goldgoose's Comments (188)

“Sen. Paul Kirk simply is wrong; Howard Dean is right. As governor of Vermont, Howard Dean fought for universal medical care for citizens of Vermont and lost, but he won universal medical care for children of Vermont; Dean is the most knowledgeable man in America in regard to universal health care. As a physician he knows the tragedy of Americans without adequate health care.
Sen. Kirk states competition for provider’s profits will provide the best health care.
Unfortunately, that is not the case, it is the problem. Health care providers provide the cheapest possible benefits to increase profits. In Southern California, the most successful health care provider and largest by far, is Kaiser Permanente. The Kaiser Corporation is a non-profit corporation, which is an excellent reason for subscribing to it because you know that receiving benefits does not depend on making a profit for the corporation.
Personally, I have had the unfortunate experience of watching my best friend die because Aetna Insurance Company would not approve surgery benefits that her doctors agreed could prolong her life; Aetna did not disapprove, they simply did not approve. Extending my friend’s life was not profitable for Aetna. Later, Aetna was sued in a similar case and lost the largest ever damages awarded in a health care case.
Competition for profits is a primary problem of medical care for Americans. Kirk approves the present bill because it works on the profit motive; Dean disagrees and is my champion.”

“Gore ask for what the law provided. The Supreme Court overturned the law but stated in its decision this would not be a precedent and only apply in this case; actually, a Supreme Court decision is precedent and it causes one to wonder why the Supreme Court would make such a statement. Bush vs Gore was a very weird case and as Justice Stevens said in dissent, "We may never know who won the election, but we know who lost, it was the Supreme Court."
The Constitution does not provide for Supreme Court jurisdiction in a Presidential election, it states that Congress settles disputes about electors, voting by State. In Bush vs Gore the Supreme Court made a political decision and not a judicial one, led by Justice Scalia, Dick Cheney's hunting partner. The Supreme Court has been politicized and that is why Justice Stevens said the Court lost; it lost respect as America's highest judicial body.”

“Sen. Nelson believes the Senate majority caved to get his vote.”

“The law defines when a fetus becomes a citizen and the law is not subject to an individual's opinion, religious or otherwise.”

“There is also an equal protection clause in the Constitution; that clause was actually misused by the Bush Administration and 5 Justices of the Supreme Court in 2000 to stop the counting of votes in Florida. How can the Senate deny a woman a legal procedure if it is necessary to save her life? Is that equal protection under the law?
And yes, the Bush Administration did a lot of things but that does not make those things right or just (or Constitutional or legal).”

“To Senator Nelson,
The American democratic Republic is a nation of Law and the Constitution; a majority rules but the minority is protected by the Bill of Rights, liberty for all.
Roe vs Wade is the Law of the Land and abortion is legal; no one is required to have an abortion and the abortion law violates no citizen’s civil rights, including yours. You personally may oppose this law, but to deny civil rights to any of your constituents is violating their human and civil rights; have you thought sir, that when you force the passage of a health care reform bill that in essence denies women’s rights, you are also violating your oath to uphold and protect the US Constitution.
Most assuredly there is among your constituents, a woman whose very life depends upon having a medical safe abortion; it is unconscionable that you would deny that woman a legal procedure.
It is my belief sir that under the US Constitution, your behavior is a violation of your oath of office.”

“legalclubs, you have a lot to learn about taxes and schools. You are totally misinformed. it is ignorance that has driven California into the depths of fiscal chaos. Just read the Jarvis Tax Reformers own statistics in how much tax money Proposition 13 has screwed the people out of since 1978; the amount that privileged taxpayers (owners since 1978) have not paid would resolve the California debt. It is not an OPINION, it is simple mathematics.
California schools operating budgets are devastated and still being cut. Ask any administrator responsible for their school budget and California ranks last in comparison of operating budgets.
California public school teachers continue to produce students who succeed as adults. Standardized tests are no evaluation of anything other than what cognitive learning that the test writers believe students should know which is a very small part of a student's learning. There are many other variables to teaching and learning than a test of cognitive memory measures.”

“When he was Governor, Dean fought for universal medical care for citizens of Vermont and lost, but he did win universal medical care for children of Vermont. Dean is an honorable man; John Kerry is not. John Kerry was never a champion of universal medical care. Kerry never knew what going without medical care is like.
Dean, as a doctor knows what it is like for people to not have adequate medical care and that is why he champions universal medical care. Dean did not oppose the enactment of Medicare.”

