Did we read the same story? Now stop bringing logic into this thread please.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
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Did we read the same story? Now stop bringing logic into this thread please.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
Excuse me for being dumb, but can someone explain to me just what in the world the debt ceiling is? I'd never heard of it until this year.
How does raising it help us? Is it the amount we can borrow or the amount other countries will loan us or what? :confused:
Quote:
Originally Posted by momoffuzzyfaces
You are not dumb. I don't think many people outside of Washington DC know
or understand what the debt ceiling is (including me). :)
This explains it a bit.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/polit...ing_05-16.html
It's the amount of money that the Government is allowed to borrow this
year or any year. The debt limit is set by Congress & can be raised by them.
Thanksgiving 2022
"Winston, come into the dining room, it's time to eat," Julia yelled to her husband. "In a minute, honey, it's a tie score," he answered. Actually Winston wasn't very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and Washington.
Ever since the government passed the Civility in Sports Statute of 2017, outlawing tackle football for its "unseemly violence" and the "bad example it sets for the rest of the world," Winston was far less of a football fan than he used to be. Two-hand touch wasn't nearly as exciting.
Yet it wasn't the game that Winston was uninterested in. It was more the thought of eating another Tofu Turkey. Even though it was the best type of Veggie Meat available after the government revised the American Anti-Obesity Act of 2018, adding fowl to the list of federally-forbidden foods, (which already included potatoes, cranberry sauce and mince-meat pie), it wasn't anything like real turkey. And ever since the government officially changed the name of "Thanksgiving Day" to "A National Day of Atonement" in 2020 to officially acknowledge the Pilgrims' historically brutal treatment of Native Americans, the holiday had lost a lot of its luster.
Eating in the dining room was also a bit daunting. The unearthly gleam of government-mandated fluorescent light bulbs made the Tofu Turkey look even weirder than it actually was, and the room was always cold. Ever since Congress passed the Power Conservation Act of 2016, mandating all thermostats-which were monitored and controlled by the electric company-be kept at 68 degrees, every room on the north side of the house was barely tolerable throughout the entire winter.
Still, it was good getting together with family; or at least most of the family. Winston missed his mother, who passed on in October, when she had used up her legal allotment of live-saving medical treatment. He had had many heated conversations with the Regional Health Consortium, spawned when the private insurance market finally went bankrupt, and everyone was forced into the government health care program. And though he demanded she be kept on her treatment, it was a futile effort. "The RHC's resources are limited," explained the government bureaucrat Winston spoke with on the phone. "Your mother received all the benefits to which she was entitled.
I'm sorry for your loss."
Ed couldn't make it either. He had forgotten to plug in his electric car last night, the only kind available after the Anti-Fossil Fuel Bill of 2021 outlawed the use of the combustion engines-for everyone but government officials. The fifty mile round trip was about ten miles too far, and Ed didn't want to spend a frosty night on the road somewhere between here and there.
Thankfully, Winston's brother, John, and his wife were flying in. Winston made sure that the dining room chairs had extra cushions for the occasion.
No one complained more than John about the pain of sitting down so soon after the government-mandated cavity searches at airports, which severely aggravated his hemorrhoids. Ever since a terrorist successfully smuggled a cavity bomb onto a jetliner, the TSA told Americans the added "inconvenience" was an "absolute necessity" in order to stay "one step ahead of the terrorists." Winston's own body had grown accustomed to such probing ever since the government expanded their scope to just about anywhere a crowd gathered, via Anti-Profiling Act of 2022. That law made it a crime to single out any group or individual for "unequal scrutiny," even when probable cause was involved. Thus, cavity searches at malls, train stations, bus depots, etc., etc., had become almost routine. Almost.
The Supreme Court is reviewing the statute, but most Americans expect a Court composed of six progressives and three conservatives to leave the law intact. "A living Constitution is extremely flexible," said the Court's eldest member, Elena Kagan. " Europe has had laws like this one for years."
We should learn from their example," she added.
Winston's thoughts turned to his own children. He got along fairly well with his 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, mostly because she ignored him. Winston had long ago surrendered to the idea that she could text anyone at any time, even during Atonement Dinner. Their only real confrontation had occurred when he limited her to 50,000 texts a month, explaining that was all he could afford. She whined for a week, but got over it.
