Saturday October 17, 2009, 10:21 pm
I like your title, David. Thanks for all your reports. Do you know how we can access a list of investors in the pharmaceutical labs that are making H1N1 vaccines? The love of money is truly the root of all evil. Health is certainly the big issue right now, as you pointed out. The enforced H1N1 vaccine issue is very prevalent in the minds of many people, just as national health care insurance is.

TAKE THESE POLLS AND POST THEM, PLEASE!

POLL: Do We Need Town Hall Mtgs. re: Enforced Vaccines?

http://bit.ly/2jSJX8

POLL: Should safer vaccines be used to inoculate dignitaries, military personel, and the elite? There are several serums.

http://bit.ly/ev8Vg

See

Sunday October 18, 2009, 12:41 am
Money is not Evil! the evil is the ones WHO are not getting the equation, when all are having enough, they will also have more than enough! its all in the heads! brain washing any one?
Namste peace be with you!

Sunday October 18, 2009, 6:17 am
It is the false idea that greed is freedom rather than freedom is responsibility that is the problem.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 12:42 pm
The rich are greedy. The more they have the more they want.
The laws try to help the poor. The problem is (and I know quite a few) some people who are Republicans are poor, out of jobs, have huge debts. But they still side with the rich Republicans.
They refuse to accept the fact that Republicans, and a few blue dog Democrats are using them.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 12:50 pm
You are so right Carmen. I also know some Republicans that are in the same boat but listen to Glenn Beck and the other talking heads and think everything they say is etched in stone and believe in the Republicans and the blue dog Democrats.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 12:58 pm
Did I miss a huge report? When did Obama say he was preparing to send 40,000 troops into Afghanistan?

Sunday October 18, 2009, 1:52 pm
The point is that no strong economy works through the trickle down effect. The few that have the money will hold on to it. Real grassroots efforts with a solid foundation that builds up is the making of a more uniform irrefutable economy. When monetary value changes hands more often, it stimulates economic predictors charging up consumption, therefore production to meet the consumption.

Spread wealth for the average working family is not a socialistic concept and just the same, wealth held by just a few is not capitalism.

P.S. Miss Michele S. I like yor note on the 40,000 troop Obama thing...you're absolutley right...ya got a great paying attention factor.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 2:18 pm
One way to turn this situation around. It's called Revolution, a good old-fashioned ARMED peoples' revolution, Bolshevik style. It's always been about haves vs. have-nots. It's time we have-nots showed the greedy snot-noses a lesson.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 2:22 pm
Does Revelation need to be armed? can't be done in thought level? by wakening up awareness and consciousness?

Sunday October 18, 2009, 2:43 pm
The attack on you has at least three fronts, the economy, which they plan to use the IMF as the lever,

death and maiming from vaccines using the authority of the World Health Organization

and a global climate treaty from Copenhagen putting world energy quotas in place.Former Vice President Al Gore declared that the Congressional climate bill will help bring about “global governance.”

“I bring you good news from the U.S., “Gore said on July 7, 2009 in Oxford at the Smith School World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment, sponsored by UK Times.

“Just two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey climate bill,” Gore said, noting it was “very much a step in the right direction.” President Obama has pushed for the passage of the bill in the Senate and attended a G8 summit this week where he agreed to attempt to keep the Earth's temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees C.

Gore touted the Congressional climate bill, claiming it “will dramatically increase the prospects for success” in combating what he sees as the “crisis” of man-made global warming.

“But it is the awareness itself that will drive the change and one of the ways it will drive the change is through global governance and global agreements.” (Editor's Note: Gore makes the “global governance” comment at the 1min. 10 sec. mark in this UK Times video.)

Gore's call for “global governance” echoes former French President Jacques Chirac's call in 2000.

http://www.climatedepot.com/a/1893/Gore-US-Climate-Bill-Will-Help-Bring-About-Global-Governance

Sunday October 18, 2009, 2:44 pm
Thanks Bruce....takes deep bow. lol

Yes Huda, I believe this is possible. But, not yet. It would have to be hugely collective or mobilized though. I don't think the human mind is capable of achieving a Universal Thought of that magnitude today.

We have (as a whole species) have not reached that level of awareness. There are things in heaven that can be on earth as well....we are still evolving in that direction......we haven't "remembered" yet Who We Really Are. But, that's part of the process.......change is the only constant.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 3:06 pm
Thanks David

I thought that the rich always steal the economy. Laws are supposed to prevent them from doing so all the time.

