Just think next week is the Dumocrats convention and hope obummers teleprompter goes down and he can't speak

Dumocrats cc? You sound like you are part of the problem. Allow me to reciprocate. You're a stupid idiot.

Yes moonman dumocrats, anyone that can vote this clown back into office is just dumb.

Liberals from the Party of Food Stamps. To continue to receive your allotted portions of your requested entitlements you should vote for Barack Obama. This is the "ONLY" thing he knows what he is talking about!

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/09/04/number-of-americans-on-food-stamps-hits-record-high-46-7-million-people/

Good response. I'll buy that. I'm typically opposed to national news articles that find their way on Patch because I feel they detract from the purpose of this site, but in this case I now see the value.

I think you are right about businesses working lean and refusing to hire as the real issue. Why do you think they aren't hiring?

Could it be the present administrations policies. The average monthly unemployment under President Bush was 5.3% the average under President Obama was over 8% for the last 44 months. I'm also glad the patch has posted this, what affect the state and federal also affect the communities.

what has obummer done to create jobs as he promised. People are still waiting for them. Lets see people are laying off to get under 50 employees so they don't have to pay for health insurance and would rather pay a tax as it turns out to be cheaper. Good job obummer.

Chef you got that right and so does proud American, this country has gone downhill in the 3 1/2 years that it has been president. Gas prices are out of control since it has became president. We need someone like Romney in office that understand how Business is ran.

hey genius cc. gas prices were at their highest while Bush was still in office. How do I know? Because I purchased gasoline prior to the November 2008 elections and paid more for it then than I have since. Memories serve a purpose. Selective memory serves your purpose. Throw some more political insults out there. It shows off your smarts.

SLR, Here is the actual data: http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/unemployment-the-track-record/
It shows labor participation and unemployment. Current policies have made for a dismal economy. Facts, embrace them all, don't just cherry pick those that support your ideology.

Soph... Your mention of labor participation rate is very important. It is dismal, with no upward trend. This measure is not often mentioned, but remains important.

Our economy is in a mire right now. Nothing has moved in the past year, at least. Nobody holding the authority, and the money, wants to make any moves. Any useful movements are all on hold. I am in constant contact with business owners, and those involved in selling and buying. The story is all the same, "Everybody is waiting...." Companies have made good profits because they have leaned down, but the leaning is down to bare bottom by now. The next step is to grow sales, and that isn't happening.

The fiscal cliff at December 31 is worrisome to many who are in a position to make moves. This date is getting closer, and nobody in Wash DC is even discussing the matter. Meanwhile, business owners and executives are stuck without a plan. Remember two years ago, tax rates for the next year were not set until late in December. How can somebody make plans with this kind of timetable for policy matters? The same is true for 2013. Who can make plans in 2012, when this major issue remains open? Long term planning does not happen with all this uncertainty.

slr and i bet your going to give obama credit for all these jobs too. Because small business owners didn't create their own companies. Under obummer 322,000 job were created and that is peanuts compared to the jobs created under Bush. How many people lost their jobs under obummer and are still not working.

@SLR...I am sorry, but you are just plain wrong...Here is the data:

The following numbers are from the BLS website:

Number of Civilian Americans employed on January 31st, 2001 (Bush's first month in office)

135,870,000

Number of Civilian Americans employed on January 31st, 2009 (Bush's last partial month in office)

142,221,000

Giving a grand total of 6,351,000 more Civilian Americans employed over the life of his Administration.

Now, the number of Civilian Americans employed on January 31st, 2009 (Obama's first partial month in office)

142,221,000

Number of Civilian Americans employed on July 31st, 2012 (current)

142,220,000

Giving a grand total of 1,000 LESS Civilian Americans employed over the life of his Administration.

The truth is out there, if you are actually willing to go look for it.

even when given the facts: PRIVATE SECTOR JOB GROWTH IS HIGHER UNDER OBAMA THAN IT WAS UNDER BUSH! People still refuse to believe it. PUBLIC sector jobs (aka what Ryan has called "a waste of taxpayer dollars"--you know police, firefighters, road crews, etc.)
FACTS:
1. Obama job growth higher than Bush. 30+ months of job growth.
2. Obama tax rates: as low as they have ever been since income tax was created
3. Our economy IS GROWING
4. Two unfunded wars: one ended, the other ending
5. Small businesses can now deduct health care costs--for the first time EVER
6. Bankruptcies due to illness and health care care costs will end
7. insurance companies will have to spend their premium costs on HEALTH CARE--not administrative profits
8. Education results have drastically improved

Why is there uncertainty---ask S&P's who downgraded the US credit rating--they said because "the Republicans in the House will not agree to change any policies to move the economy forward." Not my words--the words of the financial credit raters.

@Factman6

I posted the data from the BLS. If for some reason, you choose to deny those facts, that is your problem, Not "people who refuse to believe". The truth is out there, take some time and do some research.

SLR..created jobs. Only if you do not take away the jobs lost. Under Obama we have lost the number of workers. Many of the jobs created were also at lower pay. Under Obama the middle class has lost 39% of their wealth.

Romney Ryan will do a much better job getting the United States back on track with creating jobs and getting the Unemployment rates down. Our country has been on a downward spiral since obummer got elected.

