So, lemme get this straight. Tax health benefits for everyone except union members?

[CraigV]

Greedy union workers are part of the reason the economy has tanked, and a big part of why Chrysler & GM are in the mess they are. If they really want to run the company they work for, they should buy them out.

 

[rnatalli]

Obama is the type that makes calculated decisions. He isn't going to give up 40 million voters, potential independent and GOP voters, and the bulk of those who contribute to his election campaign to appease 10 million who give a smaller portion overall to his election campaign. It simply isn't going to happen and the veto pen will be out if Congress tries it.

 

[markw]

Obama is the type that makes calculated decisions. He isn't going to give up 40 million voters, potential independent and GOP voters, and the bulk of those who contribute to his election campaign to appease 10 million who give a smaller portion overall to his election campaign. It simply isn't going to happen and the veto pen will be out if Congress tries it.

Well, he didn't exactly win over the hearts and minds of GM's secured bond-holders when he sold them down the river and gave the ubions a better deal a their expense. He changed the rules in the middle of the game on them!

Likewise, I'm sure any possible future "secured" bond-holders are watching him very,very carefully before making future investments.

 

[nibhaz]

You realize this wasn't drafted or proposed by the White House, right? You do realize it, right? Your comment was just an off-the-cuff partisan-fight-ensuring baseless opinion, right???

I'm no fanboy of any politician, but I don't see anyone but the US Senate involved in this. Yeah, the Finance Committee is chaired by a Dem, and the Dems have majority, blah blah blah. Take up your issues with the US Senate and the Senate Finance Committee.

Blaming everything you don't like on Obama is like blaming everything bad that has happens to this country on "terrorists". Iran is taking a page out of that playbook, by the way. See how quickly they blamed, without proof or reason, the killing of Neda Agha Soltan on terrorists. Man, for someone who hates America so much, Ahmadinejad sure likes our political tactics...

I'm sorry, but are you serious? Obama is the driving force behind this piece of legislation. He is the one pushing the Senate and the House to produce because this is his agenda. So yeah, he deserves some credit for whatever comes out of Congress good or bad.

If he does, then screw him too. A lot of people refused to write Bush off as a failure after 8 years, yet those same people are quick to write Obama off as one after 5 months. I find it amusing, considering it's warmongering and corporate kickbacks and gross overexpenditures that largely put us here to begin with. I know, I work in the public sector, and it's disgusting the things that our tax dollars are almost literally dumped on and flushed down the toilet.

Bush and Cheney will be living off Haliburton and Xe (formerly Blackwater) money for the rest of their years, and the many lives that could have been saved with money spent on body armor rather than old lazy GS13-15s who don't do anything but sit around b*tching all day about having a "terrorist" for a president and drinking 15 gallons of coffee, not to mention their $25k bonuses for retiring and their ridiculous pension plans courtesy of CSRS, will be a testament to that legacy. Oh I could go on, I could so go on...

And Obama, man, what the hell is wrong with him, trying to keep America's big three automakers in business. Just let them die and take their 3+ million domestic employees with them. Who cares, we need more people unemployed. It guarantees that the companies can pay whatever they want, since everyone will be desperate for work and completely destroy the notion of salary negotiations. That's the real American way, keep the masses subserviant to the dollar while the wealthy few exploit the desperation of the masses. Hell yeah America! *sigh*

Man I like, but you’re pretty angry it seems.

First you do know that overspending is the fault of both parties, it not just a vast conservative conspiracy from the last administration. So I’m not sure where you are pointing the finger.

You know Halliburton is publicly traded company right? You’re free to make money off their activities as well. Unless you’re suggesting that the current wars that we are in were merely done for the financial gain of Bush and Chaney’s gain I don’t see what the hell that has to do with anything.

I’m totally with when it comes to government workers. In most cases there is a lot of waste, it just another reason why government and its spheres of influence should be limited.

What’s wrong with Obama, nothing yet. And I pray that he is successful, because he is my president, whether I voted for him or not. I know that his intentions are good, but that just isn’t enough, he needs to execute his agenda successfully, not just for the present but for the future. With this healthcare business, I’ve yet to see anything to suggest this will not be financial burden for our country for a long time to come.

 

[griffinconst]

I agreed with much of what Nibhaz said, other than the there's nothing wrong with Obama part.
Think what has happened in just 6 months? I don't think we will recognize our country in another 3 1/2 years. There are definitely things in need of change but all this is way too extreme. He has taken over and essentially nationalized banking, the auto industry and if things go as planned, health care and energy are next.
The cap and trade bill that was shoved thru on Friday puts the federal government ahead of state and local governments on everything right down to even building codes.
That's another thing, why the hurry? Why are all these things being shoved through with no debate? Everything is totally one sided and must be passed yesterday. These are huge issues making huge changes to our society and should be thoroughly debated in the light of day. Where's the transparency?

 

[nibhaz]

I agreed with much of what Nibhaz said, other than the there's nothing wrong with Obama part.
Think what has happened in just 6 months? I don't think we will recognize our country in another 3 1/2 years. There are definitely things in need of change but all this is way too extreme. He has taken over and essentially nationalized banking, the auto industry and if things go as planned, health care and energy are next.
The cap and trade bill that was shoved thru on Friday puts the federal government ahead of state and local governments on everything right down to even building codes.
That's another thing, why the hurry? Why are all these things being shoved through with no debate? Everything is totally one sided and must be passed yesterday. These are huge issues making huge changes to our society and should be thoroughly debated in the light of day. Where's the transparency?

Don’t get me wrong I have serious reservations about a lot of things that have been pushed through so far, but it’s too early, for me anyways, to pass judgment. Unfortunately, Obama will most likely be out of office before we realize the full effect of his policies. This long term effect of decision made now is why I am personally bothered by the speed at which things are moving. There is just too much fluff and rhetoric, and not enough details, to form any kind of informed opinion. Hell, I can assure you that half of congress doesn’t have a clue what’s going on, or in the bills they are voting on. All they need to know is where their party stands, and to follow suit. This goes for both parties.

 

[griffinconst]

Looks like we do agree.

 

[MidnightSensi]

Don’t get me wrong I have serious reservations about a lot of things that have been pushed through so far, but it’s too early, for me anyways, to pass judgment. Unfortunately, Obama will most likely be out of office before we realize the full effect of his policies. This long term effect of decision made now is why I am personally bothered by the speed at which things are moving. There is just too much fluff and rhetoric, and not enough details, to form any kind of informed opinion. Hell, I can assure you that half of congress doesn’t have a clue what’s going on, or in the bills they are voting on. All they need to know is where their party stands, and to follow suit. This goes for both parties.

It's an interesting topic you bring up.

When the Patriot Acts came through, on one hand we needed something done, on the other hand we rushed it so bad and in such fear that we lost some of our freedom.

With the economy, fear is also playing a big part of the game, and I think that because of the economic state may overcompensate with the health care issue.

At any rate, I still feel the 'terrorists' have won the war so far. They've killed our people, they've feared us into giving up some of our freedoms, and got us to spend enough in a war of indirection that we moved our cash elsewhere. And in the end, we'll blame eachother. Pretty sad.