Monday, August 15, 2011

Rick Perry, the Texas Governor and current Republican Party flavor-of-the-month among "the base", (i.e., anti-tax zealots) , has made his thoughts known on Social Security and Medicare. He regards these programs which many have paid into for decades as unConstitutional, and compares their legitimacy to slavery. Well, that puts him out of step with at least eighty percent of the electorate I'll wager, assuming enough people notice that between now and the opening of the real GOP Primary Season next year. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/rick-perry-a-ron-paulite-on-entitlements/2011/08/12/gIQAYkJkBJ_blog.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

17 comments:

  1. I have no idea how the constitution is framed and no interest in arguing the finer points of it nor what the intent was when it was written. But to insist that a society that is one of the richest in the world should not fund the care of it's fellow sick and distressed citizens is frankly odd!

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  2. Jim, this is part of a certain strain of the "original intent" school of the Constitution which basically wants to keep the government in the 18th Century while allowing multi-national business to rule over the citizens of this nation in the vacuum. Such draconian thinking goes against the grain of every other modern democratic nation on the planet, including your own.

    That a man like Perry could be considered a serious candidate with such radical views in the year 2011, AD, renders me otherwise speechless.

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  3. As a young fellow I wanted to visit the States and did courtesy of a trip with the Royal Navy in 1980. Now, sadly, I no longer wish to visit your homeland.

    I am truly sad at the thought because I know there are many fine people and interesting places to see and visit with. However, the politics are way too extreme for me, as is the fundamentalist Christian movement. Also, the thought of subjecting myself to the rigours of the US immigration system seems a step too far.

    So, much as I'd love the opportunity to argue and discuss the fundamentals of life the universe and everything with you and many others I could mention, I'm fairly sure it won't be in this lifetime I'm afraid.

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  4. I do not judge any candidate until I hear it from their mouths. I listened to Obama a few times and said he would be exactly like he is. I was hoping I was wrong. He talked the talk but can not walk the walk.

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  5. You do not think Obama, Reid and Pelosi were not radical?

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  6. I look at the liberal Democrats and the conservatives Republicans and I shake my head. both radical in their thinking. I am an old school Democrat and I will sick over the liberal crap so I just stay in the middle and hope someone I can believe in comes through for me.

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  7. Here's a few more facts on how things are going in Rick Perry's economic miracle state of Texas:

    •Percent of Population Uninsured - 1st
    •Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured - 1st
    •Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid - 49th
    •Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance - 48th
    •Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health - 50th
    •Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid - 49th
    Health Professionals per Capita: •Physicians - 42nd
    •Dentists - 39th
    •Registered Nurses - 44th

    And, no , Rick, luring a few computer-game companies away from California is not an economic miracle. It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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  8. I'm curious, Tess. As an "old school Democrat", may I ask you who was the last Democrat you voted for to be President of the US?

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  9. Thank you for your service in the military of an Allied Nation, Jim.

    Yes, things have got a lot worse after 9/11 as far as getting to the United States. As for fundementalists, I will be happy to suggest places in the USA you can visit that are not full of pious religiosity if you change your mind.

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  10. no tess they are not not even our nemesis GWB went that far
    to bad you don't get it

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  11. Doug I don't know if you ever watch CNN but the CEO of Starbucks was on last night. It's the first time I literally heard someone speak which I could relate with. He returned to his position during 2008 and it's the first time I heard a person which really I sensed had a true thoughful discussion with this Person which comes on. It truly was refreshing...

    http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2011/08/17/piers.starbucks.schulz.economy.cnn.html

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