His 16-year-old son, Jason, was another matter altogether. Perhaps it was the constant bombarding he got in public school that global warming, the bird flu, terrorism or any of a number of other calamities were "just around the corner," but Jason had developed a kind of nihilistic attitude that ranged between simmering surliness and outright hostility. It didn't help that Jason had reported his father to the police for smoking a cigarette in the house, an act made criminal by the Smoking Control Statute of 2018, which outlawed smoking anywhere within 500 feet of another human being.
Winston paid the $5,000 fine, which might have been considered excessive before the American dollar became virtually worthless as a result of QE13. The latest round of quantitative easing the federal government initiated was, once again, to "spur economic growth." This time they promised to push unemployment below its years-long rate of 18%, but Winston was not particularly hopeful.
Yet the family had a lot for which to be thankful, Winston thought, before remembering it was a Day of Atonement. At least he had his memories. He felt a twinge of sadness when he realized his children would never know what life was like in the Good Old Days, long before government promises to make life "fair for everyone" realized their full potential. Winston, like so many of his fellow Americans, never realized how much things could change when they didn't happen all at once, but little by little, so people could get used to them.
He wondered what might have happened if the public had stood up while there was still time, maybe back around 2011, when all the real nonsense began.
"Maybe we wouldn't be where we are today if we'd just said 'enough is enough' when we had the chance," he thought.
Maybe so, Winston. Maybe so.
And All The Freedoms Were Slowly Snuffed Out. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
Don't be sad Bonny.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonny
Look at it this way.....you'll still be able to eat your turkey, with a spoon.
No need for a knife and fork....that effectively halves the amount of cutlery you will need to wash after the dinner.....you'll have that going for ya ;)
Around 2003 or 2004 my daughter in law graduated from St. Ambrose. There was a Polish man by the name of Lech Walesa that spoke to the graduates & crowd in general. He told all of us to hold onto our freedoms don't left them be taken away from us. So easily said but so hard to hold on to in reality.
Lech Walesa is a very clever man, I've read some of his work on anti-socialism.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonny
Too bad Lech isn't running your country. ;)
What an interesting fact! Union membership in the US - in private industry is about 6.9% and 36% in the public sector continuing a downward trend.
In Australia private sector union memberhsip is 14% and growing! Public sector - that is government employees - 46%. Wow.
Those maties are a far way down the road to socialism! Look sharp maties or you'll be swallowed up in carbon taxes and union members...:D:D
That is interesting, any chance of a source link?Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
I have viewed Ausie society going the way of the Socialist for many many years.
Ho hum.....looks like we've been hit with FACTS again by THE ONE WHO KNOWS ALL. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by blue
You won't get source facts from that spoilt arrogant yankee.
blue....she ain't got a source....hee hee.
Now for some real facts.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world. We probably have one of the lowest unemployment figures in the world. Unionism rears it's ugly head every time a Labor party gets voted in, but they won't last long, and the unions will fall back on their butts where they belong.
Australia doesn't have a shot economy, almost falling into third world status like some. The Australian dollar is way stronger than the US dollar. And, believe it or not, we here have more freedom of speech than you all in US do.
Good God, who is she calling "Maties".....I could'nt imagine any Australian in their right mind who would even consider "mateship" with that one....I think that term would be well beyond her. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
Why such a disparity between the public sector and private industry, I wonder?
There are a couple reasons for the difference. Unions are attractive to employees who do not feel any control over their worklife - employees who work for large, impersonal employers where the decisions makers are far away from them. That rather defines most public sector jobs - postal service, firefighters, police, teachers, etc. Hospital are becoming fertile ground for union organizers - large organizations - decision makers far away.Quote:
Originally Posted by cassiesmom
Smaller employers are more able to know what is going on in the organization and put out fires. Smaller organization can simply respond faster to problems.
Wages are rarely the reason most union campaigns get started. And most campaigns begin when employees contact the union rather than the other way around. When I was working in labor relations I was involved in a few campaigns - and every time it was the same thing - favoritism - the boss.
For example, in San Diego County the average number of employee is 12. Most people in the US public sector work for small/medium sized employers where the perceived need for a union is less.