Sunday October 18, 2009, 3:08 pm
But Mary, the rich are the ones who made those laws in the first place!

Sunday October 18, 2009, 3:19 pm
Not enough time to comment on the article at the moment. Just jumping in for a clarification from Mary who rightly points out that it is the love of money, not money itself, that is the root of evil. That quote is almost always incorrect, thanks Mary!

A list of investors, do you mean individual investors or institutional, or do you mean a list of the specific companies that are making the vaccine. Individual investors cannot be done, unless they own over 5% of the company. The other investors or company names are not difficult. Happy to post an answer, just let me know exactly what you are looking for. It's public information, so no privacy violations...

Sunday October 18, 2009, 5:36 pm
Ohhhhh dear....if we could just put this "WASTED" money into a World Education Fund!

David and I can run it!


:) (Kat)

Sunday October 18, 2009, 5:40 pm
I know it is picky,but just how can they steal something they have owned for decades along with Congress?

Sunday October 18, 2009, 6:55 pm
As a lifelong conservative, I agree the rich keep getting richer - and I want everybody wealthy. When I see the starving people in Africa, my first reaction is contacting my broker and get these poor people involved in investing.

The wars: the world needs petroleum for transportation. I have done the basic engineering, and while it is feasible within a few years solar for residential, the rub are the tens of kilowatts needed just to run a car. Count in the hundreds of millions of cars in the U.S. alone, the aircraft, the ships, the trucks, buses and trains.

People are discussing solar and wind energy for their homes: between one kilowatt (California, lowest power usage) to North Dakota, three kilowatts, highest energy usage. But a car needs about twenty times the power of a typical North Dakota residence,

We need reasonable solutions, Europe, the masses travel by mass transit, which as we know, the U.S. had until Detroit brokered deals with citiies to remove the buses and street cars for the private automobile.

Power to the people - if you want to make the rich poor, stop supporting them. Buy food at the local farmer coop and put Agri-business out of business. Why is it, the answer to the question 'Where can I buy it?' is always Wal-Mart?

Sunday October 18, 2009, 9:01 pm
Time to get the young entrepanurs out... and time for us to get out creative minds working so that we to can rise up through the ranks.. no good sitting on our laurels... but there again at least some of these companies do provide employment and a chance for others to learn and become part of the global economy

Sunday October 18, 2009, 9:26 pm
ARMED Revolution, Bolshevik-style, only ever brings a NEW Ruling Class, a NEW rich-and-corrupt class, into power. Always has, always will. A NEW set of Leaders preying on their subjects' Idealism for their own wealth and aggrandizement. How do you think that's going to change things? Look at the political descendents of the "Bolshevik leaders" now!
Look at the Religious "leaders" who are rolling in wealth gotten from their duped "flocks" who think they are "doing good" with their "Church contributions".......

Besides which, even if we were each of us armed to the teeth like the NRA proposes, the U.S. Government and Military STILL have weaponry against which any "arms" we could muster, would be like popguns..... Flame throwers, tanks, "strategic" nuclear weapons, poison gasses, biological weapons, gasses causing blisters and burns and suffocation, electrical weapons to scramble our thought processes and our communications, and other horror weapons in development we probably couldn't imagine.... and the "armor" and resources to protect THEMSELVES against these weapons, which WE NONE OF US HAVE ACCESS TO......

Armed Revolutions have been successful, ONLY when BOTH sides, had access to SIMILAR weapons and could trade them back & forth, raid armories, get weapons off of dead soldiers or buy them or make them or smuggle them.....
The GROSS IMBALANCE of weaponry between us & the govt, makes it CERTAIN that almost no-one would be so foolish as to seriously consider in advance, joining such an "armed uprising".....

Indulging in such FANTASIES, does NOTHING to ameliorate things one bit.
We DO need a RADICAL SPIRITUAL OVERHAUL.
While not real soon or real certain, that idea is STILL more REALISTIC than "Armed Revolution"......

{It is true, that in some revolutions, soldiers have gone over to the Revolutionaries or at least refused to fire on "the people". But, with the MODERN HI-TECH HORROR WEAPONS the govt and military have at their disposal now, it only takes A FEW soldiers, perhaps paid mercenaries with no local loyalties, to PULL THE TRIGGERS and unleash bombs, gas, fire.......on armed and unarmed, on men and women and children and babies..... Just being REALISTIC here. Look at what happened in Waco, I believe that was meant as a WARNING.....}

A SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION that affected EVERYONE, not JUST the poor, not JUST the rich, would eliminate the need for killing or for threatening with weapons......

