ConnieInCleveland's Comments (210)

“I recently heard Congressman Weiner talk about the mandate. He stated he agrees with the mandate, stating we all need to share in the risk. WTF was he talking about? How is forcing people to choose food, or health care, sharing the risk? That's crazy talk for the insurance companies.

Someone at current brought up the difference between being forced to purchase car insurance and the difference between being forced to purchase health care. He explained, if one can not afford car insurance, they can choose to ride public transportation instead. There is no choice with health care. They eliminated that

The 'mandate' is going to be bad for ordinary Americans. Changing health care is one thing. Forcing people to buy something they can not afford is another. Isn't it sad, they kill the things which would help people and keep the part that could hurt people?

No one is guaranteed to get more income, but we are guaranteed to pay more, even if we can't afford it. People who are living just above the poverty level aren't living large. Many times they are 'barely living' financially. Once they are forced to purchase health care, they are almost guaranteed to be reduced to poverty level. Sad, sad, sad.”

“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.”

“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".”

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

“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”

“Take a look at the book, "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack Herer. He provides the 'facts' necessary to end the war on cannabis. http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html It wasn't until my sons were in high school, that I learned, I had been lied to. Cannabis hemp has history! Positive history! Politicians were using 'madness' to perpetuate a war of choice, for political gain.

I agree with Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams:

"Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica." - Abraham Lincoln (from a letter written by Lincoln during his presidency to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany)

"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

How can their voices be ignored, while spinning 'madness'?”

“No accountability, no shame = more crimes.”

“While I have heard the public outcry for release of the abuse photos, I differ from most. I don't want the 'court of public opinion' to see the pictures, but I do want our 'Criminal Justice' System to see and prosecute the people in those pictures. If there are pictures, there are criminals. The people in those disturbing pictures, should not be hidden, they should be prosecuted!

Shameful acts are terrible. Not prosecuting those shameful acts is a travesty! Ordinary Americans do not have to see the pictures to enable prosecution. There should be accountability and shame! Not a pass, because it was to despicable to prosecute.”

“I hope politicians come to their senses before it's too late. Money is being spent, which does not increase jobs. The use of hemp could bring green jobs to America, while helping our environment. They planted hemp by Chernobyl after the nuclear accident. Russians may be many things, but they are not stupid. Hemp removes toxins from the air and the soil.

If hemp were introduced into America for industry, we could create jobs, jobs, jobs and help the environment. Cannabis hemp laws protect many industries from a natural competitor. I would not be so offended, if they used facts as their guide, but to use 'Reefer Madness' is just that 'madness'. Corporations should not have their competition removed, via lies and disinformation. That's just crazy. It's time to stop spinning disinformation. It's time to hold politicians accountable, when they distort, or use a 'war on American soil', as a political tool. 'War' should not be a political tool. 'War' should be based on facts.

It's time to have a factual discussion.”

“I agree with Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams.

"Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica." - Abraham Lincoln (from a letter written by Lincoln during his presidency to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany)

"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”

“If you take a look at how it was reclassified, it was Richard Nixon who changed the classification. He changed the classification for political gain and politicians have been using the 'war on cannabis' as a political tool ever since. It's time to put people before politics. Too many people have been hurt by the lies and disinformation, spun by politicians searching for votes.

http://www.csdp.org/publicservice/nixon06.pdf

Richard Nixon left office in shame, but his shameful policy remained. The war on cannabis has remained and harmed us in so many ways. It is time for change! It's time to change Richard Nixon's war on cannabis hemp. Facts matter! It's time to SHAME politicians who use spin and disinformation for political gain! They know the truth!”

“More people would support reclassification of cannabis hemp if they knew the facts. Important facts were removed from educational material and replaced with 'Reefer Madness'. That didn't happen by accident. It was done with forethought. They knew if they removed facts, people would be unable to make educated decisions to support the plant.

Cannabis hemp has so many positive facts, it's hard to believe they were able to hide it's history. But alas, they were able to remove facts and spin disinformation and fear. I was in my mid 30's before I read "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack Herer and found out they had been lying. The facts did not support the ban on cannabis hemp. They were using distortion to promote their 'war on cannabis'.

The history of cannabis does not support the war. American corporations and our own government were allowed to distort the truth in the name of war. Once war was declared and 'drug testing' became common practice, people had to fear the loss of their lively hood if they stood up for truth.

Truth should win, over spin.”

“While Americans are fighting over the cost of health care in America, we send money to many, many countries who do not contribute to the 'wellness' of America. I'm sorry, but I think the 'wellness' of America should come first.

If you take a look at how much money is sent abroad, you would see money which could be spent on 'our' health care has been sent elsewhere. We will have to pay more, because what has been paid in taxes to 'our' government, has been sent to other countries. Now they want more, more, more. That's just wrong! Unless they are spending funny money to shore up other countries, they are spending our money. Charity starts at home.

It takes all my husband and I earn just to get to tomorrow. Now they want more, adding more difficulty in our ability to get to tomorrow.

I hope Joe Biden takes up the cause for ordinary Americans survival. War, war, war is not the answer! In years gone by they spent our tax dollars to prop up the Taliban. Now they want our tax dollars to fight them? When does it end? When will our politicians be more concerned about Americans, than fighting wars on foreign soil?”

“I do not think Joe Biden should resign. That's just crazy talk. While I have grown to respect Arianna Huffington's stance on many issues, I think this suggestion is just crazy. We don't need crazy talk right now!

We need real solutions, not crazy rhetoric, which will just be campaign fodder for the right in 2012.”

“I live a short distance from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Not as grand as the ones you mentioned, but it is a treasure to me. My avatar is from a picture I took years ago at Cuyahoga Valley. My husband and I just celebrated our 37th Wedding Anniversary and we spent it at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We stopped and picked up lunch and had a beautiful aftrnoon watching squirrels and hiking in the park. Even the little National Parks are a treasure. I hope our National Parks are protected and cherished.”

“Agree, why does Blackwater get a pass? I guess it's easier to go after Community Organizers than a private standing army.”

“Fox News has sponsors. When you hear distortion, or out and out lies, let their sponsors know you are listening. Let them know you don't appreciate your hard earned money being used for propaganda. Money talks! Don't buy products from companies, which support propaganda.”

“Cute. If you are truly closing in on 85 and you are commenting on huffingtonpost, God Bless you for your courage and your voice. I am 54, I hope by the time I'm closing in on 85, I can be relaxing on my porch, drinking iced tea, cause we used our voices today.

I'm so tired of always feeling anxious. In America it constantly feels like the sky is falling and if you are paying attention, it probably is. Thank you Susan for using your voice to encourage others. Together we could SCREAM!”

“Touche! Why should he really care what a television station thinks? They are already spinning against him. Don't give them his voice. Nothing to see there, move along.”