See ABOVE!!!!!!!!!

Factman6 get off the liberal sites for facts and find one giving both sides nothing has improved in the last four years. Forget about Bush can't change the past Obama took on the job and needs to take the blame with the national debt reaching 16 trillion dollars during the DNC this week and cost for everyday items hurting the elderly and middle class . A president who can't get the house and senate to debate and work together on the problems that are destroying this country needs to go plain and simple. You like facts the republican controlled house have created a budget and the democrate senate won't even bring them to the floor for a vote or debate maybe they are scared some of the Regan democrates will vote for it.

Hey, that's not fair. How can you expect them to balance the budget when they haven't passed one in 3 years?

THANK YOU!!

You have hit the nail on the head, and you have also presented the adult, quiet, persuasive argument that we NEED to be having in America right now, in lieu of the childish rhetoric that has been the mainstay of the campaigning to date.

IF we were to re-elect this current Administration, that seems a defacto acceptance and approval of what they have done, and would logically lead to a continuation and expansion of what they have done. The fundamental question on the table is, has anything they have done been good for America?

If you truly want to debate if any "good" has come, you will be hard pressed to present facts or data supporting that position. THAT is what the Convention Speaches were all about. Yes, there was some minor hits on Obama, but the general tone and message were very clear...what this Administration has tried, has failed, and they need to be fired.

Let all the spinmeisters join the fray!!! But, you will be hardpressed to deny the failure of the current Administration with facts, data or even logic.

Great post!

she watches to much twilight zone. Cant wait till the next weeks Dumocrat Convention, where obummer will really give them a snow job on all his lies about what he created but will avoid how many trillions he put our country in debt. The Press is defiantly going to have a field day with him.

Ummm...thanks I guess...

The truly strange part about the perceptions of how the Economy is going, are really just about equal to perception. I don't really know of many people who think the Economy is going well, and yet many people buy in to the media sound bites, or worse, political pundits telling them the Economy is fine. And yet, simple basic perception tells a balanced mind that the Economy is NOT just fine.

So, when you pull out some actual data, or fact...the people with the skewed perceptions become very, very defensive, and ultimately angry, rude, and just simply unreachable.

Should just get a job instead of complaining about the economy.

@Daniel...who is your post directed at?

Just taking a jab at those that say the economy isn't doing well. Bop!

@Daniel.

Well Daniel, I am on of those people who say the Economy is doing lousy. I have a job, in fact, I am one of those evil small business owners the modern Liberal seems to want to milk. So, you need to rethink your post a bit.

Aw Ernie, don't feel bad. I feel for you.

@Daniel

Hmmm....it sounds like you aren't old enough to vote, so this conversation is probably done. Thanks.

Have you ever considered re-evaluating ways to increase your business' operating profit sans any government involvement? Once you make enough money, taxes don't matter.

If you ask any small business owner how the economy is going under obama then they will tell you it is at an all time low. Most small business owners who have 50-60 employees right now are at wits end over do I lay off employees to get under 50 and pay the tax for health care or do I keep employees and pay for healthcare for them at outrageous prices if they don't have them covered now. I know over the last 3 years even though I hired 3 more employees profit sharing went down because prices of everything else went up, especially gas. Filling up 6 company cars up twice a week in 2008 use to cost $324-$350 a week and now in 2012 cost $702-$750. I dread another 4 year if obama is re-elected.

they count the jobs added at that point because you have to wait for policies to take effect. Oh yeah and there was this little thing resulting from deregulation of the financial industry (blame clinton and gingrich for that) calling people insane and stupid is really great.
Look at Reagan's platform and compare it with the current Repub party. Ronnie would not even win one primary.

You ask too much of our politicians. My hopes are never high for these conventions.

So, the Boss, and his entire Economic Team have been complete failures, but they should not be fired, just for lack of ability? You want details from an Administration that does not exist? You want details from an Economic Team that does not exist? At this point in time, Romney/Ryan have offered up broad stroke plans, but you seem to require details that cannot possibly exist at this point in time...

Face it, the current Team has failed, and has earned being fired.

In some corporate structures, employees that fail end up being promoted because of lessons learned from failure.

Absolutely everyone in Congress needs to get on board. Now, if we only had a Leader and His Economic Team who had ideas that COULD actually work!!! For 2 years, the current Administration and Economic Team had both Houses and the Presidency. They took that opportunity to pass obamacare and the Stimulus Bill. Both of which are economic disasters. Every year that this President and his Economic Team have introduced a Budget to Congress with over a Trillion Dollars in unbalance, the Senate has voted 100% down on that Budget Proposal.

So, it is apparent that the current Administrator and his Economic Team are incompetent. It is apparent that their best ideas don't work. It is apparent that new leadership and a new Economic Team with better ideas is needed.

That's a pretty bold statement that Obamacare is an economic disaster.

proud American yes have to agree with you. We need someone in OFFICE to fix the mess obummer has made. obummer can't lead his faithful followers out of a wet paper bag yet alone run this country;

Government employment is lower under Obama than under Bush. You must then have had this same criticism of Bush. Right?

Daniel, still waiting for the list.