IT'S A VERY LONG SHOT; but in my opinion, the ONLY shot we've got.......

Sunday October 18, 2009, 10:00 pm
Send a Green Star to BMutiny ThemIDefy

Monday October 19, 2009, 12:23 am
Can't wait for Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story' to come out here in France!!

Meanwhile, As Foreclosures Hit All-Time High & Wall St. to Hand Out Record Bonuses: "No Palpable Outrage, Certainly Not in Congress," says ex-bank regulator, William Black (the man who helped expose the 1980s savings and loan scandal) & Obama's inner circle is certainly NOT advising anything new to rock the boat.

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:23 am
I liked the first half of the editorial, but the title and the second half of the article are amusing. First, the rich do not own the economy, unless by "rich" Paul Craig Roberts means wealthy poiiticians.

If the rich owned the economy:
1 - the tax system would not progress to higher percentages as income grows. It would decrease as a %.
2 - there would be no estate tax
3 - there would be no capital gains taxes
4 - the education system would include a strong personal finance focus with classes beginning in elementary school on how the stock market works, budgeting, taxation, importance of state government vs Federal, etc. (Producing more wealthy people is in the current wealthy people's interest!)

The second half of the article, Roberts uses a shovel to toss in many issues that either aren't relevant to the title or are not accurate. Offshoring of jobs is a pain in the !@#$!@# for the rich, granted it hurts middle and lower income people more (but doesn't everything?). My main issue with his article is that he does not address the reasons that companies choose to take jobs overseas and advocates taking actions that will increase the offshoring of jobs.

Other than the rich that are involved in the military industrial complex, why would anyone believe that the rich get some special benefit from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq?

If you actually want to understand the rich, I'd suggest Thomas Stanley's The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind. You'll find that the vast majority of the rich in the US drive Ford Pickups and own SMALL businesses. Most do not appear rich, and in my little corner of the US, I can tell you that it is only a very small number that feel like the government is looking out for them.

That said, I'd rather be rich than not, and at the moment I'm only rich in ideas, friends, health, and happiness. But aren't those the things that are the most important anyway?

Money is not your life. It is simply the means to the life that you want!

Most people don't need $5,000, $10,000, $100,000 per month to do what they want to do. There is nothing wrong with being happy with modest income and assets and there is also nothing wrong with making a boatload, particularly if those that make that boatload produce jobs with their wealth. And particularly if they donate to the causes that they believe in.

Monday October 19, 2009, 4:59 am
The saying is "Money Isn't Everything" and we have discovered that it is and we all want it. Our politicans are no longer from the people as the people do not have the money to run for office and the rich that run do not know what it is to live among the middle or lower class of our country and they don't care.

The first thing to make an effort of change is to fight against lobbying of our politicans. If you lobby a politican it means the politician has to get something in order to get his cooperation and the lobbyist must give them money in some form to get what they want . We must make lobbying of politicans illegal as it it legal bribery at this time which the insurance companies are proving at this moment .

Common sense, the good of the citizens have been cast aside as the average citizen struggles to cope.

Monday October 19, 2009, 7:36 am
Ever notice that sayings like "Money Isn't Everything" or "Money Can't Buy You Love" are always uttered by those who have lots the stuff? To them I say, "Well, then why keep so much of it if isn't working for you?"

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:03 am
I am not convinsed that we can control global warming. The past history of our planet has shown many global warmings. One thing I do know is that the population of our planet has grown far beyond the care of this planet it deserves. We are a filthy species! We definately need to do things a lot better to conserve and to clean up the mess we have created.

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:05 am
Also, we have driven many species into oblivion due to our excessses and lack of caring. Just remember we are a species as well. Nothing more all part of the circle of life.

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:34 am
And, please, let us not forget our illustrious "limousine libierals." Have you ever wondered why the poverty, high crime democratic states never get any better? Think about it. The largest inner cities are governed by democrats...you know who those guys are....the Robin Hood's of America???? Somehow they can't even clean up their own states.....how can they run a country?

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:35 am
make that "limousine liberals."

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:39 am
44,000 plus die because they do not have health insurance? Puh-leeze....I'm sure a good number of these were killed in auto accidents, shot during a domestic falling out, babies born to mothers who abused themselves during their pregnancies...I mean, who compiled this information and who was included in this number? This is just another piece of misinformation generated from our New World Order White House.

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:40 am
Just posted a separate news story "Who is making the Swine Flu Vaccine" that provides a list of companies authorized to manufacture the vaccine and their status.

