BlogHer - Election 2008: Health Care and Marriage Hot Button Issues - Comments

Thanks, Mark! Dana from The

Dana J. Tuszke — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:16:51 -0500

Thanks, Mark!

Dana from The Dana Files.

Yep very nice! Mark -

willow9 — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:18:07 -0500

Yep very nice!

Mark - Directory Network Services

There are other means as

nelle2nelle — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 18:15:57 -0500

There are other means as well. Most are uninsured due to inability or unwillingness to pay for health care, and given premiums, it's understandable.

My own personal choice is to have a national discussion on the topic, and get ideas on the table, and his is but one to consider.

There are huge amounts of money and waste in the health care system, and we can find a means to keep it revenue neutral yet cover everyone. We also have to find a way to remove the burden from employers. When a GM has an added product cost of $1,300 due to employee/retiree health care, there is a problem.

The solution isn't necessarily government as provider. We(Americans) tend to value our insurer based system, but lets find more creative ways to get it done. While I am open to government based providing, it should not be a prerequisite, as universal health and non-employer based solutions should be.

nelle

"Getting my elephants in a

Melinda Casino — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:55:04 -0500

"Getting my elephants in a row..."

Nice touch.

It's a tough call this time

Dana J. Tuszke — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:33:30 -0500

It's a tough call this time around. I'm really praying things turn around in the next few months.

Dana from The Dana Files.

Jim, thank you for your

Dana J. Tuszke — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:32:53 -0500

Jim, thank you for your point. I'ved exercise my right to vote in every election thus far. If it comes down to it, I may write in a cadidate. It's very discouraging to sift through all the issues and find the lesser of all the evils as Dana from Mamalogues says.

My brother serves in the military and strongly believes in voting. I do also, but sometimes I think my vote is irrelevant when the candidates...well...stink.

Dana from The Dana Files.

I also think that the

Mamalogues — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:53:45 -0500

I also think that the Republican candidates fall short of my expectations. I've not considered Brownback, either.

I cannot stomach John McCain. Cannot.

I disagree with some of Rudy's platform.

The Dems? I don't think Hilary can do the job. I, too, remember the health care fiasco. I devoured Chris Hitchens' "No One Left to Lie To," which referenced the matter.

Obama? I think he's inexperienced. I disagree with him on a few things.

Which lesser of the evils will it be? At this point, I'm inclined to abstain. (Jim makes a great point, therein lies the problem!)

Dana
Mamalogues.com
In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Pop Mama
Since Eve

While

heivilinj — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:50:46 -0500

I can't relate to your politics, Dana, and I can't find a reliable source for an attribution, someone once said "If there is no one you want to vote for, surely there's someone you need to vote against!".

So while I may be canceling out my own vote, I would still encourage you to participate. Thousands of service men and women have, and are, paying the ultimate price in order for you to do that, don't let them down.

Jim Heivilin

Hi Nelle! Regarding

Dana J. Tuszke — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:07:30 -0500

Hi Nelle! Regarding marriage, I was speaking of the marriages of the candidates in the race. It may become the target in all the mudslinging. I apologize for not being clear on my point.

Yes, health care is huge. As I mentioned in my comment to Maria, Tommy Thompson is proposing a plan for the uninsured. These people go to the ER for their care which is extremely costly -- he proposes having the uninsured Americans put into groups in their states and having insurance companies bid on providing them with coverage as it's less expensive than ER care which is why those of us with insurance usually pay higher premiums. We'll see if he can walk the talk. I really hope he can.

Dana from The Dana Files.

Thanks Gary. Dana from The

Dana J. Tuszke — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:04:40 -0500

Thanks Gary.

Dana from The Dana Files.

Thanks Maria! I've thought

Dana J. Tuszke — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:04:15 -0500

Thanks Maria! I've thought about Brownback, but yesterday I saw former Wisconsin governor, Tommy Thompson on Round Table and he's contemplating a run. He's been very reliable in in political stand. I really hope he goes for it.

Dana from The Dana Files.

Marriage as an issue?

nelle2nelle — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:38:48 -0500

I'm not seeing it. It might be in some states, but the more conservative states have already passed a ban into their respective constitutions, whilst northeast states have begun to move towards civil unions. NH will be joining Connecticut as the second state to legislatively enact civil unions without court coercion... this should happen within a couple of months.

It's also seen as a stepping stone to this being the first state to bring marriage through legislation, without coercion, and the primary reason it's not happening this time around is our governor wants no part of making it a presidential issue in the first primary state.