Your comment is full of errors:
- job losses highest in the summer of 08 to fall of 09--a direct result of the world wide financial crash
- refineries close--big oil manipulates prices--YOU think you can blame any President or Congress for gas prices???
- "takeover" of health care?? You mean made it affordable and removed the power of insurance companies to rip us off---as they have for 17 years of rising costs--the best part takes place in 2014 and the market will stabilize even more. Corporate profits took over health care!! The reasonable (republican based) reforms it the health care law will help us all.
- "business uncertainty" PLEASE see the inability for house republicans to pass any legislation as the main reason given for the US credit downgrade
- deficit: wealthy tax cuts, 2 wars, medicare part D---compare their costs to the rather timid stimulus
-

Sorry, Mr. Wood, but the stock market is not near an all-time high.

Why are profits high? The answer is probably not what you think. What has been the trend in profits the last 6-12 months? That also tells you much about the meaning of your statement.

What is the measure of consumer confidence? What does that tell you about what people really think (read: voting with their wallets) about the state of the economy?

Funny how liberals quote things even terrible Wall Street when it is convenient.

Stock prices are high because the dollar has been devalued through the Fed policies such as artificially low interest rates and quantitative easing. It is not high because the economy is striving, and it isn't. Economics is very complex is is best understood if you look past cherry picked data and study many facets and how they inter-relate.

you forgot to mention that it was obummer that started all small business and runs them also as he's playing golf or partying in the White House. Want to know when the Democrats Mickey Mouse Alarm Clocks go off.

This video is in the interest of all political parties. I don't care who you think screwed this country's economy or which political party you think is drinking some hallucinogenic Kool Aid. Copy, paste, and share.

No thank you, another joke put out by obummer.

This video has nothing to do with President Obama. Nothing.

Erin, as a young college student, you are too young to have seen these kinds of things at previous conventions, R or D. The last few conventions have been very bland. These kinds of actions used to be typical, when there was actually something to decide at the convention. Every convention used to have protesters, walkouts, ranting, marching, but in recent years, the powers to be have squelched any of this stuff. This incident was something very minor over against what used to happen at conventions.

Spin it with the young ones in the college classroom who know no better. You will get more support. It gets no weight here.

Up until 2008 when votes were collected they would spike and drop until about 40% where they would flat line. This was a statistical guarantee. This year's republican primary showed Paul nose diving at 40% and Romney soaring above. Statistical impossibility.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJAC-sfXwumZzI2bVlON2VTMnFyYVZZSnpDYnNyQQ/edit?pli=1

So no, this is not typical. This voting trend is unprecedented. They changed rules on the spot to unseat delegates. Also unprecedented. This was not just a protest by a few rambunctious republicans.

Michael Steele (former Republican Committee chairperson and author of an anti-obama book) spoke out against the corruption of the convention and the republican party.

Jon Huntsman did an interview speaking out against superpacs and members of congress becoming lobbyists, admittedly sacrificing his career with the Republican party.

Multiple lower level republicans have come out against voter suppression admitting to corruption within the Republican committees.

The USA has virtually zero participation in the international market beyond money and military. These are our only exports. We are now dependent on our military and produce nothing. The only groups not recognizing this as a crucial problem are the career politicians w/ an invested interest (& the most money).

I did not see one single college aged kid in that convention. All fully fledged proud Republicans who recognize corruption in their party.

Erin,
Like the messiah and Medvedev and his "flexibility" in his second term?
Like Joe Biden and his "This is F'n big comment?
Those micrrophone issues are silly.
Concentrate on the state of America and the division preached by the messiah and his reverend and other associates.
He hates America.

Fraud is a "microphone issue" and Obama as a messiah plotting against America is a significant issue...Good lord. Well the info is there and the evidence continues to pile up. The rest of world is noticing. Do with it what you will.

Erin I just laugh and laugh at your rambling on and on. Lets face it obummer is a joke and needs to go and your not proving anything to anyone nor are you changing any ones thinking to yours. obummer has done more damage over the last 3 years then any other President and needs to go back to Kenya. Why don't you ramble about the movie that is at the top at the box office best movie to go see about a moron that you dumocrats put in office.

don't really care who you are moon man and he is a bummer, a loser who doesn't deserve to be president of the dog pound. He has destroyed America in the last 3 years and we need a REAL MAN in office, ROMNEY not another 4 years of obummer

conservatard

Great question. No single party created the financial meltdown. It was caused by several factors, not the least of which was the government forcing banks to make sub-prime home loans. This was more of a democratic idea than a republican one.
In order for you to succeed in earning and saving, a solid economy is required. History shows that free markets rather than command and control markets are more vibrant making individuals better off. This aligns with Romney's policies. Obama's policies have made for the weakest recovery ever.
I would suggest talking to a good insurance agent to discuss life insurance so that your wife will have some money for healthcare should you die before she reaches the age of retirement.

Understand your worry do a little internet research into Obama care before you think it will take care of your health needs . I know of a situation where the husband was on disability had decent insurance for him and his wife as soon as Obama care was passed he was forced to go on Medicare even though he wasn't 65 yet had to pick up a supplement and his wife has a separate insurance and medicine copay also went up. Before Obama care 1 insurance for husband and wife low co payment for meds and the same place to get meds. After Obama care husband has medicare and supplement and higher co payments for med and the wife has another insurance and separate place she has to get her meds. Their is also going to be a panel who are not even doctors appointed by the government some say they are their to cut medicare cost some say to ration medical care to the elderly. Still doing research on that but don't have a 100% answer at present 60-40 leaning toward the ration of medical care over 70 years of age. I will agree we need a change to health care but not sold Obama Care is the answer. As an independent I feel if it has been getting worse over the last four years cost are thru the roof food,gas,heating fuel, clothes and it goes on. I feel it is time to make a change and hope this time hope and change is real.