For Mary Neal and anybody else who cares2...

Monday October 19, 2009, 10:54 am
David, try spending less time on care2 and spend the saved energy to make some money instead - and you will see that hard-working individuals can earn nice living, not only those "abstract" rich. More time and soul you allocate to your studies - more dough you will bring home. Greed pushes the progress, bro!

Monday October 19, 2009, 11:02 am
hey pussy cat¨why don't you apply that on your self? take you advise and go catch a mouse some where else! :))

Monday October 19, 2009, 11:02 am
Paul, if this misinformation you talk about was compiled by the WH it wouldn't have opened with an obvious blunder about Obama getting ready to deploy 40K troops! Ya think?

Monday October 19, 2009, 11:04 am
MY apologies to Paul......my last post should not have addressed you. It was directed at Rubywahini B.'s post.

Monday October 19, 2009, 11:08 am
Michele s.

No prob, happens to all of us but only some admit it :-)

Monday October 19, 2009, 11:58 am
Michele, I just cannot believe that over 44,000 people die every year in America because they do not have medical care! There are so many variables! This administration has become anything but transparent and now they are going behind closed doors....they are acting like real Chicago thugs lately and it is getting worse every single day. I hate to see more troops go over to Afghanistan however if we are going to win we need enough men and women to get on with the surge that is needed to get the job done. Sad isn't it?

Monday October 19, 2009, 12:20 pm
That wasn't the point I was going for but, to answer your statement about the 44Kpeople dieing read this:
http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/medicine-health/articles/new-study-finds-45000-deaths-annually-linked-lack-health-coverage

Harvard did the study.

How did this turn into an Obama bash?

Monday October 19, 2009, 2:37 pm
Huda, trust me, I do much better than a mice. I will save all mices for you and David.

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:06 pm
Let's forget the numbers Ruby...One death due to a corrupt system is one too many.

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:15 pm
David, you have the gift of understatement. Thanks, Paul

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:17 pm
The rich are greedy. The more they have the more they want.
The laws try to help the poor. The problem is (and I know quite a few) some people who are Republicans are poor, out of jobs, have huge debts. But they still side with the rich Republicans.
They refuse to accept the fact that Republicans, and a few blue dog Democrats are using them.

Carmen, I agree with you in almost all of your statements except that the laws are made to help the poor. Actually, the laws were made by the rich for the rich.

some people who are Republicans are poor, out of jobs, have huge debts. But they still side with the rich Republicans.

I call them trailer trash Republicans. Kansas is loaded with them. That is the whole subject of the book "What's The Matter With Kansas?"

Also, by the way, I agree with my Sociology professor at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS. He said that the police exist to protect the rich from the poor.

.

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:20 pm
Revelation

Hey, Huda, I was talking about Revolution. Someone else was unfortunately correct when he or she responded to my post and said that the government has enough arms and ammunition to kill a lot of revolutionaries. Waco was a warning not to fight back against injustice.

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:28 pm
Laws are drafted to help the poor? Evidently Congress is not doing a very good job. Regardless of their intentions, most of their laws do not help the poor.

I never gave much thought to why laws are drafted, but I would think laws should be drafted with all citizens in mind?

Not rich and not republican, just thinking about the concept of laws and why they keep drafting so many of them. Maybe it's because most politicians are lawyers. Wasn't it better when most were farmers?

Monday October 19, 2009, 3:35 pm
Not knocking womens sovereignty, anti-discrimination laws, etc., with the farmer comment. Many things needed to be done, just making the observation that we have too many lawyers in DC.

After posting, thought it could give the wrong impression and there was no intent to do so.

Monday October 19, 2009, 4:14 pm
David, I'm sure that Ruby would love to forget the numbers. That's the problem in America. Ignorance, either willful or not, that prevents any solutions to the problems that plague us. How can any problem be intelligently addressed, when the facts are brushed away ? Ruby, where are these 'variables' you clamed?

New study finds 45,000 deaths annually linked to lack of health coverage

Monday October 19, 2009, 8:37 pm
I agree with you Paul. Yes, it probably was better when most were farmers & who were also your neighbors & were known to do pro bono work & gave a real crap about ethics & fair play & truth. A time when laws were enacted & enforced for the good of all citizens. Now.....so many damn laws. Makes ya kinda question just how free we really are. Kinda makes a person feel like a clone who robotically follows rules of the road, rules of the land, of the community, of a job, parental rules, rules for being in public, rules of conversation, rules for dispensing monies, rules of life, rules of love....and oh yes, rules of the game......just to mention a few.