Wom, how does the Australian health system work? I'd really like to know more about that. Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
Pat
You mention favoritism - the boss. What do you mean by that? Like ignoring someones seniority in the company, breaking company rules, as an example. The boss would be non-union working for the company as the employee would be union working for the company type of thing? Do the bosses get reprimanded by the company like firing or transferred someplace else? I know of a company three faults by the employee even if they are protected by the union & out the door they go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
The most common complaint leading employees to try and bring a union into the workplace is favoritism by the boss. Not being treated "fairly" by the boss. Some people always getting the dirty jobs - that sort of thing. This is before a union is elected so there is no non-union boss - union employees - yet. Yes, I have seen managers and supervisors who are disciplined - including termination - for not doing their job well. In the campaigns I have been involved in - the first thing is to make sure the supv/mgr understands his/her role. Often having a meeting with the supv/mgr present to ask employees what are the complaints and expecting the the supv/mgr to accept responsibility and talk through the issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonny
Interesting to note, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled that you cannot fire the supv/mgr until after the vote. Or at least made it very dangerous to do so.
Hey ES, I'll be the one manning the soup kitchen soon, along with some coloured people I know.
You'd better stop being so crabby, or I won't give you a bread crust to have with your bowl of cabbage soup....heee heee
Ahhhhhhhhh....it's so nice to live in the lucky country. :D
Ohhhh.....look what I found..........
There seems to be a lot of debate around the water cooler and the dinner table as to which President is most responsible for the increase in the National Debt.
(Note: This debate also includes future paupers like ES)
In this article, I’d like to take a look at the growth in the National Debt by President using an unbiased approach. This analysis uses National Debt figures from the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
To be sure, there is plenty of blame to go around for the uncontrolled growth in the National Debt. For this analysis, I’ve begun with Ronald Reagan’s first term and followed it through the first year of Barack Obama’s administration. No effort has been made to cast any particular President in a favorable or unfavorable light.
The numbers below do NOT reflect the actual National Debt. Instead, they reflect the amount of the INCREASE in the National Debt during each presidential term.
> Ronald Reagan’s First Term – $656 billion increase
> Ronald Reagan’s Second Term – $1.036 trillion increase
> George H.W. Bush’s Term – $1.587 trillion increase
> Bill Clinton’s First Term – $1.122 trillion increase
> Bill Clinton’s Second Term – $418 billion increase
> George W. Bush’s First Term – $1.885 trillion increase
> George W. Bush’s Second Term – $3.014 trillion increase
> Barack Obama’s First “Year” – $1.573 trillion increase
To summarize, the National Debt increased by huge amounts under each of these presidents. The largest increase for a complete term occured during George W. Bush’s second term. The largest increse during a single year occurred during Barack Obama’s first year.
Current Obama administration projections indicate that the National Debt will increase by approximately $6.5 trillion during President Obama’s first term. If that happens, then he will obviously overtake President Bush’s record increase in the National Debt.
It is clear that the National Debt has been growing uncontrollably in recent years, regardless of which political party has been in power. To reverse this trend, we need to hold our elected officials accountable and demand that they balance the budget and reduce the National Debt.
Wow ES.....yer really are living beyond your means.....eh ??? :D:D:D:D:D
Here ya go............Quote:
Originally Posted by phesina
In 1984 a comprehensive health care system, Medicare, was introduced. Medicare facilitates access by all eligible Australian residents to free or low-cost medical, optometric and public hospital care, while leaving them free to choose private health services.
Individuals’ financial contributions to the public health care system are based on their income and are made through a taxation levy known as the Medicare levy.
Australia’s public hospital system is jointly funded by the Australian Government and state and territory governments and is administered by state and territory health departments.
People admitted to public hospitals as public (Medicare) patients receive treatment by doctors and specialists nominated by the hospital. They are not charged for care and treatment or after-care by the treating doctor.
Private patients in public or private hospitals can choose the doctor who treats them. Medicare pays 75 per cent of the Medicare schedule fee for services and procedures provided by the treating doctor. For patients who have private health insurance, some or all of the outstanding balance may be covered. Private patients are charged for hospital accommodation and items such as theatre fees and medicine. These costs may also be covered by private health insurance but are not covered by Medicare.
Medicare Australia is the agency within the Department of Human Services responsible for processing and paying Medicare benefits for approved services. Medicare Australia also pays pharmaceutical benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which subsidises an agreed list of prescription drugs.
For both medical and pharmaceutical services, safety net arrangements exist to make sure patients who need a high level of treatment or medication during a financial year do not incur significant out-of-pocket expenses. Out-of-pocket costs are the difference between the Medicare benefit and what the patient is actually charged.