M&C when the stock market started to drop, I turned my money over to Municipal Bonds and other investments during the Bush Administration and didn't lose money, in fact I made good money to put away for my retirement. If you think your going to get health insurance at a cheap and reasonable pride then I got some good swamp land for sale. When 60% of Americans don't want obamacare because it is going to cost you big time in the end. What are you and your wife going to do when we don't have doctors that aren't going to be practicing because they don't want to accept obamacare payments. Where you going to be then? Remember obama drained 700 billion from medicare so where does that leave you, when you need to be treated, paying more out of your own pocket and obama care tells you your to old to be treated.

From what I understand of the facts that are visible to date... we will all be taken care of. At age seventy and after... if a unit - patient is critical and or terminal they will be provided with healthcare measures called comfort care. After this comfort care is complete they will no longer be a burden to anyone. This is called complete care for the aged unit - patient. In LIFE we are all on stand by anyway - Right?

It's not as bad as Germany yet!They aren't taking the fillings out of our teeth after an executive blanket order of being executed in a gas bath! At least they are offering comfort care and haven't deemed it to costly to date. Right?! Night night... sleep tight! Don't forget to say your prayers because that's all we really have - naked as the day we were born!

Billie the comfort care you call it is just going to give these patients high doses of morphine to kill them. The cancer patients that are older aren't going to have the option of having chemo but are going to be given all the drugs they want. Who is obummer and obamacare to tell anyone that they aren't allowed to have chemo therapy, instead lets over dose them on drugs.

Your family's doesn't have a future if the O is re-elected. You just can't borrow and borrow and borrow and not feel the consequences. Can you solve your current problems by borrowing more$.

Romney has a plan. Cut corporate taxes to 25% to attract globlal business. Drill & frac to provide low energy prices which are big factors that influence manufacturing. Reduce regulation (0bamacare) to give small business breathing room to make their own decisions.
Stand back and let America be America. Have courage pal otherwise you will just end up equal but miserable in your poverty like the rest of us.
Obama wants you to depend on him, the emperor. Unfortunately he has no clothes.

M&C, instead of buying Whole Life, which is a waste of money and the only ones that get rich off the policies is the insurance company buy term life insurance.

You have no reason to vote Repub. Look at the positive effect the health care law will have on you. Look at the positive effects financial reform will have for you. These reforms produce real effects for middle class people.
The socialism argument is just plain craziness. CRAZINESS!! Obama is a center right politician. That is why true liberals are disappointed. He used capitalism to improve the health insurance status-quot. Reagan would be proud.

factman6 a center right politician who believes in share the wealth. We need health reform but not one that tells us what to do I am a responsible adult who can do right by my family . If some one succeeds in this country Great that is the beauty of America I don't need their money I work for what I have. He changes like the wind just go back and look at some of the things he said in 2008 and what he did for 4 years he is like so many far left liberals blame someone else for their failures.

factman6 time for you to buy a new Mickey Mouse alarm clock.

Tony, tell us about "free market," with regard to the Feds telling banks what they can charge for debit transactions. Tell us about the regs in place for loan and mortgage applications that are driving small, community based banks out. They simply cannot compete with all the overhead associated with the new rules.

Just for the record, any new investment rules put into place after the Dodd & Frank rules would not have changed anything with regard to the financial crisis of 2008. The rules were in place during the crisis, but no enforced.

Glass-Segal changes had the support of both parties.

Tell us about the "huge tax cut to their buddies." We want to hear specifics.

What part of mortgage refi proposals that have been enacted are successful? How well did C4C work out?

You actually believe this union crap you are spitting out I come from a union family. And I will stand by union workers and their skills it is the union leaders in the pockets of the democrates. The union bosses take the hard working men and womens dues and push for the democrates regardless of the workers political beliefs. The only time their was an abundance of work and new members being trained to do skilled jobs is when the republicans are in office. I'm talking jobs from the private sector who's companies build businesses and create long term work.The only union work when the democrates are in office is government contracts handed out because of the favor from the bosses who put millions of working men and womens dues into getting them elected and are gone in a couple of years. The union bosses and our government forget where this money is coming from ,the back of workers paying dues to the unions and taxes to the government. But they spend it likes it is theirs neither the union or the government remember we are their bosses and it is our money they are spending.

Joyce run my own company to and put a lot of hard work into it. Worked the first 10 years 70 plus hours a week. Things have gone downhill since obama came into office and profits are down. Ask any of my employee's how much their profit sharing dropped under the obama administration. When Unions are working my company makes big profits, but these little jobs that obama is making to pay back union bosses aren't cutting it and I know many of Union workers who do not support obama and they aren't to happy about their union dues going to him.

Tony, thanks for all the specific answers to the questions. It was very helpful in understanding your position. Well thought out, and well presented!!!