Monday October 19, 2009, 9:23 pm
I hate to keep harping on this, but it's worthy of repetition. Last summer, I had to have emergency surgery. Thank God I was in San Francisco at the time. San Francisco has its own kind of "public option," which provides quality health care for the uninsured. If I had not been in San Francisco at the time, I would be dead by now. Instead, I not only got the surgery I needed, but excellent follow up care - and I'm still around.

When I went to the hospital two or three times a week for my follow-up care, the place was packed with people like myself, but there were more than enough MDs and NPs to deal with them all. And there were always hundreds if not thousands like me, lined up to get prescription drugs at no cost, waiting to see a doctor, get Xrayed, etc. - and there were even dentists there who served the uninsured. .

That was just one days worth. Assuming that many of those people did, like me, come in two or three times a week, that still adds up to thousands each month - just at one hospital in San Francisco. After that experience, it's very easy to believe that 45,000 figure. Wake up, Ruby! This is a big country with a huge population. And many of them are poor, uninsured, and sick.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 3:49 am
Thank you, Mary D, for that input; it's very important to spread the word and the PROOF that govt-sponsored health care CAN offer quality treatment -- this is necessary to convince people AND lawmakers that a public option CAN work!

AS MJ M says so rightly: "Ignorance, either willful or not, that prevents any solutions to the problems that plague us. How can any problem be intelligently addressed, when the facts are brushed away ?" --& I would add, when sprouting biased dogma is prefered to learning the facts. The brainwashing is so total that even

Poor Rubywahini B. has got it all wrong: High crime & poverty cannot be placed at the Democrats' door alone, because economic inequality & poverty aren't a question of Re-thug-lican vs mainstream Democratic management: both parties support a system that is inherently unjust. At the state & local level, there is only so much that can be done to change the system. Listen to Bernie Sanders and Denis Kucinich !

However, Mary D's comment re: local initiatives in favor of health care for the uninsured DOES show that something can be done.

I would wonder though if this program, & others like it, have not already suffered with California's big budget problems.

This is what economic injustice is all about: the financial crisis will continue to cause cut-backs in public programs, whereas the rich continue to do very nicely, thank you.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 4:21 am
The incomplete sentence: The brainwashing is so total that even poor people, or those facing great financial difficulties, support a Republican view and have swallowed private health insurance industry & big pharma dogma. With millions to spend on lobbying and influence peddling, the falsehoods have taken hold, even among those who would benefit from single payer, or its 'compromise' replacement, the public option.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 5:08 am
Private insurance companies have been more than sufficient for the majority of Americans. The uninsured are a small percentage of Americans. So, put them on medicare. It's the same thing as being covered by your state....the taxpayers pay the cost for those who either 1) are too cheap to pay for their own coverage, 2) have lost their jobs and cannot afford the premiums or 3) those on welfare who will never be able to pay for their own insurance. The taxpayers pay no matter what!

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 5:18 am
The "rich" have earned their own income. They are able to live a certain lifestyle because they made it happen. I never want to be a burden on our society. Never. One has to plan for the fixed expenses such as health care insurance. One has to plan to send their children to college without burdening the child with college loans. One has to plan for the rainy day when unexpected financial issues arise. I often shake my head when people look to the rich to pay for those who don't respect personal responsibility. If our country continues to look to the rich to spread the wealth, one day we'll run out of the rich people. Then what? I pay taxes according to my income and I don't mind at all that my taxes go to many special interest programs. To have my taxes raised to pay for those who fall into various categories who cannot or will not pay is not the way to get it done. All any of us have to do is look at other countries to see how this has failed. Some countries are going back to private insurance because their countries cannot sustain the cost. It is always the slackards that break a system and that is the problem with government control. Those who are disabled and cannot be productive need that helping hand up need to be helped. We need to get rid of the fraud and abuse in our medicare program. Fix that and then come to the American people with a plan to include preventing the system from being abused. I don't believe this healthcare bill will pass the senate...this administration has been far too secretive and too far left for America. I really want them out of MY White House as soon as possible..

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 5:19 am
This must be Paradise! and the morons are whingeing?! too bad the ungrateful idiots! :)

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 5:20 am
"The uninsured are a small percentage of Americans. So, put them on medicare."...

Prcisely Ruby, so why does the "ridiculous right" see fit to deny anyone healthcare?...Money for the greedy and nothing for the brainwashed idiots that support them?...Compassion and empathy denied the deserving?...