“Personally, I have never forgiven Sen. John Kerry for killing a fellow Democrat, Howard Dean's, Presidential aspirations by condemning Dean for being too enthusiastic in cheer leading his supporters, when I wondered why Kerry wasn't leading the cheers. Then Kerry got the nomination and lost the election for being too Bush-like. Previously, I had admired Kerry but from that time on I have had no respect for him. He was the only choice other than Bush in 2004 and I gagged when I had to cast my vote for him over Bush.
Dean was the leading candidate until Kerry and other Establishment Democrats killed his chances. There is no doubt in my mind that Dean, opposing the Iraq War, would have won the election because the people opposed the war; Kerry would not even apologize for voting FOR the Iraq resolution. It is very cheap for John Kerry to condemn Howard Dean at this time; Kerry can not even remember the name of the field where the Green Bay Packers play football, he know zilch about what the American people want.”

“Personally, I am a liberal Democrat who is sick and tired of the Democratic Party Establishment trashing Gov. Howard Dean. In my estimation Dean saved the Democratic Party from itself, with the establishment carping at him all the way. Dean is also the most knowledgeable and experienced political figure on universal health care. President Obama was diminished in my mind by not appointing Dean to his administration; surely Dean was snubbed to appease Emanuel and other Party Establishment. Certainly it is disappointing for me to see President Obama trash Howard Dean and kiss Sen. Judas Lieberman's ass; it causes me to question the President's principles; this is not the change that I voted for, it is the same old inept Democratic hacks, apparently running the show. It is almost 2010 and America does not have universal medical care and is still occupying Afghanistan and Iraq at the cost of GI's lives. Who should I trust Obama or Dean.
Need I remind anyone that during the previous 8 years the Republican majority, slim as it was, had no problems passing Bush's agenda; in fact Bush pretty much had his way even after the Republicans became a minority in 2006.”

“Capitalist do not love freedom; capitalists love profits. When there is a choice, profits always win out whether it is health care or the arms industry. Profits were never larger or government spending greater that in the sadistic agression of the Bush Administration, when civil rights and freedom were suspended. There are different kinds of capitalism, and America's capitalism is a predatory kind that disdains freedom of people and-or regulation protecting the people. Capitalism thrives in a tyranny.
However, Capitalism could be a civil right allowing any citizen to profit from his creativeness and ingenuity; unfortunately that is not the case when Americans use the term capialism. Americans believe that capitalism means elimination of competition which enpowers monopolies, that is corporate entities.”

“Presently, Green is too definitive to be effective; it brings back memories of 2000, when Nader and Gore both refused to negotiate and America ended up with a minority and sadistic fascist President Bush. Green, in and of itself, is too narrow of an issue. In union there is strength, to borrow a labor quote, but you must have a large enough base to be effective.
In 2000, Nader became an environmental tyrant of no real significance in a democracy but negative enough to cost Gore the narrow election.
The purpose in politics should not be to be a spoiler but to become a positive power. Political power is the same as power in Physics, it moves things. Unfortunateley, America's 2 party system waters down both parties to establish a majority and then Blue Dog Democrats betraay their own party.
Actually Green should be an issue for everyone and every party excent but flat-earthers. Green is certainly a Progressive cause however; just not effective when going it alone.

12”

“ROLtheWolf, I agree with your assessment; looking to the future, I would say that you and I need to do some thinking about our reaction. Personally, I still have a bad taste in my mouth about 2000, when Democratic progressive dissidents switched to Nader and allowed a minority Neocon fascist Bush Administration to steal the election. Al Gore and Judas Lieberman ignored the dissident progressive Dems instead of bargaining with them and turned the election over to the Neocon Supreme Court. Again in 2004, the Dems made progressives stay home on election day.
It probably is time to consider that America abandon officially, the two party system. The GOP should be dead after 8 years of Afghanistan, Iraq, Bush, violations of civil rights, and increased poverty in America. Seems natural that the nation could become Democrat, Neocon, Whig, and Progressive parties forcing a compromise of Electors to determine a President and a compromise to enact legislation. Unfortunately, American politicians are not too bright when it comes to gut feeling politics; politicians today operate on buying office based on most wealthy contributors. For you and me, it is important to know that there is a majority and millions of us progressives in America and we just can't get our crap together. Like you, I thought we had a champion in Obama, but he too does not seem to have heart enough to buck the dollar mentality of the Democratic Party establishment.”

