Opportunity is the operative word. We can concede to Mr Taft that some have a better starting point in life, and some, are born into some really difficult scenes. We also can see, as from the saurus that there is opportunity to use your gifts and talents to provide for yourself and others. What is the expectation of government? Not much from this pilgrim. They cannot legislate away the hate and prejudice that is inside some. Certainly there is a lot on the books with regard to EOE, etc., and they try to make a fair playing field, and it is hard to say what further legislation would do. And they (both the elephants & the donkeys) will spend money like drunken sailors with lots of poor results. I think we've seen this movie before. So, I say to all, to harmonize the points of many, which may appear dis-parent, make the best of the opportunity you have. Opportunity to succeed, Opportunity to help those less fortunate. Reach out to those in need. You don't need the permission or endorsement of anyone. In fact, avoid the involvement bureaucracy that will quagmire your efforts. As disturbing and discouraging the list of candidates for the highest office in the land is, there still is opportunity to do some good things. Each of us has a circle of influence. If you make a difference in just one life, then you are a part of the solution, and helping things move forward.
^^^spot on. A little empathy goes a long way. If you manage to live long enough you will most likely f*rk up somewhere along the way so careful who you point your fingers at. I really thoght this tread would go defcon 5 in 3 or 4 pages due to title and snarky opening line. I am impressed with the civility and rational discussion that followed.
Your welcome.. and thanks for posting that Ted Talk. Good stuff. Very balanced. Some good points he makes: - 21st century capitalism does not work by effectively allocating resources, but by effectively finding new solutions to human problems. (see ~7 minutes in) - Economic success can be measured by the degree to which problems are solved. Thus economic growth can be understood by the rate at which we solve problems (driven by how many diverse problem solvers are available). - Maximize the inclusion of the participation of many (both entrepreneurs and customers) to create prosperity. - Importance of Middle-class to thriving society. - Faulty aspects of "trickle down economics". I'm no expert in economics nor politics, but what he said makes a lot of sense and jives with my experience. Thanks again for posting.
Bernie's the only candidate that's going to try to get rid of my $20,000 a year health insurance payment.
I don't know.. but I'd rather not categorize (or box or brand). I'd just say he has ideas that resonate and that he gets it. And manifesting his ideas, how ever that is done, is worth consideration.
Holy crap, I pay $400/mo for my daughter and me. Get to an insurance broker, there's gotta be a better deal than that.
chicharronne -go to your State administered Affordable Care Act webpage to look at a side-by-side comparison of insurance rates being offered by providers in your State. You have to enter some demographic information (such as age etc., and who will be insured) and you will get some quotes on prices along with what is covered and the co-pays/ deductibles etc. (Just google ACA in Maryland or ACA in New Jersey for example to find the page -Maryland's is marylandhealthconnection.gov). If you live in a state that didn't adopt the ACA recommendation to set up a state administered insurance exchange you can use the Federal one which is healthcare.gov. There is a sign-up period for "open enrollment" to be able to get insured through these plans offered on the healthcare exchange websites (which ended January 31st) but you may qualify for a "waiver" and be able to sign up any time. One of the reasons (of many) that our health insurance system is such garbage is because insurance companies have traditionally operated in a shadow world without true competition. When you go to buy a car you can see the price and compare that price to the car right next to it. When you go to buy insurance you have to either contact that insurer directly and they will only quote plans for you from their own company (BC/BS, Aetna etc...) or you can go to a broker, who may, or may not, have your best interests at heart and can also make a nice commission by steering you to particular plans (which as I understand it, is perfectly legal although unethical). With the ACA you get to see what you're paying for, right next to multiple other options. It helps put some actual competition into the market which was sorely lacking with health insurance AND I might add, the medical industry in general. How many times have you walked into a hospital and had them tell you the actual cost of a service before you received it hmmm? What if that hospital down the street charges %50 less for the same thing with similar rates of success? Happens in every single state in the nation EXCEPT Maryland -the only state to regulate hospital chargemasters. Don't know what a chargemaster is? Use teh googles -its a pricing index hospitals use to charge for services. Us Americans have NO IDEA how bad we're getting farked in our healthcare expenditures (which sadly exceed the per capita expenditures of any other advanced industrialized nation on the planet -with worse healthcare outcomes such as an abysmally high infant mortality rate -Latvia, Slovakia, Guam and Czech Republic are but a few of the countries with lower rates than us in that regard -pathetic comes to mind).