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 5:48 am
Capable beggars are encouraged to work.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 6:52 am
Under what socialist health care system, are all patients served, served well, and in a timely fashion. Under what socialist system, are numerous specialists available? Much of the going back and forth would be amusing, if it wasn't for the fact that our flawed system in the US will only be more flawed under gov't control.

As to treatment for the poor, my nephew has been to hospitals numerous times in Florida and has always been given treatment inspite of the fact that he has no insurance and no money. It ain't just San Francisco that provides care for those that cannot afford it.

David, as to the "ridiculous right", do you object to Tom Coburn's, (R) Oklahoma and the only physician in the senate, amendment to require that congress be required to receive their care from whatever public option they legislate into existence? I bet we both support that idea. Congress should eat their own cooking.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 6:56 am
Oh, let's keep in mind that the insurance industry is highly regulated and operates under legislation drafted by congress. Everything that they have done, good and reprehensible, has been within the laws of the land. Are they totally to blame, or is that evidence that the goverment's influence is not always good...

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 7:10 am
Ruby....how can you say that more than 46 MILLION uninsured people is only a "small" percentage??
You are down playing the real problem!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninsured_in_the_United_States

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 11:53 am
As for alternative energy, look up " the Bedini circuit" or "the Bedini motor." Also check this video out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nCCHo1fdMA&feature=related It isn't fake, it isn't science fiction; it's just being suppressed. About the rest of it, the Neocons, our own new policy in a case of National Emergency, the "elite" families like the Rothschilds and other super-wealthy, old money banking/financial families are always harping on the old eugenics theme of "reducing world population to something more manageable," like 10% of what it is now. They're talking about a world-wide genocide. And that piece of legislation, the Waxman-Markey climate bill, will, if I understand it right, remove the last of American autonomy. And there's how many of you are aware that there are as many as 70 MILLION people with Chronic Pain - like me - who are untreated or undertreated - like me - and can't get treatment because the DEA illegally attacks the doctors who legally prescribe the correct amounts of the correct drugs? The DOJ then takes over and railroads the doctors into prison, and doctors everywhere are aware that is isn't safe to do their jobs, so they don't. And Chronic Pain kills; it causes arthritis, heart problems, BP trouble, lupus, fibromyalgia, Chronic fatigue and RSD, type II diabetes and a host of other things. I've been in pain for 26 years now. For a very short time I was almost treated correctly, and in that time I started trying to return to work, as most correctly treated CPPs. The treatment was removed, and I am now crippled again.

About a revolution - when you are using words, conferences, elections, lofty principles and hoping to change the minds of the rich who think you're less than trash to begin with and your opposition has guns, words and lofty principles lose. They control the law, it's interpretation, it's implementation, the prison system, the MSM and most of the information that gets out to the public, the Congress and legislation, the military, there IS NO economy left... And we control what again?

Ian

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 12:01 pm
Forgot to mention: as far as I can learn, the vaccines are to be mixed with up to three adjuvants: squalene, aluminum and Thimerosol, all three of which are toxic. They also contain "attenuated virus," which means it's still alive, and the attenuator, chlorine, is also toxic. Those "adjuvants" and preservatives have been shown to cause sterility, nerve damage like Guillan-Barre and with the "combo virus," H2N5 I think, with DNA as many as five different flu viruses - three human, one swine and one avian - it has a strong likelihood of rapid mutation, could only have been made in a lab, the US refuses to allow ANY of it in the Middle East for fear it will be used as a weapon against us (it's classified as a bioweapon), and it's frequently deadly. There's no "pandemic" - yet. There will be once this vaccination program is carried out, though. Everything I can learn about it says it's deadly, a deliberate attempt at "population control," and I won't have anything to do with it. Neither will all but a couple of doctors I know.

Ian

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 1:35 pm
I have no problem with the rich per se, Ruby. Heck, as I'm from LA, a lot of my friends are wealthy or semi-wealthy because of success in the entertainment industry. And some day, I hope to write that bestseller or hit screenplay and become wealthy myself - and then I'll do what I can to help those who never had a break! But as with any particular group of people, there are good rich people. If you're into the Bible, it's important to remember that Lazarus, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were all wealthy men, AND there were wealthy women among his followers as well - and some scholars believe that they were among those who supported Jesus and his disciples in their mission. In our time, there are good wealthy people as well. A lot of movie stars, among them Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, have bought up vast tracts of the Amazon jungle to preserve the environment. Sting, I think, has also done so. And Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have done their share in Africa. You're right; we need the "righteous rich" to set an example and to help get this planet back on track.