Yes the Democrats are so brained washed it isn't funny. If obummer tells you all to jump off a bride you all would be lining up to do it.

Tony, still waiting for more information to back your position. Thanks.

The only ones that make this a comedy site is the Democrats because they believe that obama is going to save them. We had 3 years of destruction and can't see another 4 years of this great Nation going down the toilet, but if obama is elected that's what is going to happen

The big question is are we better off now then 4 years ago. I know I'm not

I'm much better off than I was eight years ago!

These guys are not political. This is not what people who care about real politics look like. They are bullies. I try to put information in every once in awhile just to encourage other people to respond so that sense and civility might take over, but it never works. Oh well. Just ignore them.

It was an honest question, and i am in a similar boat. In McCain's speech at the convention he protested further cuts to military spending and claimed that Obama wanted America to be on equal levels with the rest of the world rather than the leader (sounds great to me). Though I recognize that Obama's recent signing of the student loan forgiveness act and healthcare reform is a band-aid to a problem created by a country that has too long only exported cash/military, these band-aids are necessary. A party refusing to make cuts and wanting to continue our foreign occupation of the world is only making choices based on the people who profit from those foreign occupations and is sacrificing its own citizens health and welfare (literally, as you are noticing).

Neither party will reduce spending, but I am (probably naively) hopeful that libertarian policies and democratic policies are going to meld to form a fiscally responsible compromise.

The PPACA (obamacare) is nothing like Canadian healthcare so that is not something to consider. they have government supplied universal care for everyone. What I consider is the relationship between education, healthcare, food, etc.

Death panels, "are you better off," socialism, stealing 700 billion from medicare, education is liberal brainwashing (I am particularly suspicious of any group that uses their political party to bash education) etc...These are all just examples of campaign rhetoric/manipulation. (Now I am an Obummer loving dumocrat, or bc I am 29 yrs old and working on an education in history/writing/political science, I am too young and too brainwashed to understand anything...wait for it..it is coming).

People need healthcare, education, and production within this country. No matter who wins this election, I make a point to support local businesses and farms in any way that I can (while staying out of walmarts and other multinationals when i can afford it) because _that_ is a positive help to our economy that will bring down the cost of living. If everyone supported their local farms/businesses we would have stronger communities and lower prices. It is not Obama that has driven gas and food and healthcare cost up.

I am choosing a snail's pace worth of change in the hopes that our military will continue to reduce and that money will be turned inwards while freely admitting to being skeptical of Obama's ability to resist the big multinational lobbyists that are ruining every american institution.

I am oversimplifying a lot of really complicated ideas, but I just thought I would share my own concerns with you as briefly as possible in the hopes of helping you out. :)

Erin I can support you on using local business and farm produce. I don't even care what your age is you are entitled to your beliefs. But do you really think we should be reducing our military when our enemies are building nuclear weapons North Korea and Iran are banding together with help from Russia and China.
I am a responsible adult I can pick my own doctors , decide what food I eat and what my children eat. I don't need the government controlling the way I live my life. Don't take my word for it go up along the Canadian border and visit our good hospitals and look at the number of Canadian plates. Obama care will soon stop that maybe that is one of his ways to secure our borders( no jobs bad health care).

Reduced military spending is inevitable. We can crash & burn, or compromise and reduce slowly and carefully so as to maintain our standing in the world. We spend more on our military than on all of those mentioned countries combined. This money (that we do not have) is printed by the FED and flushed back into the system which causes unnatural inflation that we cannot afford. Money does not have an inherent value. It is paper representing something with value that we are not producing. The costly wars are costing us our education and healthcare. It is all interrelated.

Canada has public insurance. Even with the PPACA we still have private insurance. the private insurance companies were controlling areas and costing too much long before the PPACA and the national outcry that resulted was the foundation of the PPACA. In the simplest of terms, the PPACA tells the private insurance companies and medical corporations that they can not overcharge the public or the govt anymore because there is now a system in place to monitor these things. The theory is that it will encourage fair market competition. Before these regulations (most of which are not in place yet) private insurance companies were really hurting people & overcharging our govt.

Healthcare costs are a symptom, the ppaca is a band-aide, but i believe (hesitantly) that it is necessary.

But I absolutely support the idea of more transparency as it would stop the endless rumors that ppl run wild with.

Though I have not actually read anything that has convinced me that doctors are going to bail on medicare (part of the issues with the PPACA and medical corporations is that medical corporations have been overcharging the government for medicare for too long, and the PPACA is establishing the Independent Medicare Advisory board, aka the death panel, to review all costs and overspending), I 100% agree that our congress is seriously slacking in making legislation transparent to the American people and in debating/compromising with each other. We have too many career politicians that have been bought and paid for and only care about lining their own pockets.

Just one small point though, the PPACA _was_ broken down and individually discussed and introduced especially in the exact places you point out like with children and people with pre-existing conditions.

I think it is important to consider that private insurance companies and medical corporations (including pharmaceutical companies) have an immense amount of influence in congress and were robbing private citizens and the govt. the PPACA was the devised solution that the entire country was calling out for in 2008. That influence and money in congress is a major reason why the two parties refuse to work together. Obama is not the divisive element in our government. Superpacs, lobbyists, career politicians...These are the guys killing our institutions and slowing process.

