depends on your situation -- what's keeping you from getting health insurance?

If you're within 200% of the poverty level, you can now get in on medicaid.

If you're not, and insurance companies won't cover you because of a pre-existing condition, you can join the high-risk pool.

If you need to find individual insurance, you can go here: http://finder.healthcare.gov/
It shows you the options available to you, which currently would be coverage through work (which you may not have available), and individual coverage (it will show you plans you can join, their prices and benefits).

In 2014, if you are unable to find insurance that costs less than 9.5% of your income, you can join a non-profit insurance program run by your state. Yes, it was stupid to make people wait 4 years for that, but it's what we could get.

[AnArmyVeteran]

48. And if you do without groceries you will need Heath care which will raise your rates.

The ONLY thing to stop the corporate attack against people is the public option. Shame on the democrats for not even seriously considering it. Instead of fulfilling their promises they betrayed the people who put them in office.

[keepCAblue]

53. nearly 20% increase here in CA...just approved n/t

[deutsey]

64. Of course he's had some big accomplishments

and I think he should be given credit for them (and that his idiot communications team should do a better job of promoting them).

However, my gripe is that practically every accomplishment he's made, imo, puts corporate interest first. If those of us among the unwashed masses huddled together yearning to be free benefited from them, it always seems secondary to the benefits corporate interests got.

I may be wrong and if so, enlighten me. I'm talking about the perception I have from HC, the stimulus and bailout, the financial reform, etc.

Because of that perception, I'm getting tired of being made to feel I should be happy with crusts of bread we get while corporations get the whole banquet.

[mmonk]

21. The Republicans and the DLC which means the corporations

are in charge of America.

[Zorra]

29. No doubt about it. nt

[slay]

22. I'D LIKE TO KNOW TOO!!!

big oil, big pharma, the big banks, wall street, and the ultra-rich would be my guess. big oil alone could bring the country to its knees if they wanted. we're their slaves. nobody seems to have any intention of doing anything substantial about it either! :(

[laughingliberal]

24. K & R nt

[Enthusiast]

26. K&R Nice OP! nt

[tomp]

27. they are leading us where they want us to go....

....and many are following. people still by into the two party system. if "our" guys are saying this it can't be wrong.

[raccoon]

28. Not the ordinary middle class or lower class people, that's for sure. nt

[glitch]

33. They the Corporate. nt

[City Lights]

34. Our corporations rule the world!

:nuke:

[Blue Owl]

35. Harry Reid's spine (or lack thereof) represents the entire Democratic Party

Save for Grayson, Franken, Feingold, and maybe a few others.

[OhioChick]

36. Good question that I'd like the answer to, as well. n/t

[Ignis]

38. Not We the People, that's for damn sure.

We're all just freeloaders after our place at the trough, per our President's co-chair appointee Mr. Simpson.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

39. Corprats and Wall Street

that's who. And that's it.

[deaniac21]

40. Joe Biden!!

[proteus_lives]

43. THEM.

:tinfoilhat:

[Anakin Skywalker]

44. The Corporations.

[jberryhill]

45. I am. I've been taking a break for a few years. Is there a problem? /nt

[Skittles]

46. certainly not a Democrat

[Doctor_J]

49. King Glen and Limpballs are in charge

[donheld]

50. Exxon, United Health Care, Koch Industries...

[Billsmile]

52. The Bo$$

Geez, if we had a monetary system that prevented insane and unnatural wealth, life would be good.

In nature, no animal can grab more than a single lifetimes' worth of wealth.

But the way of money allows a crime against nature to exist in the extreme. We all pay for this crime constantly.

[rhett o rick]

54. CORP-AMERICA. Bow down. nm

[Frank Booth]

55. "New Democrats" are in control. Not real Democrats.

Obama and his handlers were smart enough to hide the fact that he's DLC until after the election.

[Caretha]

63. Oh, I don't know

Goldman Sachs? :shrug:

[TBF]

65. Warren Buffet.

Obama clearly lies it out his early visit to Buffet in his book "The Audacity of Hope". Rupert Murdock is in charge of the press.

[Imagevision]

73. Big business founded the country and will always be running it, don't need college for that...!

[DailyGrind51]

74. Answer to your questions, the Dems who could lead are not in leadership positions!

To OUR misfortune!