Sure, there are the rich Republicans who embrace the outrageous idea that if you're poor, it's your own fault. (My own father used to preach that idea!) While people can drink or drug themselves into a state of oblivion, be so lazy they blow every break they had, and just expect the world to owe them a living, like Aesop's grasshopper - there are those who work like Trojans and still don't get a break. But I agree that everyone deserves health care, no matter whether they are good, bad, or indifferent. No one deserves to suffer from debilitating pain, a horrific disease like cancer or AIDS, or a hellacious injury, such as some that are suffered in fires or car crashes. Did Jesus or Buddha ever refuse to heal a person because they'd done bad things? I recall the story of Jesus and the Roman soldier, whose son was ill and dying. He looked at the man, and did notsay, "I won't heal your son because you killed people in battle." Instead, his reply was, "Your son is already healed."

For those of you who are tempted to jump in and blame my views on religion, I'm not a born-again Christian. My faith is a combination of Anglican Christianity (translate: Very liberal!), Hinduism, and pagan belief. The point I'm making is that Jesus didn't turn people away when they needed healing - and he literally changed the world. Think about it!

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 1:40 pm
Mary, I think you'd find this interesting reading: Conversations With God - An Uncommon Dialogue by Neil Donald Walsh.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 1:50 pm
Mary, thank you for responding to my post. I don't have a problem with religion but I'm a realist. When I see people who have been dependent on our government for generations it says something. When I see democratic states with inner cities and those same people are not being helped by the bleeding heart liberals, I have to ask why. Why, in their very own states are the inner cities still riddled with crime and the quality of living is dependent upon the government? As I have stated, I do pay my share of taxes and I KNOW that I am paying to help the people who need a helping hand up. I never resent that. What I do resent is that when an American carefully plans out their life plans planning not to become a burden on society....why then is that person or family penalized by more taxes to help those who literally do not want to help themselves? Life is about choices. And at the beginning of every day and at the end of the day I take responsibility for the choices I make. I've raised my children to live their lives the same way. Our great country was built on Americans who believed in personal responsibility. What I know is that the liberals have not helped the poor people in their own states. Instead we have more and more people being taken care of compliments of the taxpayers. At some point you have to ask yourself why robbing from the rich to give to the poor hasn't worked for America. And, lastly, you cannot compare what Jesus did with what is reality today. There's no way to make a reasonable comparison. It seems the more people we try to help the more that number increases....so what are we doing wrong? Healthcare Reform is necessary. I don't have any problems with that even if it will cover illegal alients and the slackards. I understand that we need to put something in place. However, once again, we have an administration that is taking its eye off the ball because of politics and they aren't going to get it done right. The American people are expressing what their fears as well as their ideas of what a government healthcare plan should look like. So far, that is falling on deaf ears in the democratic White House. Medicare is riddled with fraud and abuse. i have no confidence in the government to get yet another socialist program off the ground without it being massively abused at the expense of taxpayers like me and like you.

Tuesday October 20, 2009, 2:28 pm
Sounds like a real good time to read, or reread, Atlas Shrugged....

Wednesday October 21, 2009, 10:15 am
Paul, tell me about it!

Wednesday October 21, 2009, 11:25 am
In effect the U.S. economy has been re-rigged so it no longer depends on near full employment and operates much more like how third world economies work. This is what happened in Mexico, where the entire rural economy imploded, most manufacturing activity ceased, and unemployment became widespread at the very same time Mexico each year showed economic "growth" simply because the offset in growth of media and oil.

Similarly, the U.S. economy no longer depends either on producing things nor local consumption for it is now entirely rigged on financial speculation and growing consumption in China. Economic growth can now also happen in the United States even as both unemployment increases and real wages decline for most.

Wednesday October 21, 2009, 12:52 pm
Michele - Thanks for the book recommendation. I will read it! Have a great day.

Saturday October 24, 2009, 4:12 am
Another great find, David, and a great headline.

How can the rich steal the economy? Simple; wealth is created by workers with their time and effort. The rich have increased their wealth by giving less to those who created it. So they're stealing your time and effort - really, they're stealing part of your life.

Since they care about you only for what they can steal from you, they're only interested in taking care of you when you're hurt or sick if a profit can be made from it. This is why they would deny you affordable health care; they would rather suck you dry and throw you away (it's much cheaper to replace you than repair you).

Oh, and Paul - there is no good time to read Atlas Shrugged, it's a lousy book.

Saturday October 24, 2009, 4:49 am
Thanks Spencer, given your comments, I'll take your opinion of one of my favorite books in the tone that it was given. Attacking the rich is a poor strategy for economic recovery. If they decide that the economy is no longer capable of generating a good return for their investment, they will close their businesses and retire. As I'm sure you know, they will be fine even if their net worth falls substantially. When they close their businesses and layoff their employees, those employees may not be fine. Most will suffer. Resentment against wealth hurts more people than it helps. If you didn't like Atlas Shrugged, you might try one of Thomas Stanley's books on American Millionaires like The Millionaire Next Door. I don't happen to be one of them, but they are often not the profile that everyone assumes. 95% are small business owners, drive pick-up trucks and cars that they bought used, are frugal, and don't conspicuously display their wealth. Most did not come from wealthy families. Only a very few are CEO's of Fortune 500 companies that are often equated with the "rich" in America.

We don't need to argue the point as the actions of the current congress and administration will test the theory for us. Next year, my bet is that the US Congress will raise income taxes on everybody, particularly the wealthy, to pay for all that they are creating this year. They already have raised taxes this year on the poor who are the primary consumers of tobacco. Mandates will increase the costs to run businesses and reduce the return of shareholders. Attacking shareholders is also a poor idea. Most are regular people who invest in mutual funds within their 401k plans. They are not helped by a gov't that attacks it's own economy. This governmental interference in the economy will continue to increase unemployment and will impoverish people who simply want to earn a living. This is already occurring and shows no signs of stopping. When it gets really bad, we will either finish the Road to Serfdom (also a good book) and become fully socialist or we will reject the policies that kill growth and the politicians that put those policies in place. No predictions on that one, but it will be a while before we get to that point.

Always enjoy discussing economics and wealth creation. Have a great weekend and be happy, currently there are more in Washington that agree with your view than disagree. Fortunately for the rest of us, maybe this will result in both parties getting a thorough house and senate cleaning over the next few election cycles. Third party anyone?

Saturday October 24, 2009, 7:10 am
Some may say we (you & I) are cynical, Spencer. I say we are realists. :)

Sunday October 25, 2009, 4:54 am
I don't attack the rich; I attack the irresponsibility and short-sightedness that have become the predominant attitudes in American capitalism. Tax cuts for the rich didn't create jobs - instead they financed speculative bubbles that destabilized the economy, as too many of the beneficiaries of the cuts wanted faster profits than could be realized by investing in any productive enterprise.

The government has long subsidized fossil fuels, big agribusiness, corporate raiders, shipping jobs overseas - whatever their big-money contributors wanted to make them even wealthier, the politicians have given them. But propose changing these policies, and the cry goes up, "Oh no, this will hurt small business! This will hurt the small investor!". The hypocricy makes me sick.

Higher marginal tax rates on the wealthiest will stimulate sound economic growth, by encouraging re-investment of profits back into companies instead of taking cash out in the form of bloated executive salaries. Stock options will be converted to stock instead of cashed out when cashing out means giving most of it to the government, and those manager/stockholders will manage for long-term growth instead of a quick buck.

Monday October 26, 2009, 3:22 am
Spencer, we totally agree that politicians subsidize many things that shouldn't be subsidized and that higher marginal rates will change behavior. We also agree that long-term growth is preferable to short-term quick bucks. Actually, based on your last comment, we agree on most of this, except for the outcome of raising marginal rates.

I posted an article, The Tax Foundation - Summary of Latest Federal Individual Income Tax Data , that shows the percentage of taxes paid at each income level since 1987. It provides interesting info that might be useful. The info is from the IRS..

According to the IRS data, "In 2007, the top 1 percent of tax returns paid 40.4 percent of all federal individual income taxes and earned 22.8 percent of adjusted gross income. Both of those figures—share of income and share of taxes paid—are significantly higher than they were in 2004 when the top 1 percent earned 19 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI) and paid 36.9 percent of federal individual income taxes."

The data also indicates that for the past few decades, 90% of taxpayers paid a smaller proportion of income taxes with the top 10% share increasing during those years.

The richest Americans have the ability to choose where they generate income.. Raising their rates and increasing taxes on them encourages different income behavior, we agree. I believe it will encourage the purchase of tax free municipal bonds, not stock, particularly if Corporate Income Tax rates and Capital Gains Tax rates are also raised. This might be good for municipal financing, but not job creation.

Monday October 26, 2009, 4:40 am
Paul, great post. Thanks for making this information available to us.