What is Romney proposing for medicare?

"Half of Texas physicians would consider withdrawing from the Medicare program if Congress allows a forthcoming deep cut in reimbursement payments, Texas Medical Association officials said Thursday."
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/06/3426224/half-of-texas-doctors-may-quit.html#storylink=cpy

Another Good Article about obummer and obamacare for doctors.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/20/cure-for-medicare/

Pay a visit to the hospitals along the Canadian border and look at all the Canadian plates. Don't believe everything you read.

You want a good health care open the markets and let people shop for their insurance company. Don't let a hand full of insurance companies controll the area you live in and I can gaurantee when people can shop for their insurance the cost will come down. Big government has never been the answer in this country.

Maybe you should believe some of what YOU read:

Canadians coming to US for health care?
Do not come to the US for care: 99.39%
Come to US for care electively: 0.5%
Use the US for emergency care: 0.11%
136 ambulatory care facilities near the U.S.-Canada border in Michigan, NY and WA saw, on average, fewer than one Canadian per month; 40 percent had seen 0, none, nada.
Source: “Phantoms in the Snow: Canadians’ Use of Health Care Services in the United States,” http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/21/3/19.full.html

ne12ukid aka ml in disguise. There are many of Americans that go to Canada to get drugs cheaper as their is many of Canadians who come to the United States for treatment. Go tal to a Doctor or Nurse up in Buffalo and see how many patients they treat in Hospitals and Doctors offices because in Canada when they call to make an appointment they might have to wait 6 months or more for an appointment. Here in the US we get into see doctors way faster. Doctors love Canadian Patients as they can charge them more.

For all the posters commenting on the Canadian healthcare system, if their system were adopted in the US, Americans would be in for a big shock. Treatment for serious illness may not be available if the budget for treatment of the specific illness has been exhausted. This is fact, as I personally know one of the directors of the oncology department at a hospital in Montreal. They are working on a way of transferring budgets between Provinces, but as a patient you may have to wait six – nine months to see if treatment is available.

Depending on your illness, delaying treatment could be a death sentence.

United States has been producing 45% of our own oil since Bush was in office. Obummer is the one that wants to stop it. Look at how he said NO to the pipeline from Canada to the Golf of Mexico.

Totally agree very well said

Then you better stay home on election day SWYKLocal. Ryan voted for both the Bush and Obama stimulus package and then applied for funds from it. Romney instituted Obamacare before Obama did and both want to force the government to apply their religiious convictions to women.

Exactly, but great savings are being touted because of the Act. Savings for who is my question. The cost savings are a total misnomer and the Act makes accounting for the total cost of health insurance under the Act near impossible to calculate.

Anyone who understands the insurance market knows that cost is all about the risk pool. Utilization (claims) is what drives insurance costs. The ACA is nothing more than a big tax increase involving more people to allow the Federal Government to fund more entitlements.

Totally Agree with you there. The would follow him to the end of the earth and it is a joke as he is doing everything to ruin our great Nation. We don't need cuts in Military, we need more money added to it.

So we are concerned about debt, and we know the only way to reduce said debt is to spend less than we are bringing in. Obama proposed a 28% corporate tax (now at 35%) in comparison with Romney's 25% corporate tax. Obama's cut alone (which is an attempt at compromise with congress) would cost the govt $70 billion a year. In order to not increase the debt the money must be found elsewhere. Obama proposes ending the loopholes that allow most of these corporations to not pay (don't cry for them as they are not paying the 35%) the current tax anyways, hoping this will be a compromise. "Ok we lower the corp tax rate, but you actually have to pay it." This is why it is a joke issue for the Republicans. Why they don't want to accept the 28%.

Romney also wants to continue Bush's tax cuts on ppl making over $200,000/yr. while that debt clock keeps ticking.

Under Obama, in one year (2009-2010) income disparity increased in comparison with all two years of the recession (2007-2009). "In 2010, average real income per family grew by 2.3% (Table 1) but the gains were very uneven. Top 1% incomes grew by 11.6% while bottom 99% incomes grew only by 0.2%. "

Things were looking up for the corps, but 28% is still a lot more than 0.

So Romney does not close loopholes, gives a 25% (the diff of 3%) corp tax (most corps wont be paying it w/ open loopholes), & _increases_ military spending.

This is what you want? Which party should be afraid of the debt clock?

Erin, what is a loophole?

So there I see a compromise presented by Obama with Republs refusing to bite bc of the closing of tax loopholes. (curious...) This is the only difference between the two right?

I see Romney proposing to add spending. I see you supporting adding spending but blaming the democrats for the debt.

None of this is adding up. But what I also hope that you will see, as I know that CC comments pretty often that I am one of those Obama lemmings, I am not pleased. Who can be pleased with an increase in income disparity? With an increase in family income that is so large for only the 1% family? Can I blame Obama policy for this? Well...no. I just showed you the numbers. Our congress has been squabbling over tax loopholes and 3% (campaign yr)!

So I am showing you that I am not happy, but I am also trying to clarify what it is that you want from Romney as far as the specific questions that I asked you. Raise military spending, extend tax cuts on all above 200,000, keep loopholes, lower corp tax rate to 25%. All of these things _increase_ the deficit by a lot. Where is the money coming from then to decrease our debt? Romney is not going to end welfare & apparently is not going to make cuts to medicare.

