ConnieInCleveland's Comments (870)

“Might forego feeding ones family to purchase health insurance? I have so called insurance, complete with $4,000.00 deductible. Our so called insurance is partially paid by my husbands employer, we pay a portion of the cost of the insurance. Our health care bills are paid by us. We have the weekly deduction from my husbands pay, yet we pay all of our own medical expenses. People who buy it on their own will not be able to buy better.

If they don't kill the bill, kill the insurance company cash cow, currently called 'mandate'. I can't believe they killed so many beneficial parts of the bill, but kept the mandate. I oppose the mandate! Many people can't make ends meet, without a mandate to purchase a policy which will not help them if they get mildly ill. It won't help them till they are really, really sick. Basically they are on their own. Many will loose what they have trying to pay the $4,000.00 deductible. That's just crazy!”

“Sad isn't it? Yes, yes, yes! Disfunction in America, brought to us by a disfunctional form of government. Corporations control Congress and the Senate. All the show of public options and buying into medicare was smoke and mirrors to get the 'mandate' passed.”

“Today at current.com, I read the best response to the 'mandate' to buy health insurance. He explained the comparison people make to car insurance. People are 'mandated' to buy car insurance if they want to drive. People who can not afford care insurance have the 'option' of using public transportation. People can choose not to drive cars and use public transportation. What choices will Americans who can't afford to purchase private, overpriced health insurance have? None!”

“Thank you for the answer. I really had heard 70/30, but I can't remember where I heard it. 80/20 sounds better. Do you have a deductible? Once again, thanks for the info.

I just turned 55 this week and hope it is better than the insurance we now have. $4,000.00 deductible is terrible. Any illness could rock my financial boat.”

“I'm sorry, but I think if they caved on the 'public option', they should have caved on the 'mandate'. People who are on Medicare, like my mother was, also buy 'supplemental insurance'. If I'm not mistaken, Medicare is 70/30, leaving people with Medicare only to pay 30% of their bills? I don't know any seniors who don't have 'supplemental insurance' to back up their Medicare.

The 'mandate' will force many people to purchase insurance with large deductibles. They will be forced to pay for insurance, while still paying for their health care. My husbands insurance has a $4,000.00 deductible. His job deducts his insurance premiums from his pay, while we still must pay all our own expenses, till the bill reaches $4,000.00. That's not 'health insurance', that's catastrophy insurance. I think people will be forced to purchase the insurance and still pay for their basic health care needs.

I just turned 55, but I am not really excited about the change. I feel for those who will be forced to purchase a product which will not actually help them. It's not like we have a choice, our government does what ever corporate America wants.

I hear all the 'happy talk', but I just don't see it. I sure hope I am wrong.”

“Many are 'armchair' warriors. They sit in the comfort of their recliners, judging what should happen to others. What is wrong with everyone else. Food stamps are bad, until they need them. Then their tune changes. People are not concerned with facts. They live for titillation. Many of the stories on our news programs are for titillation and distraction.”

“I've heard it said, he won't expend his 'political capital'. Our Commander and Chief won't spend his political capital to address our overcrowded prisons? It’s always saved for later. I live in Cleveland, the land of ‘maybe next year’. I don’t think our prison problems should be put off till the next campaign.

Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a Gift, that’s why we call it Present

We must use the Gift of today and change the way we are throwing people in prison. Something is wrong when a country has that many people in prison. We need a leader who is willing to use their ‘political capital’ for the betterment of our country today. We can’t afford to wait.”

“Here's a link to various hemp and environment posts at current.com

http://current.com/search.htm?s=on&v=on&r=off&context=&context_id=&context_type=&q=hemp+for+environment

Many of these facts are to important to ignore”

“I have a question which our forefathers were able to comment on, but our current day politicians are afraid to go. They are too busy using the 'war on cannabis hemp' as a political tool to gain votes from the uninformed.

What do you think about hemp used to filter the air, make environmentally friendly products and possibly be a alternative fuel? Any time someone brings up hemp, someone else brings us 'hippie'. I say, it's time to stop spinning disinformation and ask a real question. What about hemp?

America needs industry and hemp could be a new (old) industry unto its self. "Hemp for Victory" was a real documentary about the value of hemp. Why do politicians follow the course of Richard Nixon, while ignoring Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams?

"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country."
- Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President

"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere."
- George Washington, U.S. President

"We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp more for our own consumption."
- John Adams, U.S. President”

“Thanks for the post. Many are so busy spinning anti-global warming, it's hard for some people to believe. Too many people pick and choose what they believe, regardless of facts. It's an "Assualt on Reason".”

“All I have to say is, "If they eliminate the public option, eliminate the mandate".

No public option, no mandate! Period!”

“They should face criminal charges. Whatever they did to get in should be investigated and those responsible should be held accountable. Too many important people in one place to let this go without accountability.”

“When you add in creating new jobs, growing, processing and manufacturing hemp, the sky is the limit. The amount of environmentally friendly products, which can be made of hemp is astounding.”

“Thanks for the link and yes you are correct, Ron Paul is one of the few politicians who has had the courage to speak up to the drug warriors. I commend Ron Paul and others who have spoken up against the 'war on cannabis'. We need to hear more 'voices of reason'.

Cannabis crosses party lines. It's not a Democrat, or Republican issue, it's an American issue. We have far too many people who have passed through our Criminal Justice System for mere cannabis possession. Many have lost jobs, not due to their ability, but based on their urine. That's just crazy. Plus, it works to silence the voices of ordinary working Americans. People can not afford to be honest, their jobs depend on their silence and their pee.

President Obama could right the wrongs of Richard Nixon with the stroke of a pen. He could reclassify cannabis and let the discussion begin. Richard Nixon left office in shame, but left his shameful policy behind.”

