NielsH's Comments (26)

“"We’ve been talking about how do we provide care that is high-quality, gives people choices, and how can we come up with a uniquely American plan, because one of the ideological debates that I think has prevented us from making progress is, some people say this is socialized medicine and others say, we need a completely free market system. We need to come up with something that is uniquely American."

President Obama
August 7, 2009

So there is one more goal health care reform must meet than the ones stated in President Obama's address of Congress. Not only must it cover almost all Americans, it must not add a dime to the deficit etc., it must also be uniquely American. So none of the systems used anywhere else in the world can be used as a model for HCR.

A uniquely American health care system of course means it must be commercial, there must be someone making a profit of it. Given that premise, much more than a small public option is not in the cards and never has.”

“Try to see it from the other side's point of view. It's not the exact protocol that counts, but the effort being made. I bet Japan will perceive this as a president who honors his hosts in a graceful manner. It shows that America is not visiting in arrogance, which is a huge improvement over previous presidents.

Visiting Japan is not part of the cold war, nor is it the shoot out at the O.K. coral. It's an effort to better diplomatic relations, in which honey still catches more flies than vinegar (or vomit).”

“What arrogance.

America was founded on the rejection of royalty as the head of the state of America.

It's America's freedom to choose not to live in a monarchy. Other countries have chosen not to reject royalty, sometimes for very good reasons. It's not America's place to reject royalty of other sovereign states.”

“Hmmm... wouldn't that be "bible humping"?”

“Ironically the mechanism making it possible for the earth to "fix itself" is called evolution, something they don't believe in.”

“Ill doers are ill deemers”

“Congratulations America, welcome back to the world.”

“Barack will win!”

“I am 43 and have paid close attention to American presidents ever since Richard Nixon. When it comes to presidential prestige, I think Barrack Obama scores highest of all presidents I have witnessed in my lifetime.”

“I am Dutch, but always considered America to be a friendly nation. As a friend of America, I'd like to praise the country for what it is, but would expect from a friend the same in return. If America is the exception of goodness in a world of evil, I'd have to take exception to those ideas. Of course my words are unamerican, but I don't think I am anti-american, when I say, the United States is one of the countries in the world that embrace democracy, individual freedom etc. America is not the soul beacon of hope in this world, but one among a larger group of countries that have for a long time stood for more or less the same values.”

“Duh... Because Bin Laden is a total war monger himself. If the US becomes less unpopular in the Middle East and Barrack Obama would be able to contribute to a more peaceful society, it would be detrimental to Al-Qaeda. The Bush policies have played into the cards of terrorists. Wasn't it their policy after all to bankrupt America with unwinnable wars?”

“Having seen the photos of Barack and Michelle in another HuffPo article and compared those to John and Cindy's, indeed McCain is not a rich man.”

“A truly civil society tolerates O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter et al., but within such a society they wouldn't have a chance to televise their garbage.”

“COURIC (to Palin): Do you think there's an inherent right to privacy in the Constitution?

PALIN: I do. Yeah, I do.

COURIC: the cornerstone of Roe v Wade

PALIN: I do. And I believe that --individual states can handle what the people within the different constituencies in the 50 states would like to see their will ushered in in an issue like that.

But the key point of Roe v Wade is that privacy is an inherent right (read constitutional right), hence not a state issue. It's really problematic when a VP doesn't even has a basic understanding of the constitution.”

“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qclcMcD1b8M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tjTLEo-weU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiwLzHnGr4w”

“I think the true "winner" yesterday was Joe Biden in his post-debate interviews. With the friendliest of smiles he kicked in the points Barrack Obama hadn't hit without ever being petty. Mr. Biden can make the occasional gaffe, but he more than makes up for that in both experience and charisma. He understands his role as vice president and seems very comfortable in that position.

I think the Obama/Biden ticket is exceptionally strong on the self-comfort aspect. Both men show strength without spreading fear, both show confidence without being arrogant.”

“I accidentally misspelled the name Schwarzkopf.”

“I think military experience does not equate readiness for being commander in chief. That is after all a political, not a strictly military position.

Some military men could make good presidents. I believe General Colin Powell is an example of a military man in modern times who would have the personality and wisdom to make a good president, but I wouldn't say that of General Norman Swarzkopf.

Without a doubt the most notable commanders in chief of all times is Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who never served in the military.

I like John McCain as the sheriff of the senate and I do believe the senate needs a man like him, but it would be grave mistake to make him president.

Barrack Obama is the kind of leader the US and the rest of the world needs right now. Internal and external problems need to be solved and relationships with allies need to mended. The last thing the US needs right now is new enemies to battle.

SENATOR McCain 08
PRESIDENT OBAMA 08”

“This week it dawned upon me, when John McCain said: "Well, I'm the underdog. I've always been the underdog. And I enjoy being the underdog."

That statement reflects what John McCain is best at: being SENATOR McCain. There is value to SENATOR McCain, the senate can use someone with his character.

But it requires a top dog to be POTUS. Both The US and the world require that. The US cannot play underdog, it doesn't suit the status of the country in any way.

Barrack Obama shows the qualities to be that top dog. He shows leadership, where John McCain shows to be loner. John McCain promises HE will fix the economy an will bring victory to the war in Iraq, but no single man can do that. It requires leadership, not a lone ranger to guide the economy onto a healthier path or bring the war on Iraq to an end.

I see Barrack Obama show that leadership. He has the capacity to listen, the ability to think for himself, the restraint to not over-react, but also the decisiveness to take action when needed.

Barrack Obama is much less needed as a senator than he is needed as a president. Many people are qualified to be senator and Barrack Obama is probably not even the most remarkable of them, but he shows a remarkable talent as a wise, dedicated and decisive leader, a capacity only a few in each generation have.

SENATOR McCain 08
PRESIDENT Obama 08”

“McCain is going to lose Indiana. Don´t mess with Dave.”

“The word she was actually looking for was caricature, but that has three syllables too many for this airhead.”

“Relatively small countries like Ireland can afford to have extremely low corporate taxes. In a sense Ireland has found its niche as a low-tax haven for multi-national corporations.

On the scale of Ireland's economy, being the home of several large companies while asking little taxes in return, is beneficial. Applying the Irish recipe would only hurt the American economy.

Attracting foreign companies to have their head quarters in the US, wouldn't do all that much for the American economy. And while it would prevent some American companies from moving their head quarters to low-tax haves, it would cost much more in lowered tax revenues.

Different countries have different niches.”

“It could easily be true that top health care in the US is better than top health care in Europe (although probably marginally), but average health care in the US is worse than average health care in European. Question is who can afford top health care in the US?”

“If the ingenuity of the American worker, the resilience, the work ethic and the productivity of workers and entrepreneurs are the measuring stick of fundamental soundness of the economy, then the American economy was fundamentally sound in 1929.”

“Has anyone actually listened to what Sarah Palin says, or are most of you too excited to check if she actually made a mistake.

Here is what she says:

"That's why John McCain has been calling for years to reform things and cut bureaucracy, even at the lending agencies our government supports. The fact is that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac they've gotten too big and too expensive to the tax payers. The McCain/Palin administration will make them smaller and smaller and more effective for home owners who need help. "

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are "governmen­t-sponsore­d enterprises" (GSEs). This means that they are privately owned, but receive support from the Federal Government, and assume some public responsibilities.

Out of context her words can be interpreted as a gaffe, when in fact it is not.

I'm not a fan of Mrs. Palin and rather see her not in the white house, but people are getting over enthusiastic in their witch hunt of Sarah Palin, something that will only back fire.

Don't believe the hype.”