Health care is an issue that we need to talk on, this nonsense of not covering everyone in this country has gone on long enough. Perhaps if we didn't spend 8 billion a month fighting a nonsensical war, we could actually take care of people instead of finding creative ways to blow them up.

nelle

healthcare info

gdstark — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:32:50 -0500

If you're looking for the position of the various candidates on healthcare, try this...

Link Text

gary

Brownback

Maria Niles — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:01:12 -0500

Dana,

Have you considered Sam Brownback? He seems to represent your values well and is also a conservative Catholic. He is however polling very low.

I'm in the same boat on the Democratic side as I like Kucinich's positions but can't see voting for him as he's got virtually no support this second time around. I'm supporting Obama but regardless of which Dem gets the nod I'm voting. I don't think that any candidate will match my views perfectly but I think voting is too important to sit out.

As an aside, my Catholic religious education (though I'm not Catholic as a matter of faith) played a major role in me being a raging liberal. Good luck in finding a candidate you feel you can vote for.

Election 2008: Health Care and Marriage Hot Button Issues

Dana J. Tuszke — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:33:33 -0500

My recent quest to find a Republican candidate for President that I can support, has ended in anger and frustration. I've never been one to vote Democrat, being a Catholic conservative, but lately I feel as though not a single cadidate on either side of the party lines, is worthy of the Presidency. Senator Barack Obama not included. I actually like him, yet I have issues with his issues on abortion.

While John Edwards is busy campaigning for President (and wife Elizabeth battles cancer), Rudy Giuliani welcomes the idea of his wife, Judith, sitting in on White House Cabinet meetings and other policy discussions should he be elected President.

The Washington Post reports that Giuliani, former New York City mayor, told Barbara Walters during the 20/20 interview if Judith wanted to, and the meetings "were relevant to something she was interested in" he would be very comfortable with the idea.

Guiliani is currently leading the Republican party very early in polling. He said his wife is very important to him and one of his most important advisers. Judith Giuliani is a nurse and she said she may play a role in creating and developing a health care plan in the Giuliani administration.

I'm having an episode of deja vu. The "Hillary Care" fiasco of 1993 springs to mind, as well as many questions.

In a campaign where candidates John Edwards and Mitt Romney willingly explain their families' health issues (and it almost seems to work for their political agendas), is it okay to allow a president to bring in his wife to create policy in government? Will "Judy Care" be any better than Hillary Clinton's attempt, which was well received by liberal politicians and many Americans who said health care was the most important issue facing the country?

Health care is potentially the number one problem and concern in our country. Millions of families and children and elderly, are without basic health insurance.

The plan created by Hillary Clinton in 1993 seemed like a sure thing, able to pass through the Democratic-controlled Congress, but conservatives and libertarians, and the insurance industry criticzed Clinton's "Health Security" plan, claiming it was overly bureaucratic and restricted patient choice.

One would think Judith Giuliani working in the health care field would bring a certain advantage to Giuliani's campaign. She looks good on paper, but can she walk the talk?

With the recent tabloid release of her marital history, will Americans be able to trust her? Both Rudy and Judith have been married three times and divorced twice. While a marriage "rap sheet" shouldn't be used as a bias, conservative Americans may be quick to write off any serious campaign efforts, claiming the Giulianis have no family values.

Rudy Giuliani admits he's not perfect and makes mistakes. Honesty is always the best policy, but in a presidential election, admissions such as these tend to create skeptic voters. If we look back on recent history, marital discourse in the White House isn't something Americans take lightly.

Giuliani isn't the only Republican candidate to be married three times. New Gingrich has also had marital troubles and has been accused of having an affair with a woman during the time of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. Only recently, during a conservative talk radio interview did Gingrich respond bluntly, "Well the fact is that the honest answer is yes."

Getting my elephants in a row, Arizona Senator John McCain is the third candidate with a record of marital troubles. During his first run for the White House he stated, "Let me say that I am responsible for the breakup of my first marriage."

As a conservative myself, I find it hypocritical the way certain Republican, conservative politicians (Gingrich), are playing with fire.

Like health care, the "sanctity of marriage" is a hot button issue with Americans, mainly on the conservative right.

Many Republicans and conservatives are against gay marriage (Giuiliani and McCain being the exceptions in this race) and yet these same politicians participate in extra-marital affairs and head quickly to divorce court.

I feel like my values are bing mocked. It's okay to cheat on your husband or wife, but it's not okay to allow gay marriage? Hypocrisy.

Former President Bill Clinton is looking like a saint now, in comparison. Sure, he cheated, but he stayed married! The irony...

2008 may be the first year I do not vote at all and that, my friends, is another issue.

Contributing Editor Dana J. Tuszke also blogs at The Dana Files.