The Australian Government also provides medical, pharmaceutical and hospital services for veterans, war widows and their eligible dependants under legislation administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The Australian Government provides about two-thirds (67 per cent) of public sector expenditure on health, and state, territory and local governments provide the rest.
Note: I have what they call a "Gold Card" Pat. They are issued automatically to war veterans over 70 years of age, and to those like myself who have a war caused disability. The card is given to us regardless of assets. Joe Blow living on the street, or as rich as Rupert Murdoch.....meeting the age and disability criteria automatically gets you issued one. The benefit of the Gold Card ??? Everything is free. Doctors, Specialists, Hospitals, Treatment, Medicines, Dental, Physiotherapy, Optometrical....every single thing related to our health is free.
Apparently "Undefeated" has been defeated at the box office by a documentary about turtles! The weekend gross for Ms. Palin was just over $24,000 - down over 60% from the opening weekend..."Turtle: The Incredible Journey" was over $25,000. Turtle total gross is over 3 times Undefeated.
Defeated!
Could it be her 15 minutes are over?
Not quite - you posted about her!Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
Way to misrepresent the 2 movies, not surprised by you or the Huffington Post for doing so. Turtle: The Incredible Journey was released in 2009, Link.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
Karen beat me to it. As long as the Huffington Post and its readers like yourself are rabidly reporting and reading about her, her time in the limelight will continue.Quote:
Could it be her 15 minutes are over?
Thank you, Wombat. I think this sounds fantastic. Are there down sides of this system for you Australians?Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
So WHY are conservatives in the U.S. so outraged about the idea of even attempting to introduce such a system here? Would any of you folks of the conservative stripe please enlighten me? Thank you.
Ummm, possibly a little issue along the lines of a $14 trillion debt problem?
We can't pay for all the government services now. Let's fix that before we spend more money we don't have.
As for down sides, well no system is perfect, so we do get the hiccup now and again, but overall it works very well for everyone, and almost everyone is happy with it. Oh, you always get the people who don't agree with the system, but some people don't agree with anything....right??Quote:
Originally Posted by phesina
As to why this system is so contentious in the US, then I'd have to agree with LH on that. We have a very strong economy here, and the government does keep the system going by injecting funds from revenues into it. So I suppose when your economy gets back on it's feet, then there will be less against and more FOR that kind of system.
I do hope you all get it there eventually...I think good health services should be available to all regardless of their situation money wise.
The Balloonist
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a man below.
He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 42 and 44 degrees north latitude and between 83 and 85 degrees west longitude."
"You must be a Republican," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied the man, "but how did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost."
The man below responded, "You must be a Democrat."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "how did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are
going. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are exactly in the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
Okay, right, the debt problem means it is not going to happen overnight here, to say the least.Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
But why do so many "conservatives" believe that national health care is EVIL, period.. not good to let happen ever. "SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!" "DEATH PANELS!" "The Government will decide who lives and who dies!" (rather than the insurance companies, as happens now).
And how did you Australians, Brits, Canadians, others with national health care systems get the resources together to start your systems?
Hey Wom, do most Australians follow the American political scene as closely as you do, or do you make a special study of it all? And are American political goings-on in the news a lot in Australia?Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
I live right next door to Canada and listen to a Canadian radio station much of the time, so I have some idea of what's going on over there.. but I don't really follow the political scene all that closely, since it doesn't affect me directly and I have no say in it. (They do cover what's happening in the U.S. much more than American stations cover what's happening in Canada, too.)
We have a Medicare levy. The rate of the Medicare levy is 1.5% of taxable income. In some cases, you may be exempt from the medicare levy or eligible for a reduction based on family income.Quote:
Originally Posted by phesina
Low income earners who make less than a certain amount are exempt.
High income earners pay a surcharge in addition to the 1.5% of their taxable income (this is so that the wealthy can't take advantage of the public system, they have a choice, pay the surcharge or get private health insurance.)
Not really Pat. I think 99.9% of Australians would probably tell you that "Congress" means a beer and shrimp BBQ. And there's never much on the media here about American politics.Quote:
Originally Posted by phesina
I email a lot of US artillery veterans who were with me in Nam, and when they are unhappy about something, I get bombarded with all kinds of political stuff from over there. :D
Plus I had a lot of brothers and sisters in law who were Americans (connected to my first wife, who is now ancient history), and they used to talk about their politics to me when they came here or I went there.
