Clipmarks | BitDrifter's Comments

Only tiny fraction of House plan is "government-run health care"

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:33:00 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Too bad, I say. But Republicans are crowing about nothing.

For several months, we’ve been debunking assertions that Democratic health care bills call for a Canadian or British-type system in which everyone is insured, or insured and cared for, through the government. None of the bills being debated in Congress call for such a single-payer system.

But Republicans are still recycling "government-run" claims

Boehner told Fox News that the revised House bill is "nothing short of a complete government takeover of our health care system." Boehner partly blamed the federal insurance plan for the takeover, saying, "you’re going to drive every private health insurance company out of business."

The claim that the House bill would amount to "government-run health care" suffered a blow last week, when the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the so-called "public plan" in the revised bill wouldn’t offer much in the way of competition to private insurers. But that hasn’t stopped Republicans from repeating the claim.

Tags: healthcare

House GOP Brings Transparency To HealthCare Bill Online

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:19:09 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: The GOP will continue its online push against the bill on Thursday, when Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) will lead a 12-hour online town hall to discuss health care.

VIA Representative Bob Latta (Oh.-R)

http://latta.amplify.com/

Meanwhile, the Republican caucus is using the social networking site Amplify to highlight portions of the bill with which they take issue. On their page healthcaretruth.amplify.com, Republican users share the actual text of the bill up for discussion and leave a comment. Other users can leave their own comments or share the content using Twitter, Facebook, Digg and other social networking tools.

Reps. Boehner, Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) spearheaded the project, and Boehner introduced it to other House Republicans this morning at their weekly members-only meeting.

http://rnmc.amplify.com/2009/11/03/house-gop-brings-transparency-to-health-care-reform/

Clip Source: www.cbsnews.com

Meanwhile, the Republican caucus is using the social networking site Amplify to highlight portions of the bill with which they take issue. On their page healthcaretruth.amplify.com, Republican users share the actual text of the bill up for discussion and leave a comment. Other users can leave their own comments or share the content using Twitter, Facebook, Digg and other social networking tools.

"As House Republican members continue to move through this massive bill, we wanted a tool that would make it easy to show Americans what it means in plain English -- the general public doesn't have the time or the inclination to read a 2,000-page bill," Nick Schaper, the director of new media for Boehner's office, told the Hotsheet. "We'd really like to start a section-by-section discussion on the bill."

Tags: amplify-twitter, bring transparency to citizens, cbs.com report, healthcare, house gop members

GOP uses Amplify to focus the health care debate

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:18:58 GMT

clipped by: egoldstein
clipper's remarks: One of the greatest challenges of our time is trying understand the complex issues being debated in Washington. Whether it's regarding the Swine Flu, global warming or in this case, the proposed health care bill, people need a better way to understand it all. I am incredibly excited that the House Republicans are using Amplify to take transparency to a whole new level in regards to the legislative process. Forgive me for sounding a bit corny, but i think this is truly a great thing for our democracy.

Clip Source: healthcaretruth.amplify.com

As House Republicans continue to battle Speaker Pelosi’s $1.3 trillion government takeover of health care, they’re using a new tool - Amplify.com - to engage the American people in a section-by-section dialogue scrutinizing all 1,990 pages of PelosiCare. Republicans hope the new site will provide the American people with an unfiltered online clearinghouse for emerging information about the Pelosi bill as Democrats attempt to bring the massive legislation to a vote. The idea is simple. As House Republicans pour pore through the Speaker’s health care monstrosity and uncover harmful provisions not being disclosed to the American people by the majority, Amplify allows House Republicans to clip specific portions and explain what they mean in plain English.

Tags: gop, health care

Confederate Flag, Pride or Hate?

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:12:01 GMT

clipped by: bferman

Clip Source: propaganda-buster.blogspot.com

[Video]

The North fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, while the South fought over the issue of state rights.

At the start of the Civil War 10% of Southerners owned slaves. So does that mean the other 90% fought so the 10% could maintain their slaves? The 90% consisted mainly of poor southern whites who were poor due to the institution of slavery. Are we to say this 90% group fought to remain poor?

Also at the start of the war more free blacks lived in the South than in the North. Many Southern blacks put on the grey uniforms of the Confederacy to fight for the South

Slavery existed for four years under the Confederate flag, while it existed for about 87 years under the United States flag

This hate towards the Confederate flags is just a vehicle for liberals to attack conservatives. Plus it plays into the hands of the extreme liberals, the political correct thugs, and the pervert thespians in Hollywood who always portraying Southerners as rednecks, and just plain stupid.

Tags: confederate flag, politics

ElBaradei says nuclear Israel #1 threat to Mideast report

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:03:44 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: AT LAST...the Director General has unmasked himself. It's not about Iran...it's about Israel!!! I can imagine the "talks" he & Iran's mega-leader will have.

"condemned Iran's alleged deception"?? It's been known for years. My jaw drops at the attempts these people go to to dupe and mislead people.

Clip Source: news.xinhuanet.com

ElBaradei says nuclear Israel number one threat to Mideast: report

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei said Sunday that "Israel is number one threat to Middle East" with its nuclear arms, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"Israel is the number one threat to the Middle East given the nuclear arms it possesses," ElBaradei was quoted as saying.

Israel is widely assumed to have nuclear capabilities, although it refuses to confirm or deny the allegation.

"This (possession of nuclear arms) was the cause for some proper measures to gain access to its (Israel's) power plants ... and the U.S. president has done some positive measures for the inspections to happen,"

ElBaradei arrived in Iran Saturday for talks with Iranian officials over Tehran's nuclear program.

Leaders of the United States, France and Britain have condemned Iran's alleged deception to the international community involving covert activities in its new underground nuclear site.

Man at MoveOn.org healthcare vigil bites off opponent's finger

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:48:19 GMT

clipped by: clip-on-tie

Clip Source: www.redcounty.com

Finger spit out onto street

The wet starbursts of spattered blood dot the gray sidewalk for a distance of about 30 feet, marking the path the victim took to his car after part of his finger was bitten off and spat into the street by a protester at a MoveOn.org healthcare vigil this evening.

The “We Can’t Afford to Wait Vigil”, organized by MoveOn.org, already had drawn approximately one hundred people who gathered on the northwest corner of the intersection at Lynn and Hillcrest roads in Thousand Oaks, California.

About 20 minutes earlier, a man on MoveOn.org’s side of the street crossed over and shouted “Why don’t you like the public option?” Several of the counter-protesters said that they don’t want the government to run everything. The MoveOn.org man got nose to nose with a short, gray-haired counter-protester, and sneered, “You’re an idiot.”

The MoveOn.org protester then allegedly bit off the finger up to the first knuckle, and spat it into the street where it was recovered by Bush.

Tags: moveon.org house party, violent leftists, sickening

Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals in All 50 States, Says Gallup Poll

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:40:14 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners
clipper's remarks: The downside for conservatives is that many more liberals than conservatives seem to think they are moderates which makes the numbers much closer and this poll only useful in the way it trends.

Clip Source: www.cnsnews.com

Self-identified conservatives outnumber self-identified liberals in all 50 states of the union, according to the Gallup Poll.

In 2009, 40% percent of respondents in Gallup surveys that have interviewed more than 160,000 Americans have said that they are either “conservative” (31%) or “very conservative” (9%). That is the highest percentage in any year since 2004.

Only 21% have told Gallup they are liberal, including 16% who say they are “liberal” and 5% who say they are “very liberal.”

Thirty-five percent of Americans say they are moderate.

According to new data released by Gallup on Friday, conservatives outnumber liberals in all 50 states--including President Obama’s home state of Illinois

“Despite the Democratic Party's political strength-- seen in its majority representation in Congress and in state houses across the country--more Americans consider themselves conservative than liberal,” said Gallup’s analysis.

Tags: conservative, liberal, moderate, poll

WOW: Outstanding achievement!!!

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:43:28 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: yes, this truly deserves recognition.......

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A teenage boy, Bobby McHale, has been awarded a certificate from a holiday scheme in Bury, Greater Manchester - for getting the bus.

Bobby McHale from Bury who has a certificate for his abilities at bus stops

The 15 year-old got the certificate from exam board AQA after attending a three week holiday scheme run by Bury Youth Services earlier in the summer.

Some of Bobby's friends also received the qualification although others, including Bobby's younger brother Joe, 13, missed out it.

The teenager, from Bury, Greater Manchester, wasn't even aware he had sat the test and admitted he was surprised to be awarded the certificate.

Entitled "Using Public Transport (Unit 1)" it recognised, amongst other skills, his ability to:

*Walk to the local bus stop.

*Stand or sit at a bus stop and wait for the arrival of a public bus.

*Sit on the bus and observe through the windows.

"It just seems really silly to me," said Bobby, who is set for A grades at GCSE.

Tags: the end of thinking, barmy britain

What's Not To Love About 45% Tax Rate?

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:37:41 GMT

clipped by: ColoradoRight
clipper's remarks: but their healthcare is free, free, free

Clip Source: www.adamsmith.org

Now, of course these people know that the NHS is paid for by taxation, so it’s strange that they give it such credit for being ‘free’. Then again, with NI contributions, stealth taxes, PAYE and government borrowing, it’s all too easy for us to forget how much we actually pay.

Your Income: £30,390
Direct Taxes: £7,396
Indirect Taxes: £4,904
Borrowed On Your Behalf: £1,320
Your Total Bill: £13,620 (45% of your earnings, £6.97 for each hour you worked)

Services You Paid For:

Health £2,317

Pensions £2,285

Welfare £2,130

Education £1,740

Defence £895

Protection £743

Debt Interest £689

Government Costs £564

Transport £493

Other Spending £1,767

NB. Click for sources on taxation and expenditure.

Tags: uk, healthcare, taxes

America has no right to speak ill of our NHS

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:14:56 GMT

clipped by: kitsua
clipper's remarks: Great article continues at source:
"It is the one thing, in our digital, atomised, privatised, multi-ethnic age, that unites us; our irreducible essence, the very best of us. Healthcare free at the point of delivery is the principle upon which every politician across our spectrum — marginal self-publicists such as Daniel Hannan aside — now agrees. The NHS ministered to David Cameron’s brain-damaged son as tenderly as to Gordon Brown’s fatally ill infant girl. It shows that decency, fairness and compassion, the national traits we fear died with nobler generations, live on. That America does not have universal health-care, that 47 million of your citizens live in fear of getting ill, appals and, frankly, baffles us."

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

America has no right to speak ill of our NHS

Free healthcare is the mark of a civilised society. It is the one principle that unites British politicians across the spectrum

Dear America, for some time now we’ve realised that far from being your special pal, you’re not that into us. We know the love — like the extradition treaty between us — flows mostly one way. For his military loyalty, our previous Prime Minister got yo-Blaired. For his exquisite hand-wrought presidential gifts, our present PM got White House gift shop tat. America, we sucked it up.

You can diss our food, recoil at our personal hygiene, cast our RSC grandees as 2D villains, send Gwynnie and Madonna to patronise us, fingerprint us like criminals at your airports, mow down our sons in “friendly fire”. But as the rage over President Obama’s healthcare reforms descends into attack ads and town-hall gunfire, don’t you dare speak ill of our NHS.

Tags: healthcare, nhs

5 national parks to see before you die

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:33:52 GMT

clipped by: infidel70

Clip Source: www.chicagotribune.com

Yosemite

For scenery that will take your breath away, Yosemite National Park (nps.gov/yose) in central California is unmatched

Yellowstone

This geological hot spot that stretches across the western portion of northern Wyoming and southern Montana is the best place in the world to check out the spewing geysers

Grand Canyon

A mile-deep gorge that stretches nearly 300 miles across northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon (nps.gov/grca) is ablaze with the fiery colors of eons of rock layers that tell the history of the geological world

Redwood

Stand in awe alongside the tallest living organisms in the world at Redwood National Park (nps.gov/redw), in coastal northern California

Denali

crown jewel of Denali (nps.gov/dena) in central Alaska is the perpetually snowcapped Mount McKinley (named Denali by Athabaskan tribes). The tallest mountain in North America stretches more than 20,000 feet skyward. Visitors will find this park wilder and less congested (and less accessible) than most other national parks

Medal of Honor recipients roasted

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:36:22 GMT

clipped by: jay8h

Clip Source: www.onenewsnow.com

Medal of Honor recipients roasted

Some of President Barack Obama's choices to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor are getting less-than-enthusiastic endorsements.

A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says President Obama's decision to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Irish President Mary Robinson on Wednesday is a nod of approval to anti-Americanism and anti-Israel activism.

Other Medal of Freedom recipients honored by President Obama last night included lesbian tennis star Billie Jean King, the late homosexual activist Harvey Milk, the late Republican lawmaker Jack Kemp of New York, Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, and retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Randy Thomasson of SaveCalifornia.com tells OneNewsNow that Milk was a promiscuous homosexual activist. "He advanced the homosexual, bisexual, transsexual agenda," he notes. "[Milk] went after teenage boys. At age 33 he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy."

Medal of Honor recipients roasted

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:36:22 GMT

clipped by: jay8h

Clip Source: www.onenewsnow.com

Medal of Honor recipients roasted

Some of President Barack Obama's choices to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor are getting less-than-enthusiastic endorsements.

Actual Police Report of Prof. Gates Arrest

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:04:36 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: The internet lets us see for ourselves.

Clip Source: incredulous.newsvine.com

Actual Police Report of Prof. Gates Arrest

This is a pdf file of the arrest report which appeared at the Boston Globe site and was subsequently removed.

Judge for yourself whether Prof. Gates' behavior warranted arrest and whether the police officer acted appropriately.

http://www.amnation.com/vfr/Police%20report%20on%20Gates%20arrest.PDF

Myths about Canadian health care

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:00:09 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Are taxes high? Is bureaucracy huge? Author has used both US and Canadian systems, and finds the Canadian better.

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.
In actuality, taxes are nearly equal on both sides of the border. Overall, Canada's taxes are slightly higher than those in the U.S. However, Canadians are afforded many benefits for their tax dollars, even beyond health care (e.g., tax credits, family allowance, cheaper higher education), so the end result is a wash. At the end of the day, the average after-tax income of Canadian workers is equal to about 82 percent of their gross pay. In the U.S., that average is 81.9 percent.

Myth: Canada's health care system is a cumbersome bureaucracy.
The U.S. has the most bureaucratic health care system in the world. More than 31 percent of every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. goes to paperwork, overhead, CEO salaries, profits, etc. The provincial single-payer system in Canada operates with just a 1 percent overhead

Debunking Canadian health care myths (via Digg)

Tags: healthcare, canada