A society has responsibilities to its members even if many of those individual members are only concerned with themselves. That’s why even Paul agrees with crisis intervention. (Incidentally, those individuals that disagree even with this should not receive police or fire protection, education, access to public roadways, or any other services provided by the society.) Turning our backs on people until a crisis arrives is corrosive to our society, and heaps financial burdens on the state at the same time. It’s ethically and fiscally irresponsible.

Always be skeptical of anybody who has a “simple” solution to complex problems.

Ron Paul’s reductionism is nuts in a modern society.

A group of students commented that the views and arguments presented by the debate teams made them seriously question their own sources for news and information. I know they will find their way to PoliTalk, as I have, to present the issues in a civil manner that promotes tolerance and compromise rather than hateful and meaningless rhetoric.

I have had the same conversation first hand with several doctors in the past 6 months over the “myth” of the uninsured.

The system that is completely broken is the pseudo government subsidized, govt regulated, health insurance system. Different from the Healthcare system, but is effectively a parasite sucking dry the healthcare’s systems ability to deliver effective care.

I am a capitalist, I am for companies making profit, but the current system stacks the deck in everyway in favor of the insuruers and takes any elements of the free market out of the equation. Brilliant calling it corporatism.

Who would have thought that Ron Paul and Micheal Moore had lots in common. They could be strange bed-fellows if they decided to join forces.

Tort reform
Cross State Competition
Preventative Care

Pass incremental changes every year, and track the impact each year.

Create an environment where the current insurers can be put out of business through market competition. Not from the govt, but from other “for profit” entities.

How about letting Hospital Networks offer their own insurance plans locals can buy instead of the big HMO’s

If this bill or something like it passes the senate, it cannot be taken back. Its an entitlment, and it will bankrupt this country, not metaphorically, but literally.

I am not against Healthcare reform. I am for it. I’m against bankrupting the country trying to solve the wrong problem.

I am not surprised about the pull back from thoughts on attacking Iran. Its size is just short of Alaska and the population a little smaller than that we faced in Germany and Japan during WWII. Furthermore, I am sure they have made some preparation in response to past events (the Israeli raid on Osirak, the recent raid on Syria) to mitigate risk to their programs

One thought camed to mind though – I though Afghanistan largely settled into its current position becaues of the 1907 Anglo Russian undertanding, which included dividing Persia, Iran at the time, into spheres of influence.

I always found that one interesting because the Russian minister Izvolsky, while maybe well intentioned, seemed to be a little too clever for himself. While making peace with the Brits in 1907, he was conniving to up end agreements over the straights in Turkey with Austria the following year.

Otherwise, I guess the Durand line sealed the deal in splitting pushtons in an updated Russian understanding (Soviets at that time) in the 1920s.

If the soft money, religious right and wars don’t get handled soon we will enter that depression we thought was so narrowly missed.

I feel like everyone can see the event horizon in the distance and no one is turning the ship.