So, what I know, which isn't a great deal, came from those sources, and also from PT to......LH is a good source for politics.
Sometimes it helps to look back at how we got into the current money
problems. Might help on who we trust to better get us out of the debt woes.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...r-america.html
For those who are unfamiliar with Mr. Begala, keep in mind that he is a long serving Democratic campaign strategist and adviser.
The article is far from the truth. It makes good partisan rhetoric, but as a factual piece it fails miserably.
Wall street deregulation (which Begala states is the cause of the crisis) started in 1999 when Pres. Clinton signed the financial modernization act, which removed the walls between securities firms, insurers, and banks. Had Pres. Clinton vetoed it, the veto likely would have stood, as Congress was too tightly contested to override a Presidential veto.
Despite the constant cries stating that the tax cuts signed into law by Pres. Bush are the cause of the current fiscal crisis, Federal tax revenue rose steadily from 2002 to 2007. Prior to 2002, the economy was in a state of flux driven by the collapse of the the tech stock bubble with the equally economically disastrous 9/11 attack. In 2008 federal revenue fell as the housing bubble burst.
To pin the current debt crisis on one party is foolish. Both are to blame, and both are to blame equally.
Anyone who has worked in a business knows you cannot be successful by just cutting costs. You must also increase revenue. Anyone who has ever been responsible for a family budget knows the same thing. And you certainly cannot increase costs and cut revenue and not expect a disaster.
Starting two wars and cutting taxes at the same time was the most idiotic decision.
Whether partisan, bi-partisan or non-partisan it doesn't change that truth.
ES, point being, revenue ROSE after the tax cuts.
IMO, this had a greater impact. Fannie/Freddie. Follow the money. You do not even have to take any pundit's word. Just do your own digging, its easy enough to find the truth.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady's Human
Demolicans.... Republicrats. Different sides of the same coin.
LH for the win! (And the note about tax rates go down, revenue increases. Again, not a 'partisan' thing, facts. Easy enough to find and prove on one's own.)Quote:
To pin the current debt crisis on one party is foolish. Both are to blame, and both are to blame equally.
Just watch the idiots we send to DC fight over this.... And people STILL want to play 'partisan'. :rolleyes: As if one 'side' is better than the other. LOL
Question of the day. Why do certain people want to INcrease tax rates on the "rich"? We realize that its an INCOME tax, right? Where are the people screaming for a Capital Gains Tax increase if they want to sock it to the rich? The evil, super rich have little, if any, 'income' that gets taxed in the traditional way. This is something important to note as we allow them to engage us in class warfare.
I agree, 100%.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
So, the new guy (and for the first couple years, 'his' Congress) ADDS more 'wars' and goes all in on the spending. Woot.
Again... Two sides of the same coin.
I do believe you've laid a curse on North America
A curse that we now here rehearse in Philadelphia
A second flood, a simple famine
Plagues of locusts everywhere
Or a cataclysmic earthquake
I'd accept with some despair
But, no, you sent us Congress.
Good God, sir, was that fair?
I say it with humility in Philadelphia
We're your responsibility in Philadephia
If you don't want to see us hanging
From some far-off British hill
If you don't want the voice of independency
Forever still
Then God, sir, get thee to it
For Congress never will
You see, we piddle, twiddle, and resolve
Not one damn thing do we solve
Piddle, twiddle, and resolve
Nothing's ever solved in
Foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy
Philadephia!
They may sit here for years and years in Philadelphia.
These indecisive grenadiers of Philadelphia.
They can't agree on what is right and wrong
Or what is good or bad; I'm convinced
The only purpose this Congress ever had
Was to gather here specifically
To drive John Adams mad!
You see, we piddle, twiddle, and resolve
Not one damn thing do we solve
Piddle, twiddle, and resolve
Nothing's ever solved in
Foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy
Philadephia!
Congress:
((Words & Music by Sherman Edwards) - 1776 )
And in over 200 years the only things that has changed is the location and the names. :p
If they don't send my disability check on time, I'm sending the White house a bill for 50% interest for each day it's late. I'm sure they won't pay it but each day it's late is a day I'll be without food or the ability to pay my bills which will cause me to pay interest. :rolleyes:
I just can't believe this is such a mess. God help us everyone!!! :love: