Information

[lewisbaby]

However, the very essence of Obama's entire campaign is that he is going to Washington to change the climate of Washington. How can one believe he will change the climate of Washinton politics when he has chosen as his running mate someone who is at its heart what is wrong - an insider, someone who has never done anything other politics,

I'm thinking the best way to go about changing things is to start on the inside, and how better to do that than with an insider on your ticket?

[lewisbaby]

 However, any one person would be a complete fool to think that Obama's medical "plan" will benefit anyone. 

Ok I know this is a debate forum, but this sentence really offended me.  I am one of those fools who thinks a government healthcare plan will benefit millions of people.  I am one of those people it would benefit.  My husband is disabled and his medication and doctor visits cost a fortune.  He is eligible for medicare, but has to pay for it out of his disability check which is $600 a month and doesn't even begin to cover his monthly living expenses, much less any of his care.  The health insurance I have through my job is terrible.  Our yearly maximum benefit was met in February of this year, so the next 10 months of the year, we have to pay for everything out of pocket.  So, yeah I think that public healthcare could benefit a lot of people.  And I don't appreciate being called a fool for that. 

[lewisbaby]

However, suffice it to say that those who believes that one can cut taxes of two major sectors while providing more social services and at the same time not increase the ever burgeoning trillion dollar debt to China is a fool.

Bill Clinton did it.  It wasn't the exact situation obviously, but he cut taxes and brought us out of our deficit and left office with something like a 40 billion dollar surplus.


And I'm sorry, but being a mayor of a town of less than 10,000 people and then being a governor for a year... I'm not sure that counts as experience.

[gonecamping]

 However, any one person would be a complete fool to think that Obama's medical "plan" will benefit anyone. 

Ok I know this is a debate forum, but this sentence really offended me.  I am one of those fools who thinks a government healthcare plan will benefit millions of people.  I am one of those people it would benefit.  My husband is disabled and his medication and doctor visits cost a fortune.  He is eligible for medicare, but has to pay for it out of his disability check which is $600 a month and doesn't even begin to cover his monthly living expenses, much less any of his care.  The health insurance I have through my job is terrible.  Our yearly maximum benefit was met in February of this year, so the next 10 months of the year, we have to pay for everything out of pocket.  So, yeah I think that public healthcare could benefit a lot of people.  And I don't appreciate being called a fool for that. 

I don't think the comment was made to offend anyone..Healthcare in this country is outrageous with so many on the verge on losing everything just to pay for basic care. Is there anyway you can get help through the local hospital? My brother was waiting for disability to be approved, had no income and is a diabetic with a seizure disorder. He was paying $300 a month for a bare bones medical insurance policy. His local hospital approved him for a grant and it covered all his hospital and doctor co-pays for a certain period. Not medication unfortunately. Might be worth checking into something like that for your husband? Good luck.

[LKappy]

 Found THIS ... would add a lil' spicey spice to the campaign. Wonder if it is true...

[Art_Teacher]

 I had never heard of Palin, either, but I have been reading about her and I am impressed.  I think she is exactly what McCain needs.   A regular person who is intelligent, motivated, and well-spoken.  She is not a Washington insider, thus, she will garner votes of those who are sick and tired of politics as usual.  She has done things in Alaska to better the state, whereas Obama has voted with his party most of the time.  Time will tell, but I think this is the shot in the arm that McCain's campaign needed, and I think he is pretty smart.  It has helped me to feel better about my choice, because like many have said, I don't want to vote Republican just because I am Republican, and I wasn't very happy with either candidate.  My opinion of McCain has gone up the more I see of him, and I have hope with this choice of running mate that some change actually could happen!

[Art_Teacher]

 Wow, Lisa!  That is some story.  I also would doubt the truth of it.  I have known women who didn't look like they were pregnant far into their pregnancies.  I have also known teenage girls who have a "belly bump" and they are not pregnant.  It is just the way they look and the clothes they are wearing.  That is an interesting bit of speculation.  I will say this...if it is true, I don't necessarily fault her for it.  Many parents have done this for their child so that they could continue to live a teenage life and so that they (the parents) can better take care of the baby than their teenager.  Usually, they eventually come out and tell the baby when it is old enough to understand.  I had read that through testing she knew the baby would have Down's Syndrome, so I'm surprised there is no mention of that in the story. 

[torysmom]

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080901/pl_ ... s_palin_dc

i always thought the children of candidates were off limits...but i guess not.  i don't think her 17 year old daughter getting pregnant and marrying the guy makes her any less of a candidate.

[Queen Mum]

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080901/pl_ ... s_palin_dc

i always thought the children of candidates were off limits...but i guess not.  i don't think her 17 year old daughter getting pregnant and marrying the guy makes her any less of a candidate

"Accidents" happen in the best of families.

Sounds like Mrs. Palin is handling this the best she can - as any mother would.

And I'm glad that Sen. McCain's campaign knew about this before the selection was made.

I also think it was good of Sen. Obama to say that families are off limits.

No one has control over anyone other than him/herself.

 I saw Governor Palin on the state news many times during her pregnancy, and I would find it hard to believe that she faked it.  Also, if the baby is Bristol's, and he's 4 months old, how can she be 5 months pregnant now?  Am I missing something here?

But, regardless, I don't think this has any bearing on the election and her ability to serve our country.  It sounds to me like the family is trying to handle it the best way possible, as a personal family matter.

I just got done watching the RNC and listening to the speeches by Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman.  Did you hear the people shouting . . . "SARAH, SARAH!!!"  I think she's definitely earning the respect of the party.

[Art_Teacher]

 Mindy, they told the story about Bristol being pregnant to shut up the rumors that Sarah Palin faked her pregnancy.  That article came out first, then the news that Bristol is pregnant.  I agree, it doesn't have a bearing on her ability to lead the country.  There are lots of reasons why a 17 year old gets pregnant, and it isn't always bad parenting.  I'd say it has alot more to do with how acceptable it is in our country today.  I have been reading up about her, and I am impressed.

[JeanG]

 My dh is going to drive me nuts over this on Palin: her experience  is in Alaska, which is the largest state, but only has 700,000 population-wise. Detroit, New York, Chicago, L.A., etc., etc. all have populations over 700,000 and they're just cities.  So her experience isn't much when you compare it to even mayors of those cities. (Except Kilpatrick - he sure has screwed up, eh?)  Looking at that, how can the Republican party laud her ability in politics?

And thanks for letting me know that the baby was there in Dayton - that really bothered me a lot!