Because we are over-spending on Defense does not mean we should expand our over-spend on welfare programs, as though somehow that will bring balance to the budget.

I agree, but I would still like to see defense spending cut by 25-50% before we start talking about other significant cuts.

Government needs to live within its ability to raise money.
Within that limit, the budget reflects priorities.
You have this much money to spend, and not a dollar more. How do you want to allocate the resources?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

HAH! Yeah, I heard that one. He has a sort of good looks if you've never seen him speak. I sorta feel for the guy, he doesn't seem to realize how socially awkward he is. I heard one pundit say that perhaps the increase in the Donald's numbers at the expense of Romney is less about Trump and more about people wanting to be saved from Romney.

Re the other post, thank you, I see what you mean, and yes it's true, the non-verbal thing is a big part of first impressions for me, nearly everyone IMO. It's not the only thing, of course.

Bot says he voted for Jimmy Carter, I'm guessing that was '76. I was wary of the guy the minute I saw him. The over-smile was too ever-ready, with a nervous undertone: "Am I coming across OK, Rosalyn?" And his actual words did nothing to alter my view. I wasn't impressed with the tone or content. And, oh boy, the Playboy interview, foot in mouth moment about 'lust in his heart?' STFU.

I liked Ford much better, much more mature, solid vibe. The poor economy during his years had a lot more to do with our having squandering enormous wealth in the war in Vietnam than with him.

I thought he did well to pardon Nixon and get him off the stage but America was upset that he didn't boil him in oil, or something, and elected JC.

Imgine my chagrin when Carter turned out to be our best President ever.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Ford in '76 (holding my nose). Carter in '80 (holding my nose). Reagan in '84 (holding my nose). Bush (nose). Clinton(nose). Bush(nose fell off). 3rd party. Paul.

None of the above, I refuse to participate in this process.

You don't build a bridge based on subtle clues you get from another's face. The fact that you, once again, bring phrenology (Good Lord) into the discussion indicates how thoroughly you don't get what I'm talking about.

The doctor whose persistence ended up in the rescuing of the unfortunate woman in Austria, imprisoned as her father's sex slave for decades, didn't trust something about the guy's tone when he brought his granddaughter/daughter in for treatment. If not for his deft instincts, the woman might have languished years more or died in there.

Austrian doctor relied on intuition, gut instinct to sleuth out dungeon builder

It was the intuition of two lady police officers in Berkeley that led to the discovering of the asshat in Antioch, CA who had kidnapped an 11 year old girl for his sex slave in the mid 90s. God knows how many people had an opportunity to observe dude in his rounds with the daughters he had with her, but it was these two ladies who smelled something funny.

I believe it was you who posted a thread years ago (I couldn't find it just now), about a police officer who had an uncanny knack of knowing whether or not someone was an actual danger to him. IIRC, there was an instance or two of his not shooting an armed person who eventually laid down their weapon w/o incident, and this while he was in personal danger.

There was even a test for that sort of ability that was regarded as valid, and this fellow and a few others were able to put up off the chart scores. I recall you being impressed by this news. Not sure why you've fallen back on the 'bah, humbug!" position.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

^^^ I see no difference between the 'science' behind phrenology, nonverbal cues, ouija boards, horoscopes, crystal gazing, and tarot cards. Any of those can appear to predict some event or behavior. I have prayed about it and this is what the lord has told me.

That seniors would have to pay 6400 dollars more for health care or be left on the streets to die is a gross generalization of the proposed plan. As I understand it, you would have to pay for your coverage according to your ability. The very poor would have the same coverage as the rich, but their premiums would be subsidized 100%. I don't understand why anyone thinks that just because you reach the age of 65 you shouldn't have to pay for healthcare. Or, that you shouldn't have to pay for healthcare at any age? How would that work? Right now, those of us who are working are paying for medicare for anyone and everyone, no matter what they're worth. I believe that is theft. I will contribute willingly to cover the costs of the poor elderly. But only the poor.

My doctor is a good friend, and is now 65. I know he is enrolled in medicare because he told me so. I also have a pretty good idea that he can afford to pay for insurance - I've seen his houses. - but under current law no such insurance is even available!

__________________
DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

How old are you now and who currently pays for your health insurance? If your employer pays for it, I could understand why you think that way because someone else is paying for it.

Now just imagine when you retire at 66 years of age and your employer doesn't pay for it anymore. At that age, how much do you think the Insurance company will charge you being in that age and risk group? If you think private insurance is expensive now, wait until you're old and get sick.

__________________
Question Authority before it Questions you.

My employer writes a check for 85% of my health insurance premium, I pay for 15%. However, my employer allocates the insurance on a per employee basis back to me with other costs associated with me, salary, vacation, etc. Even though I don't have to claim it as income (due to meddling by the federal gov't) - it is still a real expense and as the cost rises the company must charge more and more for its products.

You ask:
1. how old I am
2. who pays for my health insurance,
but you didn't ask me
3. how much money I make.

1 and 2 are irrelevant since the cost of my healthcare has to be paid by someone - no matter my age or the method by which the bills are paid (healthcare insurance, medicaid, self pay).

Question 3 is always most important because the answer determines whether that someone is me or you.

__________________
DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

That sounds very proper and responsible but for some reason, defense virtually never gets trimmed back. Everything is on the table except defense.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Automatically the rhetoric is about how the soldiers will suffer if we cut defense. How about the bureaucrats and contractors - that's where a lot of expense is.


BTW, I am for cutting the vets administration almost entirely. It is a bureaucratic nightmare. We should take care of our soldiers, for sure. But not the way we've done since ww1. Today soldiers should be paid a substantial wage, even grunts should be paid $100k plus. Let them make enough to put it away for later, either when they are back in the private sector after service, or when they need it to recuperate from injury. Instead, we pay them ***** right now, expect them to live practically in poverty; and if they have families they can't save a dime, and are forever after rightly expecting an inept bureaucracy to help. Our guys are worth paying well, and treating with respect.

Once again, if we paid them enough, they could buy insurance to cover their ills and including their war injuries.

__________________
DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

If you will trouble yourself to look back through my record, I have consistently suggested retiring a couple of aircraft carrier battle groups and placing the Air Force back into the Army and decreasing the size and number of foreign bases.

I have often offered to match dollar-for-dollar, spending cuts in my choice of social and entitlement programs with others people's choices of cuts in the military. So far I have had no takers. I wish the Demos and Repos in Congress would offer each other something similar.

I agree with others who have suggested we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

Government not only borrows more than it spends, which is bad enough, but it has given permission to the federal reserve to print money with no restriction - yet another tax. The pressure on politicians and bureaucrats to do more always involves spending more. They are not held to productivity standards, even as they would be artificial.

Ever wonder why it takes the salaries of two people in a household to raise a family now? Money is worth half as much as it used to be. No kidding.

Cue Ron Paul.

__________________
DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV