Think Progress

GOP candidates on staff health care coverage: no comment.

NPR attempted to contact all of the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns about whether they provide health care coverage to their staffs. All the Democratic candidates confirmed they offer health insurance, except Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who, ironically, “advocates the most generous tax-funded health plan of any candidate.” On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, and Mitt Romney refused to even answer the question.

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93 Responses to “GOP candidates on staff health care coverage: no comment.”

  1. judyinnm says:

    At leats ALL the Republicans are standing by their convictions. Evidently, that can’t be said for all Democrats – but Dennis Kucinich? That’s playing right into the hands of those who say Demcorats want the government to take care of us. (Faux pas Denny!)


  2. FearandSmear says:

    I’m not quite sure I even understand the point being made by this post.

    That Kucinich is a hypocrite or cheap ass?

    That the GOP candidates are?

    That the leading dem candidates are?

    WTF?


  3. Zimzone says:

    Is ‘declined to say’ or ‘never responded’ an answer?

    Perhaps a better entry would have been…

    ‘At least ALL Republicans are standing with convictions.


  4. Dirty Hippie says:

    “Declined to say” because they’re not human, and don’t need health insurance.


  5. katy says:

    Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) … FEHB* as spouse of former Pres.Clinton

    NOT as a SENATOR??? … huh?


  6. Dumb_Fox says:

    Was this survey done before or after Rudy stopped paying his staff?


  7. RUCerious says:

    I would think that Kucinich probably doesn’t have the cash to pay for staff benefits.



  8. PaulD says:

  9. FearandSmear says:

    No, but I have something in mind that YOU could do for me…

    Go crap in yer hat, Dr. Matt.


  10. Xisithrus says:

    Fiscally respnsible republican in Los Pinos?

    No such critter exists!


  11. StratRat says:

    If any candiate cannot – or will not – answer this question, then do not vote for them.

    Another very simple solution to a very simple problem. And now, back to your regular programming….


  12. Xisithrus says:

    A Casa Blanco republican with convictions? WHA HA HA!

    More like republicans with convict friends.


  13. Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre says:

    Very interesting… How about asking Presidential candidates about whether or no the Bush gangsters electronically rigged and stole the 2004 election. Ask candidates if they trust Republican corporations to electronically “count the votes” in our elections. Ask the candidates if “In Diebold We Trust” should be put on the back of the U. S. dollar?

    Ask all of the candidate what exactly is wrong with returning to 100% hand-counted paper ballots in our elections?


  14. FearandSmear says:

    Clearly, as Dr. Matt points out, I’m incapable of grasping the obvious import of this topic.

    So, would the erudite and wise among us enlighten me why this matters in light of the giant sucking chest wound that is the Iraq war and other issues of the day?

    Go easy on me, I’m slow, remember…


  15. Wilco says:

    Comment by FearandSmear

    Because Republicans are bad and Democrats are good!

    Duh


  16. katy says:

    FearandSmear – it IS the hypocrisy, on the GOPer side…

    as for kucinich, it’s about lack of funds…
    but ALL the candidates were included in the report…

    it will help you to read the linked story too…


  17. Wilco says:

    Or it’s about how great Kucinich is. See, he believes strongly that government should pay for health care. Therefore, he’s sticking by his guns by not providing his people with health care. Stay strong, Dennis!


  18. wijg says:

    FearandSmear, the Democrats are taking care of their employees, the Republicans are not.


  19. deebaser says:

    Credit where credit is due, McCain offers insurance.


  20. Shayne says:

    The dems can’t even get along. OBAMA for President!!!

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:30 pm

    And the rethugs all “love” each other. McCain and Romney are best buddies. The only guys who get along are the losers vying for VP like Snooze Thompson.


  21. deebaser says:

    Kucinich gets a pass because he’s a dem. Typical hypocrite bs from this site. Rudy is running out of money as well. Why doesn’t he get a “it’s a lack of funds…”?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
    ——

    Jules doesn’t need a pass. According to the above he is paying his staff’s insurance. (although acording to other sources his piggy bank is empty).
    I’m even willing to give hunter a pass because, well, I thought he dropped out weeks ago. Romney, Thompson, and Huckabee have zero excuse.


  22. Evil Spaniard says:

    Kucinich gets a pass because he’s a dem. Typical hypocrite bs from this site. Rudy is running out of money as well. Why doesn’t he get a “it’s a lack of funds…”?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:34 pm

    But Giuliani is the 9/11 hero!!!

    Newyorkers MUST love him over all things!!!

    And New York is a VERY RICH city!!!

    Why Rudy hasn’t coffers full of dollar bills from thankful citizens?


  23. deebaser says:

    But Giuliani is the 9/11 hero!!!
    Newyorkers MUST love him over all things!!!
    And New York is a VERY RICH city!!!
    Why Rudy hasn’t coffers full of dollar bills from thankful citizens?
    Comment by Evil Spaniard — January 14, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
    —–

    Because we do not like Rudy.


  24. Evil Spaniard says:

    Because we do not like Rudy.

    Comment by deebaser — January 14, 2008 @ 12:46 pm

    He, guess so. That makes me think of another question: if he can’t satisfy a single city, what makes him think that can satisfy the wole country?


  25. Shayne says:

    Kucinich gets a pass because he’s a dem. Typical hypocrite bs from this site. Rudy is running out of money as well. Why doesn’t he get a “it’s a lack of funds…”?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:34 pm

    No Kucinich gets a pass because he’s the guy saying we NEED a national healthcare plan. Your guys say we don’t need one. As somebody who is going broke paying my employees health insurance all I have to say to you is STFU.


  26. dbadass says:

    Is Ron Paul using the guise of Libertarianism? He seems to have plenty of dough.


  27. CitiDC says:

    Stop to consider the GOP field for the moment.

    McCain, Paul, Hunter – all on FEHB for life

    Huckabee, Romney – probably receiving state-funded “golden parachute” healthcare as part of ex-Governors pension (these pensions are usually most generous).


  28. Lefty Patriot says:

    The dems can’t even get along. OBAMA for President!!!

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:30 pm

    yeah, Romney smearing the Republican field by using the truth shows real togetherness. What will 8you do when the dems cream the repigs and freedom returns to the USA, SM? Move back to North Korea?


  29. dbadass says:

    I’m going broke paying for my companies gas bill each month. Should the goverment pay for gas too?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

    Probably not but maybe they might provide some incentives for you to become more energy efficient. Health care is more of a issue of humanity and an investment in the common good. Your gas, well not so much.


  30. Lefty Patriot says:

    ’m going broke paying for my companies gas bill each month. Should the goverment pay for gas too?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

    Terrible effort, SM. If you’re going to erect a straw man for us to knock down, at least make it relevant. How does paying more for gas hurt your employees’ ability to get health care when they need it?

    jesus, you’re stupid. You should change your name, you’re strengthening all the stereotypes of ignorant redneck racist fools that you object to.


  31. zathrus says:

    #31. Or, if he couldn’t satisfy his cousin, what makes anything he can satisfy an entire country… ??


  32. zathrus says:

    Ack! “What makes anyone think he can satisfy an entire country… ??” Silly fingers.


  33. Lefty Patriot says:

    Is Ron Paul using the guise of Libertarianism? He seems to have plenty of dough.

    Comment by dbadass — January 14, 2008 @ 12:49 pm

    Exactly. As a rightard libertarian, Ron Paul would just as soon force women to have children they can’t support, then let them die in the streets. It’s republicanism taken to the next level. It expresses perfectly what the Cheny/Bush cabal is all about.


  34. Evil Spaniard says:

    Exactly. As a rightard libertarian, Ron Paul would just as soon force women to have children they can’t support, then let them die in the streets. It’s republicanism taken to the next level. It expresses perfectly what the Cheny/Bush cabal is all about.

    Comment by Lefty Patriot — January 14, 2008 @ 1:06 pm

    Whenever anyone mentions the benefits of Republicanism Libertarianism or the “full capitalism” mantra, reminds me of “Oliver Twist”, the era of the robber barons and the streets awash with beggar children.


  35. dbadass says:

    I’ll ask the question again: Should the goverment pay for gas?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

    See #37


  36. RUCerious says:

    I’m going broke paying for my companies gas bill each month. Should the goverment pay for gas too?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

    Perhaps you could harness some of what you leave here. That should solve your gas problem.


  37. slappy magoo says:

    Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) … FEHB* as spouse of former Pres.Clinton…

    NOT as a SENATOR??? … huh?

    Comment by katy — January 14, 2008 @ 11:47 am

    Just going out on a limb, here, but I’m thinking, since she was First Lady BEFORE she was a Senator, she’s listed as insured as such. Once you’re in the program, you’re in no matter what else happens to you. Is there any reason why she should refuse the same insurance as First Lady, just so she can get back on as a Senator? I mean, it’s not as if she can be insured twice (I’ll leave that open-ended for the Clinton-haters to reply with some sort of half-assed “Not like she hasn’t tried” comment. Every so often, you gotta throw those poor bastards a bone).

    Although, it leads an interesting question: If Bill & Hillary were to ever divorce, AND she’s no longer holds public office when it happens, is she still eligible to get FEHB


  38. RUCerious says:

    On second thought, if you’re using gas to heat your offices, just take a lesson from Scrooge and turn the thermostat down to about 55 degrees.


  39. dbadass says:

    Although, it leads an interesting question: If Bill & Hillary were to ever divorce, AND she’s no longer holds public office when it happens, is she still eligible to get FEHB

    Comment by slappy magoo — January 14, 2008 @ 1:32 pm

    Depends on how good her divorce lawyer is. Trust me on this one!


  40. CitiDC says:

    The government subsidizes gas by selling the raw materials on federal land for a pittance of royalty payments.

    The government subsidizes home heating, natural gas and electricity by having (and using) the power to set rates.

    The government does not regulate the amount a hospital can charge a patient for heart surgery.

    Why does the government hate health care?


  41. Lefty Patriot says:

    I’ll ask the question again: Should the goverment pay for gas?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

    I’m telling you, you are making southerners look bad. How do insurance and gas relate in any way? and to answer your question more directly, how did a republican oilman manage to screw you so thoroughly? looks like you’re the idiot. You could afford gas when Clinton was on the job. Sucker.


  42. decoss says:

    At TPM, someone suggested that Fred Thompson is getting his health coverage from the actors UNION!

    As cancer survivors, Rudy, John and Fred would all find it impossible to get private caverage.


  43. Lefty Patriot says:

    SM voted for Bush twice. TWO-TIME LOSER. Got screwed, blued and tattooed. Boo-hoo, SM, boo-hoo.

    the government is us, by the way. If we had single-payer, universal health care for all citizens, our businesses would be more profitable, our country stronger, and our image more positive. The only people hurt would be the insurance executives, and, let’s face it, they are sociopathic thieves and often guilty of 2nd-degree murder. Let them get real jobs, adding value instead of destroying families and lives.


  44. Lefty Patriot says:

    If so, what agency would you model it after?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:42 pm

    medicare. Social Security. Much more efficient than any corporation.

    You’re really an idiot.


  45. Lefty Patriot says:

    They have problems delivering the mail. The mail!!! Been to your DMV lately? Great service?

    I have no problem getting my mail, and it’s extremely inexpensive, compared to any other service. So, that lie of yours is dismissed. The DMV? Any corporation would double the fees, and cancel your licenses and permits for any reason they wanted, at any time. The private sector is no place for things all people need and deserve as citizens of a civilized country. Your fear of government is based on ignorance; you’ve been injecting the rightard koolaid for too long, and you haven’t bothered investigating any facts. The USA is not 39th among industrialized countries in health care because of the government, you tool.


  46. gummitch says:

    Actually, the Oregon DMV is great these days. Very efficient and quick . . . except right now because a lot of people are trying to get their licenses before new rules go into effect.

    SouthernMan ignores the fact that health services in Western Europe are far more efficient and economical than the US-style privatized care.


  47. Lefty Patriot says:

    ame one corporation that models it’s business practices after any govermental agency? You can’t! Because govermental agencies would fail in the private sector.

    You’re comparing apples and Volkswagens. The private sector is supposed to make a profit; the government isn’t. I’m not surprised I have to explain this to a wingnut southerner.


  48. Wilco says:

    Southern Man,
    Conversely, one can also argue then that the military should be completely privatized, right?


  49. Shayne says:

    I’m going broke paying for my companies gas bill each month. Should the goverment pay for gas too?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

    If you think gas is as high as health insurance you obviously don’t pay for health insurance yourself.


  50. Lefty Patriot says:

    Hey, SM, here’s a letter I need delivered to Alaska from Connecticut. I’ll give you 41 cents to deliver it, and I’d like it there by Thursday. OK?

    Moron.


  51. joe cantwell says:

    I’m going broke paying for my companies gas bill each month. Should the goverment pay for gas too?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pm

    maybe you’re going broke because you spend so much time here instead of tending to business…

    eh?


  52. Shayne says:

    I’t doesn’t hurt their ability to get health care you idiot. I’ll ask the question again: Should the goverment pay for gas?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

    If the government regulated the profits gas companies could make lowering your gas bill would you provide your employees healthcare? I didn’t think so.


  53. deebaser says:

    medicare. Social Security. Much more efficient than any corporation.
    You’re really an idiot.
    Comment by Lefty Patriot — January 14, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
    —-

    Damn! Beat me to it. Touché sir.

    Health insurance should not be run ‘like a business’ because it is only profitable to have young healthy people on the roles.


  54. Lefty Patriot says:

    Why stop at health care Lefty? Let’s keep on going with govement entightlemnts.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:53 pm

    We only are in trouble with gas prices because of your idiot-in-chief and the massive failures of his administration. Health care has always been a problem, again because of short-sighted ideologues like you. We don’t need the government to pay for gas, we need them to prevent the oil companies from gouging us and ripping us off. Your boys are in bed with them, thus, y8o0ur problems with the prices. Universal, government-run healthcare would lower everybody’s health care outlay, saving billions for all Americans. What’s wrong with you that you don’t want to save billions of dollars and thousands of lives?


  55. Shayne says:

    At TPM, someone suggested that Fred Thompson is getting his health coverage from the actors UNION!

    As cancer survivors, Rudy, John and Fred would all find it impossible to get private caverage.

    Comment by decoss — January 14, 2008 @ 1:40 pm

    Fred Thompson gets his insurance from the Screen Actors Guild no doubt. Problem is as a member you have to earn over $22,000 a year to qualify for insurance coverage and the average member makes about $5,000 a year. Everybody has to pay their union dues though and so the poorest members help pay for the wealthiest members insurance.


  56. 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda says:

    The other recent chill I felt over the state of that democracy was symbolized by the gleeful thumbs up that ABC president David Westin gave his staff 20 minutes before airtime for Saturday’s candidate debate, when word came in that a judge had ruled against Dennis Kucinich’s last-minute lawsuit to gain inclusion in the debate. The staff cheered, the Hollywood Reporter noted with barely concealed satisfaction, as though to say: A-list celebrities only, Dennis!

    - Robert Koehler, Tribune Media Services, describing what I’ll call the Think Progress reaction


  57. Lefty Patriot says:

    Come on, southern man, you’re really sinking yourself with these greedy, creepy questions. It’s obvious that you don’t care for your employees of your fellow citizens, so you should be dealt out of the game. America is supposed to be a civilized society, not a pack of greedy wolves. You’re just disgusting.


  58. deebaser says:

    They relate because we need both, and you want the goverment paying for one, but not the other. Why stop at health care Lefty? Let’s keep on going with govement entightlemnts.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
    —–

    That’s a pretty weak slippery slope. Government single payor insurance makes so much sense we are the only industrialized country on the planet that doesn’t have it.

    How much sense does having your health insurance tied to your job make? It potentially limits entrepeuneurs by chaining them to their desks.

    Say you have idea that is potentially the NEXT BIG THING ™, would you leave your job / insurance to get it off the ground?


  59. zathrus says:

    #62… SM, the preamble to the constitution reads “provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty”. I read that as an indication that one of the reasons the Founding Fathers created a central government was to ensure that citizens of this country can be healthy. That includes ensuring a safe, clean food supply, clean water, and, I would argue, health care for everyone. The “govement” doesn’t pay for anything… the taxpayers do. As one of those taxpayers, I am in favor of using some of my hard-earned taxes to ensure that we have a safe, and healthy country and citizenry. We pay for it in emergency room visits anyway, why not provide preventative care for those who can’t afford it?


  60. Lefty Patriot says:

    Would you rather get sick in America or in Western Europe? Be honest.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:58 pm

    Are you kidding? Even non-citizens in Western Europe get ABSOLUTELY FREE health care. Stories abound of people having heart attacks, breaking bones, etc., getting taken care of and going to the Payment window, only to find, to their shock, that the hospital is ready to give them cash for a taxi to get back to their hotels. You must live in a cave or something.


  61. Fred says:

    lets privatize police and firemen too……see how that works for you. You already have socialism you just won’t admit it…


  62. Shayne says:

    Would you rather get sick in America or in Western Europe? Be honest.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:58 pm

    Obviously you’ve never gotten seriously ill in this country. You’ve never been in pain and had to wait 4 hours in an emergency room. Never been with a sick kid having an allergic reaction that went away before she was treated. Just keep reciting your nonsense and don’t let reality get in your way.


  63. Fred says:

    We all deserve Cheney Care
    sponsored by the califor. nurses assoc.


  64. Lefty Patriot says:

    Come to New Orleans and i’ll show you what happens to a society that receives goverment entitlements!!! They call us “The city that care forgot” for a reason.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 2:03 pm

    new orleans is the city that rich, white, greedy sociopaths forget. The whole world knows that, and it is an embarrassment America will not live down for a hundred years or more. The disaster of New Orleans is a direct result of Bush’s Big Government Homeland Security shakeup. Face it, SM, republicans hate the poor, the brown, the female and the young; so much so, that they will ignore all of them if they can. No Democratic president would have allowed NOLA to happen. All you’re showing us is how bad you rightards are at governing. That was your government that failed, not mine. Bill Clinton would have never allowed that to happen, never.


  65. Fred says:

    best to ignore the troll. he is running the thread…everyone is spending their time and energy answering his hate filled remarks.


  66. Shayne says:

    People forget that before Reagan hospitals were almost all not for profit institutions that received federal dollars so that they couldn’t gouge patients.


  67. Shayne says:

    It’s not FREE you idiot!!! Somebody pays for it!!! The tax payers maybe?

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 2:10 pm

    That’s right, why give taxpayers they’re money back when we can give it to the military industrial complex by starting wars for no reason.


  68. Juan C. says:

    It’s not FREE you idiot!!! Somebody pays for it!!! The tax payers maybe?
    Comment by Southern Man

    Just like 4,000 of your soldiers…


  69. Fred says:

    why should our police and firemen be government run if our health providers are private? They run pretty efficiently for social programs.


  70. able as says:

    It’s not free you idiot!!!! etc. etc.
    by southern Man

    Have you been in coma the last 7 years? Yes, in Europe the taxpayers pay for it, but look at their economies, and their currency. Are you better off living in the USA?
    Don’t answer with jingoistic BS
    able as


  71. Saint Augustine says:

    Would you rather get sick in America or in Western Europe? Be honest.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 1:58 pm

    YES

    Administrative cost for Medicare 2-3%, Private 30%

    Number one cause of injury, disability and death in US is health care. More die from health care than cancer, strokes and heart attack.

    Health care costs are the number 1 cause of bankruptcy and loss of homes.

    US spends more per capita for health care than any other country, yet ranks 37th in the world.

    For the first time in our history American children have a life expectancy less than their parents.

    Americans rank 47th in life expectancy, down from number 1.

    What a great country we used to be.


  72. Lefty Patriot says:

    Don’t answer with jingoistic BS
    able as

    Comment by able as — January 14, 2008 @ 2:27 pm

    really, all he has is jingoistic bullshit. republicans and truth were separated at birth, forever. they wear their hatred for their betters like a hair shirt.


  73. Lefty Patriot says:

    Americans rank 47th in life expectancy, down from number 1.

    What a great country we used to be.

    Comment by Saint Augustine — January 14, 2008 @ 2:30 pm

    No fair! You’re using facts! Southern Man will be all confused that the bullshit he was fed all of his life about American superiority and exceptionalism was merely a lie to get more money out of his pocket!


  74. Fred says:

    republicans and truth were separated at birth, forever. they wear their hatred for their betters like a hair shirt.

    Comment by Lefty Patriot

    since facts have a known liberal bias


  75. Fred says:

    89 Lefty…..I meant to say that I agree with you…..if that didn’t come out right…


  76. Lefty Patriot says:

    It was perfectly clear, Fred. SM will have difficulty with it, though. mass hypnosis works really well on the slow, evidently.


  77. Fred says:

    I would still like to hear from a righty as to why it’s ok to have a socialized police force and firemen in this country. I seems like they would be doing all they can to privatize it since socialized programs like this are such failures.


  78. CitiDC says:

    “…The dumbest citizens for an industrialized nation…”

    Which then resulted in George W’s “election.”

    So, in short. Dem mismanagement of education = dumb citizens = George Bush.

    Only can blame ourselves, I suppose.


  79. slappy magoo says:

    Public schools are doing real well under socialized education. The dumbest citizens for an industrialized nation. Good jod dems.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 3:09 pm

    That noxious smell is Southern Man shifting his gears mid-topic without coming to a complete stop first.

    Friends don’t let friends suffer conversations with Southern Man.


  80. Fred says:

    I would still like to hear from a righty as to why it’s ok to have a socialized police force and firemen in this country. I seems like they would be doing all they can to privatize it since socialized programs like this are such failures.

    Comment by Fred — January 14, 2008 @ 2:57 pm

    Public schools are doing real well under socialized education. The dumbest citizens for an industrialized nation. Good jod dems.

    Comment by Southern Man

    so you choose not to answer the reasonable question? By the way…many public schools are doing ok….depends on local….just like police and firemen.


  81. Lefty Patriot says:

    Public schools are doing real well under socialized education. The dumbest citizens for an industrialized nation. Good jod dems.

    Comment by Southern Man — January 14, 2008 @ 3:09 pm

    SM, you must eventually understand that the only reason public services like education don’t work is because Republicans destroy them. The only time that the public schools are sub-par is durint conservative regimes. Your lack of historical perspective leads me to believe you never, ever read, but get all of your mis- and dis-information from FOX and other treason sources. Public schools in the United States were uniformly excellent until your party decided to destroy them. case closed.


  82. Fred says:

    I agree lefty…..sm obviously doesn’t want to discuss this because he knows what the eventual outcome of such a discussion will be…..


  83. Fred says:

    I just want to know why it’s ok with repubs that we have basically a communist style of police and firmen in our capitalist country…..why is that ok with them?


  84. Fred says:

    Public schools are doing real well under socialized education. The dumbest citizens for an industrialized nation. Good jod dems.

    Comment by Southern Man

    and the part about…good job dems…..why is it the dems fault? I just guess I don’t understand.


  85. douglasg says:

    It is not the job of the Federal government to handle education, it is the job of the STATE governments. It is NOT the job of the Federal government to handle health care. The U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights, in no way can be interpreted as allowing the Federal government to required it’s citizens to pay for everyone’s health care. Some of us are just barely making it, and to pay more taxes means taking away from my family. Tell me how THAT’s fair?


  86. Lefty Patriot says:

    Some of us are just barely making it, and to pay more taxes means taking away from my family. Tell me how THAT’s fair?

    Comment by douglasg — January 14, 2008 @ 5:12 pm

    Your taxes would go down. Sorry for your ignorance.


  87. LastOneStanding says:

    The way the republicans destroy institutions in this country is to barrage them with needless red tape and then cut their funding.

    NCLB is a great example.

    NYPD and FDNY are great examples also. they are requiring so much red tape stuff then cutting their homeland security funds.

    Great Job Repukes!


  88. LastOneStanding says:

    You would not have to pay more taxes. Just take the money for tax breaks you give to the corporations, the super rich and those about to inherit billions (paris hilton)

    make her get a real job instead of being a professional celebrity.


  89. Fred says:

    102 then explain the social programs we call police and firemen…..what makes that different. By your logic they should be privatized too.


  90. MiMiCcs says:

    They do not all provide it because it is too damn expensive. Kucinich is not a hypocrite, he wants a single payer UHC system so everyone can have free health care, because his campaign, like most companies or those out of work, can not provide it or afford it.

    Also, #102. The constitutions says congress shall provide for the general welfare. Health care is needed for general welfare. Besides, the government already pays over 50% of health care costs in this country. As for your taxes, the constitution does not even provide for the income tax you are so worried about (the average midle income American pays almost 50% of his income in the various Federal and State taxes).

    Even the amendment in 1913 that supposedly allowed for the income tax
    was not ratified by the states, and one court opinion indicated it applied only for an excise tax. The same year though, an exemption to make Foundations Tax Free allowed the wealthiest citizens not to pay ANY tax. JFK was shocked to find out in 1960 that 15 of the richest 20 people earning more than 5 million per year paid 0 income tax. 1913 incidentally was the same year the Federal Reserve which is a private monoply of banks controlled by international bankers was created to make our money
    and charge us interest for it. Those 3 Acts by Woodrow Wilsons own admission destroyed our country.

    The interest you pay is for the interest for the Fed and commercial banks who create your money and charge you interest . The constitution says the Congress should create their own money, not the Fed. The last President who did that was shot (JFK), as was the first President to do that (Lincoln).

    Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple for they were guilty of usury. Guess we will have to wait for his return to get rid of the Fed.


  91. Evil Spaniard says:

    Some of us are just barely making it, and to pay more taxes means taking away from my family. Tell me how THAT’s fair?

    Comment by douglasg — January 14, 2008 @ 5:12 pm

    The USA Pople is ALREADY paying for healthcare, through private insurances. And private insurance has an overhead of around 20%, while government institutions have around 4%. So, switching to a universal healthcare will save a 16% of the money payed for healthcare to cover

    1) for the things that doesn’t cover your private insurance, including and specially “preexisting conditions”, and job hopping. It will help increase your liberty to switch jobs and enhance your personal income by seeking a better job without having the fear of losing your healthcare insurance.

    2) for saving money in procedures, drugs and machinery, because bigger institutions can negotiate better deals with bigger discounts, and invest more in investigation, whose benefits can revert to the universal healthcare system, by using the advancements, and selling the medical technology in the form of royalties to other countries. Is exactly what you do already with the military and military industries. And the last time I checked, the USA has the greatest and most modern military in the world.

    3) for more people, and include more people in the system. Actually, people with very little income doesn’t pay any health insurance at all, because a full coverage is expensive. If they can pay a far little fee for having full coverage, you’ll have more money injected in the universal healthcare system, and these same people will go to regular doctors instead of crowding Emergency Rooms, that are far more expensive.

    And, preventive medicine is far very cheaper than reparative one. If you can cure a cold, you can prevent a pneumonia. If you cure a cancer in time, you prevent a person dying. And more people healthy means more income for the country and their families.

    And because is the humane thing to do.


  92. Lefty Patriot says:

    And because is the humane thing to do.

    Comment by Evil Spaniard — January 14, 2008 @ 9:27 pm

    You lost the repigs with that one, ES. they are all too happy to bathe in the blood of the poor and brown, and aren’t too happy unless American soldiers are being killed by the truckload.



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