“Yes, you are right, Joe Lieberman appears to be inflicted with the same disease as Judas and Benedict Arnold.”

“Personally, I have concluded that the Senate should kill the filibuster and pass a decent health care bill. It is no longer a matter of enacting health care reform that the public demands and the reason they elected Democrats, no, it is now a matter of preserving the American democratic Republic. Our Constitution and democratic way of life is being threatened by the power of wealth of corporate America.
I was daily asked to contribute to Obama's campaign to get health care reform and now I am being asked to contribute to a campaign to get the majority to pass a health care bill. Why should something essential to our nation require that I made contributions to make it happen when a majority of Americans favor it? Democracy in America just may be dead.”

“Wrong, legalclubs, in California the wealth is in the land, real estate. Since 1978 when Proposition 13 was enacted, california has had a privileged wealthy taxpayer, real estate investors, business and industry. Basically real estate owners since 1978 are still paying Real Estate taxes on 1978 assessments and that is why the State is bankrupt. 1n 1978, the State of California had a surplus, because real estate was reassessed every three years. Wealthy real estate owners are wealthier because of Proposition 13 and the public school children and local fire and police protection are the victims. Meanwhile, new young homeowners are being gouged by real estate tax because they are paying tax based on today's market value of their residence. California's problem is NOT overspending; California public schools were first in money spent per student in the USA before Proposition 13 in 1978 and today California's public schools are last in dollars spent per student in the USA. California has to increase Sales Tax because Proposition 13 and Real Estate Tax could not support the schools and local police and fire protection; sales tax is a tax on the poor, the poor worker pays the same rate of tax on overalls necessary to his job that a wealthy person spend on his yacht. And the wealthy buy out of state or on the internet to avoid sales tax.”

“California will never get industry to move to California because new industry would have to pay four or more time the Real Estate Tax as their competitors because of Proposition 13, implemented 37 years ago. When General Dynamics moved out of San Diego, they could not sell their plant to another industry becasue if the plant sold, it would be reassessed at market values and the new ownes would have to pay multiple times the Real Estate Tax that General Dynamics paid. California's privileged wealthy Real Estate owners are still pating taxes on 1978 assessments. If alll property were reassessed every three years, as it was before Proposition 13 passed, the State would not have a deficit this year and every year as they do; when Proposition 13 was passed in 1978, the State of California had a surplus. California has had no new industry since 1978, money per strudent in public schools in California has gone from first to last in the USA, and local fire and police protection has suffered to the point that San Diego almost perished in raging wild fires a few years ago. The genius governor is a great supporter of Proposition 13..”

“Sorry litelife, the motivation for bin Laden's attack was America putting an American military base in Saudi Arabia in, the Muslim Holy Land, thus defiling it; read the US 911 Commission Report. The motivation for the rising number of terrorists fighting America is Muslim retaliationn for America killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of innocent Muslim men, women, and children in American bombing of Afghanistan and Iraq, according to recent intervfiews of insurgents. I disagree with your rationale; bin Laden didn't have Israel in mind when he planned 911, he was responding to American policy of both Bushs.”

“Let me understand you dobriyden, you believe that American torture is justified by 911. However, 911 was the responsibility of one man, Osama bin Laden, and his followers; it was a heinous criminal terrorist attack. Prisoners that were tortured in violation of International law, were not necessarily charged with responsibility for 911 and many were not charged with any crime.
Now, did 911 also justify America killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of innocent Afghan men, women, and children in American B52 Carpet Bombing attacks on Afghanistan using anti-personnel cluster and incendiary bombs? These innocent Afghans had nothing to do with 911 and there were no viable military bombing targets in Afghanistan.
Sorry, i find your ractionale exceedingly immoral. The rest of the world finds America immoral in our justification of the killing, maiming, and torturing of innocents in apprehending bin Laden; that is the basis for the rest of the world's hatred for America and creation of many more terrorists motivated by revenge.
America protested 911 as the killing of innocent civilians that had nothing to do with America putting its military base in Muslim Holy Land, defiling it. Then, America kills and maims hundreds of thousands of innocent Afghans who had nothing to do with 911. When will you and other Americans stand up and take responsibility for what America has done the last eight years in the name of 911.”