“Every day more and more Americans are learning the facts about cannabis hemp. Even people who do not consume cannabis understand the ‘war on cannabis’ has been a travesty. Politicians know, but yet they sit there in silence, while people like Senator Coburn talk about cannabis being the biggest threat to American children. I’m tired of politicians ‘using’ children, mixed with a little ‘madness’, to spin fear into ordinary Americans and change the dialog away from a factual ‘science’ based discussion.

Senator Coburn making such claims, puts fear into our representatives and apparently our Justice Department. They think their silence will make them appear ‘concerned’ for the children. I say ‘bull'! The numbers of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have been sent to prison, has done far more harm to the children and the entire family structure, than any possible harm they would get from cannabis.

Cannabis is the number one cash crop in America. Many adults are smoking cannabis. The children know it. They are forced to remain silent. How can they defend their loved ones, if our politicians are spinning ‘reefer madness’? If our politicians really gave a darn, they would stand up and use science as their guide and not the ‘madness’, which has been used to fight an ‘unjust’ war! It’s time to stop arresting mommy and daddy based on ‘madness’!”

“Sounds good to me, but I don't think Robert Reich would agree.”

“Yes he bowed as a show of respect, but he's not taking it upon himself to give 'shoulder rubs', like the last guy.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:dllJQwTkAts4JM:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/04-mfb-5127742-bush-merkel-hoch,templateId%253DrenderScaled,property%253DBild,width%253D284-thumb.jpg

Now that picture was embarrassing!”

“If the liberal press actually brought Bush to task, he would probably be in jail. The so called 'liberal press' moved us along to the crimes of George W. too. Everything for the last 8 years, was judged in the 'court of public opinion', then we just moved along. If the liberal press was as hard on George W. as you are portraying, they would not have 'moved along'. They would have kept the light on disturbing facts, which illustrated how low they could go.

President Obama knows the actions of George W. and his acceptance of torture, was shameful. We all look shameful, when they shame George W. We allowed it to occur, without accountability and shame. The use of torture makes us all look pathetic. Democrats and Republicans walked away from accountability, for fear of shame. That's pathetic.”

“I agree, they do not have the 'right' to with hold information from the 'public'. But, I do think the people in the pictures can be prosecuted in a 'Court of Law', without showing the actual pictures to the general public. I think a jury of our peers, should see the pictures and hear the evidence.

For the past 8 years, we just 'moved along'. No one was held accountable. Things were judged in the 'court of public opinion', then we just moved along. I don't think we should 'move along' from the crimes committed in those pictures. People in those pictures, should be held accountable. As well as those who led them to believe that behavior was acceptable.”

“If they would start prosecuting the people in the pictures, it would deter others from committing such shameful actions.”

“I agree with their decision not to release the pictures to be judged in the 'court of public opinion'. But, I do not agree with them 'not prosecuting' the people in those pictures. We have a 'Justice Department', which should prosecute the people in those pictures. If they are too offensive to release the pictures, it is also 'too offensive' not to prosecute, the people in those pictures. Accountability should not come from the 'court of public opinion', but there should be accountability and shame!”

“I enjoyed her parting shot. Jon Stewart is one of the only people willing to 'stand up' to the phony media we have today. I guess it takes a 'stand up' comedian to stand up to the 'madness' we now call news.

Why didn't the other media outlets expose the distortion of Hannity's distorted video? Are they afraid of Fox and Rupert Murdock? Jon Stewart does it on a regular basis, taking them all to task. Kudos to Jon Stewart! And Kudos to Anita Dunn for speaking out on her way out!

I hope President Obama does not run away from exposing the 'madness' in American media. If anything ruins President Obama's efforts, it will be the 'madness' perpetuated by our current group of so-called mainstream media. Spinning news is not 'real' news, it's an "Assault on Reason" and US.”

“Agreed! Sticks and stones? Cheap shot? Yes!”

“Is Daniel Radcliffe A Pothead? No he's another casualty of an 'unjust war' based on lies, spin and disinformation. The war on cannabis has been a war based on 'madness'. Our political leaders chose to follow the course of Richard Nixon's 'madness', for political gain. Instead of moving on to victory, utilizing a plant, which has so many positive uses, they chose to spin fear based on disinformation. It's an "Assault on Reason".

'Real' American history includes the documentary "Hemp for Victory". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne9UF-pFhJY Politicians today are perpetuating a war based on 'madness'. Calling people 'potheads' when they get caught up in the 'madness' is just wrong! It's time to end the 'madness'!

Cannabis is the number one cash crop in America. There are millions of Americans who consume cannabis. Use of names like 'pothead' misleads people. The facts about cannabis do not support the demonization, which has gone on in American media. It's shameful!”

“Those of us who have been screaming for change, see the tide is turning. More and more people are challenging the 'thought' behind the actions, which brought us to a war on American soil? Were they using facts, which justified their actions, leading us to become a country, which leads the world in 'prison population'? Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters have been thrown into prison due to a 'war' based on 'madness'. It's time to end the madness.

There are too many facts available, which can no longer be denied, or ignored. If those who know the 'war on canncabis' is wrong, would speak out, we could start a tidal wave in the 'right' direction and end this unjust war.

After I read the book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes", I was sure things would change. Boy was I wrong. My sons were in high school. And now my granddaughters are in middle school. It's been a long, long time.

With the help of site like huffingtonpost and current.com the tide is changing. People are learning and sharing cannabis information. When people find out the facts, they can no longer be spun with disinformation. It's time to stop the spin. It's an "Assault on Reason".

http://current.com/search.htm?s=on&v=on&r=off&context=&context_id=&context_type=&q=Cannabis”