Heh, and my sincerest apologies to all you swellies for that WALL OF TEXT, just tryin to help a brother out. I am a clown after all.
Scooby, just the wife and me. I go once a year to get a doc to put her finger in my bum. It's actually 1695 we pay Sigmund, I got one. It's the best they can do for. When ACA first came on, I looked, thinking we were only making 50000 a year as employees and our company makes the rest. I found it for 400. but the gubmint changed rules for small business and1695 is the price. Thanks Repugnitards for helping your masters instead of the citizens.
i too agree with his ideas, yet where does one begin reinvesting in the middle class? pardon me if im ignorant, but i have heard little about such ideas from any Repub or Demo candidate thus far into this process. If anyone has sources where I could get some more info on this, please share
In response to THE WALL OF TEXT. You make very valid points for a clown. My wife went in for a routine screening test for women that is preformed thousands of times every day in the US. The first test was inconclusive so we will have to pay out of pocket for second test. So she ask how much will it cost? The response was to check with billing which she did who then said we need the code so she calls the office which says billing has code and around and around it goes. How hard should it be to get a ballpark price for a routine procedure that is done 1000's of times ayear at this facility? We are still waiting for their response. I don't buy goods or services that I don't know how much I have to pay for (at least ballpark) period.
Really dude? Your blaming the high premium on your health insurance on Republicans....post ACA? and, you think that Bernie is going to give you free health care? Reminds me of my little nephew that said Obama was going to give him free health care and that was why he was voting for him (first time voting and was attending a relatively liberal university)....fast forward, he is married, wife and kids, and mortgage...he regrets that vote. Clown (not you Chich the other clown) you make some great points, for Vriginia, whether you go to the exchange or direct with broker, it's the same premium (or within dollars). Only difference is via exchange you can apply for tax credit (this is where Chich misses the point...I assume you own a small business that is a pass through entity..if so, you make too much to obtain full credit probably.) And as far as brokers (pre ACA), being ethical. Really, there were generally only a couple of players for a given area (Network of respective carriers and the ability to be in network pigeon holed you to those limited players...brokers did not have ability to be fully objective with recommendations b/c it was pretty straight forward who to go with based on geography). It's not just the insurers that is the problem....the medical community is equally to blame. The pricing system for care is really ridiculous. Read your EOBs next time you go through and that will tell you all you need to know about the system. The cost of care either via the premiums (Insurance/medical community flogging) or the Gov't (Bernie giving all free health care while increase taxes) is a reality. Especially, as the baby boomers flow through the system (thx barry). BTW, no repubs (or Hillary) have put up a viable (Bernie's not viable) solution to health care cost...it's a quagmire issue for sure!
Chich, man... If I were you, I'd roll the dice and pay the penalty... Unless it's significantly more for a small business. On a side note, I bet you could find someone to pay you to stick their finger up your butt. The world is a weird place...
During a town meeting at Iowa Wesleyan University, Sanders said, “Three major profitable corporations not only pay nothing in federal income taxes, they actually got a rebate from the IRS. In America today we are losing $100 billion in revenue every single year because large corporations are stashing their profits in the Cayman Islands and other offshore tax havens.” Sanders is terrifying Wall Street and corporate America with a tax plan that would end a rule allowing American corporations to defer paying federal income taxes on profits of offshore subsidiaries, prevent corporations from avoiding U.S. taxes by claiming to be a foreign company through the establishment of a post office box in a tax-haven country, eliminate tax breaks for big oil, gas, and coal companies, stop American companies from avoiding U.S. taxes through corporate inversions, and close loopholes that allow U.S. corporations to artificially inflate or accelerate foreign tax credits. Bernie Sanders is doing something that no other candidate has done. He is using his national platform to call out the biggest corporate tax dodgers in the country. The issue of big corporate tax avoidance is one that impacts every American. Every dollar that a big corporation gets out of paying is another road or bridge that doesn’t get repaired. Fewer tax dollars mean poorer public services.
Lazy, I am a big fan of bringing back corpo profits that are offshore for infrastructure. I think this is something that can get done in the near term. The big question is why are the profits held offshore to begin with? Second big question why are large corporations moving offshore all together? 3. How do we retain large corporations as US Domicile and tell them they can't move offshore (limit trade/import with said corpo)? (Trump) I think there needs to be a balanced approach to corporate taxation otherwise we run the risk of continuing to lose to overseas counties ability to lure away.