“Invading a nation for the purpose of regime change is a violation of Interntional Law and Bush and Blair are guilty as chaged. How can anyone feel good about American "Shock and Awe" bombing killing hundeds of thousandas of innocent Iraqi men, women, and children and then expect to be glorified as "making the people free". They are simply not free; they are dead or maimed. Hardly something to cause the Iraqis to love America.
America continues to be responsible for Iraqis being killed every day that America is there. The only people to benefit from the war was Shell Oil Company, Shell is now free, free to make a bundle from Iraqi oil. America went to war to set Shell Oil Company free.”

“It is ironic that Briton and USA are the brutal and blatant aggressors of the 21st Century, guilty of torture and other crimes against humanity so much like the Nazis of the last Century. Unfortunately, history will never be able to iradicate the taint of evil; Americans and the Britsh should gag at the strains of America and God Save the Queen. Germany has tried to make amends for the Nazi era; America and Britain are still in denial. When Presient Obama tries to reconcile with the rest of the world, Fox News and the Republicans accuse him of treason. What hath God Wrought?”

“Neither Blair nor Bush have any shame and both are guilty of war crimes. International Law reqires that nations invading other sovereign nations enact a declaration of war, stating a valid threat to the invading nation’s security; Blair and Bush are guilty of violations of International Law which both nations, USA and Britain, are a treaty to that Law. It is also a violation of International Law to invade another sovereign nation for regime change and another violation of International Law to execute the leader of an opponent of the war (Saddam‘s executions was a sham and totally and the responsibility of the Bush Administration and the USA). Americans can be in denial and ignorant of International Law, but the United States Constitution says teaties made by the US and approved by Congress (such as International Law) is the Law of the Land (USA); Bush had no respect for Law or the US Constitution and violated both. America, supposedly the democratic Republic has a horible reputation around the world for disregard for the Law and is hated for ist tyranical disregard for Law and ist own Constitution.
If it were not for their nuclear deterrents, democracies around the world would probably indict both Bush and Blair for War Crimes and inhumanity toward mankind (hundreds of thousands of Afghans were killed and maimed by America’s B52 carpet bombing of Afghanistan with anti personnel and incendiary bombs when there were no viable military targets and torture of prisoners of war).”

“When America bombed Belgrade and bombed the Chinese embassy there, the CIA claimed it was an accident and they did not know the Chinese embassy was there; the protest and response from the Chines embassy was that the embassy was listed in the Belgrade telephone book. No further comment needed.
The CIA humiliate themselves, the President of the US, and the people of the US; the reputation of the CIA is a self inflicted wound: the CIA is is known as the Keystone Cops, internationally, and they torture and claim it is legal; International Law and the Geneva Convention were "quaint" customs to be discarded, according to the W. Bush Administration and the CIA.
Now we discover the CIA hires Blackwater, the corporate mercenary Army, to show them how to spy.
Who can take the CIA seriously? There are no weapons of mass destruction, the CIA was wrong, and GIs are still dying in Iraq 8 years later because of the CIA.
America is a Peter Sellers Super Power and poor President Obama lost and now has to be President. Life is not fair.”

“"As a lifelong Republican, I continue to be embarassed by her (and for her), and I find it incredible that she continues to be in demand." TiredOfTheScareMongers about Sarah Palin.
As a Democrat, I extend my sympathy. Let me assure you that the Democrats had nothing to do with hanging the albotros of Palin around the GOP neck. We Democrats have our own double-cross to bear in Lieberman. However about the Lieberman senatorship, it was Republican voters who forced Lieberman onto mankind. However, Lieberman may be a Republican payback for the Sen. Strom Thurman caper the Dems put on the GOPs in the last Century.
A curse on both our houses and the loonies they nurture. What can be done; they shoot horses, don´t they?
It is time that American Political Parties actually become responsible entities, if the American Democrtic Republic is to be saved. Democrats and Republicans need to purge their parties of the loonies who are a threat to society. What hath God wrought?”

“General Petraeus will be the Republican candidate for President in 2012; he is a natural.”