I am also showing you that it is entirely hypocritical to make comments like "liberals will follow obama off of a cliff." You and I both know that is not true, and if that metaphorical cliff is more debt, it looks like you two are leading the way.

Here is the study that I was citing. http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2010.pdf

Just in case I need to connect the dots further, all everyone does is question the policies that Obama presents and/or has enacted. All I do is question the policies Obama presents. The republican party put up a candidate that republicans do not even like and refuse to question his voting record that consists of implementing an Obamacare package and voting for and taking advantage of stimulus packages. A candidate who proposes all cuts and increased spending while you accuse Obama of being afraid of the debt clock. A candidate who supports tax decreases on wealthy, continued loopholes, and a 3% lower corp tax rate, but you do _not_ question where that money is going to come from if the deficit is not going to increase.

So who is following which party off of a cliff?

I don't expect you to change your party allegiance, or even to address any of my questions, but I do expect you to show respect to those who support Obama rather than just spouting this "over a cliff" nonsense. Have some integrity in yourself, your fellow community members, and in your own candidate by questioning _his_ voting record and policies rather than just dismissing all of the very good information that people provide on these threads regardless of political party.

I don't care who is doing it, but the "dumocrats," "obummer," "idiots," and "lemmings," etc comments need to stop bc if you really want to challenge me over who spends more time questioning their own candidate, you will lose.

Erin, thanks for answering the loophole question. Your direct answer helps us understand your position.

"Nearly 300 of the nation's most profitable companies paid an average tax rate of 18.5 percent from 2008 to 2010, less than half of the 35 percent corporate tax rate, according to a study by the Citizens for Tax Justice released Thursday. Of the 280 companies, 78 studied paid a tax rate of zero or less during at least one year of the three year period."

http://www.ctj.org/corporatetaxdodgers/CorporateTaxDodgersPR.pdf

That is a loophole Roger. A means to not pay the 35% (or 28% that Obama has proposed) corp tax rate.

You are very welcome and thank you for asking.

And let's just not forget Citizen's United (pushed by the republican party) that allows unlimited corporate money to be pumped into campaigns, and we also have voter suppression laws throughout the swing states.

The fiscally conservative GOP party which remaining republicans that don't have corporate interest in policy cling to, is dead. Long gone. If you wanted fiscal conservatism you should have backed Ron Paul...the candidate whose fiscally conservative policies are so dangerous to the GOP's current agenda, they commit fraud and break rules at the RNC (see way above) just to ensure his silence. Paul refused to speak or endorse Mitt Romney at the RNC. He was told he only could speak at the RNC if he would endorse Romney. Delegates are speaking out from multiple states claiming that votes collected were not what was presented at the convention and in the primaries. The GOP is dead, the tea party has been corrupted, but there are fiscally conservative grassroots parties that could revive the standards that the GOP used to adhere to. If debt is actually your primary concern, go find those parties.

Erin, since your an expert on obummer, how much did he spend on Golfing last year, along with all their vacations. Flying a Dog out on Air Force one was a joke all by himself. Michelle needs to take vacations after she gets back from them that cost millions of the tax payers money.

Cut their staff down in the Whitehouse, half don't do a dam thing, cut vacations down to 1 a year. Give up golfing everyday that cost close to 200,000 a day that he playing golf. Michelle also needs to quit shopping every day. Paying to open malls and the stores she wants to shop in after hours at tax payers expense is something that shouldn't be done. Other President wife could shop during the day, why cant' she.

Erin, I return many hours later, and find nothing of use. I asked for a definition of a loophole. You cited an example of somebody who paid taxes according to the law.

Why is this loophole topic that is brought up often hard to define? You have lots of words here, but no substance to the topic at hand.

Roger, you already thanked me for giving you a direct definition! I am confused.

Um..thanks? I have never considered myself the smartest person in any room, but if I am writing like I am the smartest person in the room then I suppose that is a good thing? I don't really know what that means. Guess I am not that smart.

You are arguing over semantics. Replace "loophole" with "tax laws" and my point still stands.

You are ignoring everything that I just presented as evidence of the GOP not reducing the deficit by just saying that all of those statistics are nothing more than "my opinion."

I don't think it is in an opinion, so that is why I state "the fiscally coservative GOP is dead" like a fact. I think the evidence is insurmountable. Just in our own brief political history, political parties inevitably change. How you can defend the GOP as a self-proclaimed libertarian after what happened in the primaries and the convention with Ron Paul, I do not know.

It does not matter. The information is there for anyone who wants to ponder it or look into it further, and I presented it without insulting anyone. I am sorry if presenting a bunch of numbers and trying to be as carefully explicit as possible is coming off as writing as if I am the smartest person in the room. This is just how I talk, it is not my intention, and I have never considered that to be the case.

Erin it is your opinion that your putting on here. The GOP is not Dead as you say, they are far from it. How did Bush work with Democrats in the house and senate but this one in office can't. He makes to many demands and says your going to do as I say. When one makes demands like that, people are going to go against the mighty one, the one that thinks he is a king.

Erin can you explain why obummer wants to sell Alaska back to Russia, and want to do this in the next 4 years if he is elected.

Soph, ... this is what happens with kids in college. They get fed these lines, and the lines get regurgitated out the other door.

We learned four years ago that slick rhetoric, without substance, is cause for alarm. Much more of it being attempted in this election.

At least you follow President Obama's lead on the loophole question. He was using the term for oil companies, "We need to close the loopholes for the oil companies!" When others pointed out they were following the same tax codes as all other companies, he had to backtrack his words. You need to backtrack as well, as you have been unable to define, let alone show a loophole.

Yes, yes, yes, ... we all (at least most) were here at this early stage of college life, full of passion, enthusiasm, and idealism, much of it wrongly placed. The sad part is that many who follow this pattern will eventually end up in government positions, dictating their ideas into public policy. Others, who want to work and make something of their lives, will enter private business, start new businesses, or be entrepreneurs. They are the ones left holding the bag, being put under policy set by the idealists.

It would be useful to schedule more time with the college kids at the local coffee house. They will suck up this stuff like a vacuum cleaner.

Roger that is not the origin of the concept of "tax loopholes" or even of Obama's first use of it. Didn't you already thank me for providing a description of what a tax loophole is? And now I am back to being a kid? I tell you what, no woman about to turn 30 years old minds being called a kid on occasion, but I miss that brief moment of civility.

"In 1984, President Ronald Reagan had an epiphany. His Treasury Secretary informed him that Reagan's former employer, General Electric, and dozens of other major American corporations did not "pay a penny in taxes to the United States government." In fact, the Treasury Secretary added, "your secretary paid more federal taxes last year than all of those giant companies put together."

That information, not to mention the exact phrasing, came straight from Citizens for Tax Justice. Upon hearing it, Reagan ordered his Treasury Secretary to "go full steam ahead" with what became the Tax Reform Act of 1986. That law repudiated Reagan's earlier loophole-crazed tax policies and swept away most of the tax-shelter schemes and loopholes that cluttered the tax code."

http://ctj.org/about/background.php

I admit my description was poor bc I just conceded to calling it poor tax laws, but I didn't want to take away from the larger point and get bogged down in defining details.

Can I just ask. Is Mitt Romney fiscally conservative? Is he going to reduce this country's debt? If he is, how is he going to do it?

I am not being smart like us crazy, idealistic "kids" (love it) are prone to do, but am actually being very sincere as you were for about a five second duration when you asked me to explain my position so that you could better understand.

Erin, like so many others proposing higher corporate tax rates, you assume that these businesses have a cache in the backroom, holding cash that is used to pay these taxes. Further, the cache gets continually replenished, so there is always "more where that came from." (no pun intended with cache and cash)

Who do you think really pays these taxes?

I am not proposing higher corporate tax rates. President Obama is not proposing higher corporate tax rates. He is proposing much lower corporate tax rates.

How was I not clear in saying "if you are primarily concerned with the debt and deficit then Ron Paul should have been you candidate?" If your concerns for Ron Paul have to do with prostitution and the legalization of marijuana, then your primary concern is not the deficit. Assuming that I do not know these things, is pretty absurd and just distracts from my point. I cannot be any clearer. So take the information and go with it.

Do you really think a deal needed to be struck if Ron Paul agreed to get up on stage and say "I support Mitt Romney?" Come on now.

I am really jumping out of this one because I know it is going to be ridiculous and my goal is not to squabble.

Here is the very basic point that you ignored. Neither party is going to reduce spending. The GOP is not fiscally conservative. I gave you the info. Attempting to insult me because I have lived in Pittsburgh and the Cranberry area most of my life is not helping anything. DC apparently did not teach you how to not make baseless insults. Oh wait...(see why that was funny?)

From the New York Times:
Mr. Paul, in an interview, said convention planners had offered him an opportunity to speak under two conditions: that he deliver remarks vetted by the Romney campaign, and that he give a full-fledged endorsement of Mr. Romney. He declined.

“It wouldn’t be my speech,” Mr. Paul said. “That would undo everything I’ve done in the last 30 years. I don’t fully endorse him for president.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/politics/ron-paul-passing-torch-to-a-libertarian-legion.html?pagewanted=all

@Erin – How you doing there kid? I was hoping to draw out that angry little girl that lives inside of you and I wasn’t disappointed.

You see the world in black and white. That’s not really an insult, just a function of your life experience to date. Actually, you have a lot in common with Ron Paul. He also sees the world in black and white. How do I know this Erin? I’ve spoken with Ron Paul. In fact, I’ve spoken with Ron Paul on many occasions. You see Erin; Ron Paul’s beliefs only work if you – heck, the entire world – live in a vacuum. Because of this, a Ron Paul presidency would be dangerous for the nation and the world. This is why there are many, many Republicans that will never support Ron Paul. The only benefit Ron Paul brings is to shine a light on issues that have long been ignored.

Erin, I’m not here to answer your questions. If I thought you really wanted to learn something, rather than push your leftist agenda I might be bothered to respond. You’re nothing more than a hack peddling your political ideas in an election year. You’re reasonably good at what you do at the local level, but nothing special. Here’s some unsolicited advice, if you’re going to take your game up a notch, grow a thicker skin. Also, pointing out your shortcomings is not the same as insulting you. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that someone from the “helicopter parents” generation can’t tell the difference.