Article: Obama Capital Gains Tax Hike Would Hit N.Y. Hard

ba - in terms of whom the Bush tax cuts help - its not me. I am not rich enough for his policies to help me out at all.

The small business incentives that Bush implemented meant nothing to our business. The cost of health care is our biggest concern and biggest drag on scaling and investing in our company.

Starting this company was much harder than it was starting companies under Clinton and we almost didnt do it because of the rising costs of health care.

He is either a fine example or Pinocchio.

BA thanks for the RNC drivel - "everything bad that happened while Bush and the REpublicans were in charge should be blamed on Clinton, the gays, or the illegals"

Anyone remember how Toronto, Canada was reformed?
Mike Harris, the premier of Ontario starved the welfare fed bottom feeders and cut taxes for the corporates/small businesses/etc. End results was no more deficit, 200% down in unemployment rate (bottom feeders had to get up from their couch and actually get a job otherwise provincial fund of $40/week wasn't cutting it) and better municipal funding.

Okay, here's a repeat of my question from yesterday...

**************
Peter,

Honest question: if the Federal government gave you the option to (1) pay more than your required tax responsibility, (2) refuse your social security checks upon retirement, or (3) make outright donations to the US Treasury, would you be interested in any or all of these options? I'm not trying to be cute - I'm genuinely interested. I have met a lot of folks like yourself that have a pretty staunchly redistributionist ideology, but many aren't sure what to say when I ask them how they would respond to options like those I listed above. (By the way, you're in good company -- Warren Buffett believes he should pay more taxes, too.)

Petr,
If you are upset about the rise in health care cost, why sticking with the democrats who supports universal HMO policy? This will drive the cost even higher in the long run.

ba294 - I am not sure if I disagree with you, but could you explain how they drive up cost in the long run. This isn't snark, but an honest inquiry.

Republicans are widely known to donate more to charity than Liberals. Liberals think taking care of the poor is the job of the federal government, through tax dollars, rather than the job of community outreach organizations, through private donations. This is why liberals are cheap douchebags. Despite how rich some of them are, they want the rest of us to foot the bill for these expenditures.

I employ 6 in 2 of my medical offices. Bush has given me $300,000 tax free money in equipment purchasing. I was able provide better care with these equipments and with the money that I saved, I was able to afford my staff and spending back to the economy.

So let's revert this, no tax cut then it comes to 2 end results:
1) Minimal equipment purchase
less staff
lesser quality of health care

OR
2) Equal Equipment purchase
Same # of staff
Same quality of service
High cost of care passed on to my lovely patients.

I would choose option 2 in my office. Now, who do you blame for this high rise in health cost?

If you have a universal HMO health care, this only benefits the insurance company.
Doctors salary are capped and they will work and provide lesser service. (Fine example of Communism)
Insurance company on the other hand will continue to collect and redistribute the fund to the doctors at minimal pocketing the rest. More private health industry will pop up (This is why Canada health care system is failing and more private hospitals are opening)

If more private offices/hospital, lesser HMO distributed to the capped doctors. To match the capped salary, they need to raise the cost of the insurance. it works in a cycle.

Ba294 - thanks. If universal HMO policy allowed for tax free money in equipment purchasing, would you be against it?

east cider - i didnt answer your question before because it was obviously framed in a ridiculous fashion and didnt make sense.

I am happy to pay my fair share of taxes even if that means more than I am paying now. I believe taxation at the Federal level and the funding of key infrastructure initiatives at the federal level is the most efficient manner to ensure the overal posterity of our country.

I dont believe in saying you are going to lower taxes and cut spending when you have no intention to cut spending or no realistic way that you can cut spending. McCain is blatantly lying that he can cut taxes and not create a huge deficit and he knows it.

I think that leaving the deficit to our kids to pay off is immoral. We should pay more taxes to fund our wars and fund our soldiers.

I believe higher federal taxes spent correctly make the country healthier and our economy healthier and in turn make more opportunities for me and my kids. Federal taxes leverages the power of the entire country and makes us stronger in competition with other countries.

Memnonhi,
Under HMO policy, no doctor will purchase any equipment.
If I get paid 150k/year whether I see 100 patients a year or 20,000 patients a year, I would choose to see 100 instead of 20,000.

Same goes with equipments,
why would I spend $ if I am going to get paid the same?

This is why the end result of Universal HMO plan is disaster. It didn't work for the Canadians, why try here with x10 the population to cover?

Ba294 - so the danger is that there will be a two tiered structure for Health Care. A basic sort of universal care that run by unmotivated doctors providing bare minimum care, and a separate "private" health care system for those that can afford better doctors (who are motivated to give better care based on an increased profit potential)?

Higher taxes for a better economy, genius idea there petr . . .

Memnonhi,
Under HMO plan, this is how it works
You/Gov't pay the Insurance company $300/month
Insurance company pays the doctor $6/month (yes that's six dollars)
Insurance company pockets $294 (administration, profit, investing, etc)

If I have 1000 patients roster, i get paid $6000/month. out of the 1000, 100-200 will show to my office. Now, when these 100-200 patients show up, will I provide detailed consult and treatment when I am already paid $6/patient? Why would I spend more time when my fee is fixed? This is a huge problem in our health industry. The end result is doctors defrading the system, patients not getting proper care, insurance company bellying up. Total disaster. Why does Democrats want to implement universal healthcare? cuz these bottome feeders need health care too while sitting on their couch watching TV.

LIC as opposed to no money to power the engine that drives the economy?

How do you fund growth on debt without going bankrupt?

Do you consider your personal situation to get better if you spend more than you make, owe others huge amounts and dont have enough money to fund what you want to do?

We are becoming as dependent on foreign debt as we are dependent on foreign oil. Look at how that dependency on foreign oil is wiping us out, wait until those who hold our foreign debt start to squeeze our balls.

Tax cutting and deficit spending hurt our country.

We already went through this. The government already takes in more than enough to effectively provide all the services it should be providing. The correct solution is to cut government spending and scale back waste from entitlement programs, not put more of a tax burden on hard working Americans and have government get bigger and be more involved with things that it should not be involved with.

Memnonhi,

that is correct.
But under Democrats system, HMO flooded insurance will drive out the private health providers to the ground.

by "entitlement programs" you are using a word created by and pushed by the RNC. "Entitlement Programs" means anything that doesnt benefit the rich like public schools, health care, welfare, social security, afterschool programs, etc

What people like you dont get is that most of the money of this government dont go to entitlement programs that help the poor, the VAST amount of government spending and incentives goes to the rich.

Who got paid more and faster by FEMA in New Orleans - the rich guy whos beach house got wiped away or the person who rented?

LIC is 100% right
We have more than enough...it's all the garbage spending that needs to be weeded out. Clinton created all this mess and it's tough to get rid of it. At this rate, in year 2020, we'll be taxed out

People on Welfare/medicaid should be forced to provide Community service. This will drastically decrease the number of people dependent on govt aided programs and result in surplus in our budget.

I remember when we implemented similar program for these bottom feeders, they cried out civil right crap. What right do they have if they are on govt aided program and driving lexus with 19inch rims?

Watched Judge Judy the other day. One fat bottom feeder was on govt aid income, complaining not enough money to feed her daughter. Judy found a bill from her for 59.99 pay per view expense for WWE.

i think that the dollars spent by the federal government should be the same amount spent on the poor as are spent on the rich.

do you agree BA?

petr,
I agree, and I believe the $ spent on poor should be greater than the riches. But currently, it's out of $$cking control. I am just afraid that in 10 years, this country will be over-run by bottom feeders that we saw on "cyclops" the movie with jean claude van damm.

BA - currently the amount of federal money spent that benefits the rich is significantly higher than the amount of federal money spent that benefits the poor.

petr, you have absolutely no data to support that dumb statement.

I wouldn't say Clinton started all this big government mess. FDR started it, but it was manageable and controllable. Lyndon Johnson and his Great Society is what really started screwing things up. Reagan fixed a lot, but the one thing he didn't do was reduce the size of government enough.

LIC thanks for blaming everyone except the guy and party in charge. you are truly a man of responsibility

Pertz,
direct spending due to tax cuts yes, but please think little deeper. The amount of money generated from spending on the riches equates to almost none spending.

I'll make this simple for you:
Your dad gives you $100 to invest, in return he asks for $30 of any profit you'd make.
in 3months, you were able to make this $100 to $200, giving $60 to your dad. So the net spending of your dad is $40 not $100.

I didn't major in economy but these are simple 101 stuff

also, Gov't gives corp/small business tax benefits not direct funding. Bottom feeders get tax benefits plus direct funding. Simple math

Raising taxes would be okay with me if Obama clearly tells the American people where the money is going.

petr - blame Bush for starting big government politics that has its origins back to FDR and LBJ? What are you talking about?

Listen, we had a choice in 2000 and Gore just wasn't going to be a good option.
We had another choice in 2004 and John Kerry is one of the weakest individuals out there in the market. So weak he didn't even contemplate running today.

George Bush wasn't a great option either. But you had a choice of two.

petrfitz heres a nice article for you from the Wash Post...perhaps it will help you see reality

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/15/AR2008071502531.html

BA you are so brilliant on your assertations of the high quality of US healthcare

U.S. still flunks healthcare test, group says By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
Thu Jul 17, 12:07 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States fails on most measures of health care quality, with Americans waiting longer to see doctors and more likely to die of preventable or treatable illnesses than people in other industrialized countries, a report released on Thursday said.

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Americans squander money on wasteful administrative costs, illnesses caused by medical error and inefficient use of time, the report from the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund concluded.

"We lead the world in spending. We should be expecting much more in return," Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen told reporters.

The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation, created a 100-point scorecard using 37 indicators such as health outcomes, quality, access and efficiency.

They compare the U.S. average on these to the best performing states, counties or hospitals, and to other countries. The United States scored 65 -- two points lower than in 2006.

One key measure is prevention of premature deaths from easily treated conditions such as asthma and heart attacks.

The United States fell from 15th to last among 19 industrialized nations on this measure from 2006 to 2008. The report estimated the U.S. health care system could save 100,000 lives if it matched Japan or France, the top performers.

Infant mortality remains high in the United States, with a rate of 7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 2.8 per 1,000 in Japan and 3.1 in Sweden.

WASTEFUL CARE

Efficiency received a score of 53 "in part because of widespread delivery of inappropriate and wasteful care throughout the United States, including potentially avoidable hospital admissions, minimal use of information technology, and high insurance administrative costs," the report added.

The United States spent 7.5 percent of national health expenditures on insurance administration in 2005, compared to 6.9 percent in France, the next highest spending nation, 2.3 percent in Japan and 1.9 percent in Finland.

While 98 percent of doctors in the Netherlands and 89 percent in Britain use electronic medical records, only 28 percent do in the United States.

Some 47 million Americans have no health insurance and another 28 million are underinsured.

On the plus side, control of high blood pressure increased from 31 percent in 2000 to 41 percent of patients in 2004.

The researchers, who used data and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and elsewhere, said U.S. adults are significantly less likely than patients in five other countries surveyed to get an appointment with a doctor the same or the next day. (Editing by Akan Elsner)

USA were number 19 out of 19. USA! USA! USA!

nothiing like a little data on the US healthcare system to shut up BA

BA you must be proud to be a healthcare provider in the worst industrialized nation.

"by "entitlement programs" you are using a word created by and pushed by the RNC. "Entitlement Programs" means anything that doesnt benefit the rich like public schools, health care, welfare, social security, afterschool programs, etc"

No, "entitlement programs" refers to stopgap programs created largely in the post-Depression and great society eras which became sacred cows to the democrats. In the past, whenever the republicans tried to scale them down, the Democrats went to their constituents, largely from the underclasses and scared them with baseless accusations about how republicans want to get rid of school lunches for third graders.

And if SS doesn't benefit the "rich" why should they have to pay into it? Instead, simply raise the marginal rates on the "rich". No one disputes that. However, we dispute the threshold at which "rich" is defined. $250,000 per year for a married couple is not "rich". You try living on that Petrofitz.

$1,000,000 a year perhaps, but certainly not $250,000 a year. Between that and drilling, Obama's a loser in November. Keep those Obama buttons though, they'll be valuable on EBay when he runs as Veep to Hillary in 2012.

TA - I agree with you - you won me over. McCain in 08 we need 4 more years of the Bush economic policies and another war with Iran!

I hope a Pres. Obama stops pushing for national health care. Canada has one of the worse health care systems in the. People have resorted to pulling their own teeth because they have to wait weeks to see a dentist. Have you ever been near someone from England...the worse teeth in the world.

"TA - I agree with you - you won me over. McCain in 08 we need 4 more years of the Bush economic policies and another war with Iran!"

Fitz, the "McBush" chants aren't working. WSJ says McCain just had Carly Fiorina do a dog and pony show for the Hillraisers in Chappaqua. Its a matter of time before they turn on Obama. Hillary's revenge is McCain in the white house so she can run in 2012. Its all patently obvious whats going on. Barack's a Bush Leaguer.

Julia - actually America has the worst health system in the industrialized world. See the article above.

Do you think that the 47 million uninsured Americans and the additional 28 million uner insured americans would like to receive the kind of free health care that is available in Canada?

Petrofitz wont tell you that a third of those are illegal aliens and another third are eligible for medicaid but never applied.

TA - I agree I am now Republican. No more taxes. Wars in Iraq, Iran, Afghnistan! Let our kids and kids kids for our deficits.

I am rich anyway. I say make me richer so I can trickle on the rest of you. McCain in 08. Bomb Iran in 09!

F the poor, they choose not to have health care, and would pass up that free Canadian type health care if offered.

TA - I agree with you. Everyting bad that happened while Bush was in the White House and the Republican in control of Congress is due tothose damn illegals. Either them, the gays or Clinton.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/breaking_what_else_jesse_jackson_said_on_that_fnc_tape_89392.asp

Another nail for Obama. Now he's got to distance himself from Jesse "NWA" Jackson even further. The Hillraisers won't like this one.

Petrofitz--Be honest. Do you run handjob houses? You keep harping on this health care dogma. Probably because nationalized health care would benefit you directly. Or is it that you are just so altruistic and we are all just simpletons?

TA - your right Obama is done. McCain has no such problems his are easy like separating himself from Bush, Keating, Hagy, the stories of cheating on and dumping his first wife while she was paralyzed, fing lobbyist, having 54 lobbyist on his campaign, etc etc

Why Democracies fail?

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.
Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondage.

petrfitz, you're ridiculous. Comparing our healthcare system to others is a fruitless exercise - there are so many different variables from country to country (population size, delivery systems, sheer size of the country, population density, technology, education, etc.). I like the Commonwealth Fund, but have to admit they lean quite a bit to the left. And some of these indicators are almost dishonest - infant mortality is known to be much higher in the US. Why? Because we try to save a LOT more premature babies. Other nations don't and these "failed" births are not included in infant mortality stats. I really wish you'd stop posting your drivel on healthcare, because you've been spreading a lot of bad info on this board.

BJW - so you are saying we are not 19 out of 19 but in your opinion we are 1 out of 19?

petrfitz, read what I actually wrote; it's not that hard to understand. Ranking healthcare systems is not particularly helpful.

petre,
You are a complete idiot. USA health care system is failing due to Clinton's Health plan (HMO) Middle incomes don't have health insurance due to federal funding going directly to medicaid and welfare funds.

US still boasts top quality health care in private health industry.

petre,
I am from Canada and I still am assosciated with Royal college of Medical association.
Canada's Health care system is far worse than the US. You seem to think that more coverage means better care, but that is ABSOLUTELY FALSE. Having HMO care is worse than having no health coverage.

Please get this through your thick skull for the last time.

BA is back blaming the skyrocketing healthcare costs under Bush on Clinton! The party of responsibility! I love it.

"US still boasts top quality health care in private health industry." Yeah but that quality care is only enjoyed by the uber rich who pay for it out of their pockets.

BA - I am sorry that you are part of a profession that is ranked last in the entire known industrialized world.

Ideal Health plan would be HMO for illegal and bottom feeders and keep them isolated from private healthcare. You can build few clinics around the city so they could wait to be seen. They are on gov't assisted programs and have all the times around the world. If they want better care, either get a job to get a hold of private insurance or direct reimbusement to the provider.

Petre, do you goto mexico, asia, or europe to seek health care? why does King of Saudi arabia seek his health care from a colleague of mine on cetral park west office?
Many patients including politicians, UN associates from Europe and Africa come to my office to seek care instead of their country.

Blame Bush for health care? why? Clinton was the one who introduced HMO. Bush wants to get rid of it but he is having difficult time doing so from these bottom feeders. Canada is also going private health care route. Why are they if their HMO system is so wonderful?

I agree, uber rich enjoys quality care because they worked hard for it. If you are on govt assisted program, why should they get the same treatment? Middle class are suffering from their tax dollars goingn to the bottom feeders for their health care. So increase more tax so that that health care dream among the middle class is further and further away.

It breaks my heart when middle class hard working men comes to my office and can't afford a procedure and goes on a long payment plan. While these bottom feeders don't even show up to their appointment because they have EVERYTHING PAID FOR at ANYTIME by these hardworking middle class men.

Petrofitz thinks we should give free health care to illegal workers, which he probably employs. He doesn't realize we already give them free education. But thats not enough. He's a true socialist.

Totally,

I still don't understand why Democrats want to give free health care, free education, other funding when our middle class are suffering.

Petr, if you are truly concerned, please go drop your wealth or setup a charity. Or better, you'd fit right into North korea.

Free public school education is already constitutional right for children of illegal immigrants. Thank the (formerly) liberal SCOTUS for that one. Given their way, they'd extend it to health care. Mind you they "discovered" this constitutional right decades before apparently realizing that the Second Amendment existed.

They talk about a war that is supposedly underfunded when thats but a drop in the bucket as compared to the new entitlements they want to unleash.

Blame all the problems that happened while Bush and the Republicans were watched on the Liberals, the gays, the illegals, and Clinton. Blame anyone then the guy in charge and the party who had complete control of congress.

Its always someone elses fault

"Blame all the problems that happened while Bush and the Republicans were watched on the Liberals, ..."

What does Bush have to do with the SCOTUS giving free public school education to illegals' kids? I could name several other purported rights concocted by the (formerly) liberal court, not the least of which is fetus-killing. I'm no abortion loon but it makes you wonder when they find an abortion right in the Constitution but skip over the Second Amendment for 200 years.

ba294, I don't know how you can really blame HMOs. They are not the problem, especially recently as more people have shifted to PPOs, which are costlier of course. Managed care doesn't solve all problems by any means, but I think we're better off for having it.

TA - couldnt we stop the illegals problem by allowig them all to be aborted?

i think that also we should be able to shoot any illegal that steps on our property. That would cut down their numbers good - wouldnt it?

bjw,
HMO is a problem because patients don't receive quality care and Doctors start defrauding the system. Insurance company starts bellying up without any guideline from the state. More people are shifting to PPO as they are aware of the problem with HMO. PPO is more costly in the initial stage but in the long run, they are more efficient and cost effective (I've posted a reason why). Some medical organizations are saying that direct reimbursement, which is one tier up from PPO (HMO

is the most ideal way to go.

petrfitz...you need to calm down and face the facts...Obama will not be president and the democrats will lose congress.

petr,

you are sounding more stupid every minute.
How are we going to abort these illegal aliens? There are millions in the nation. If they are in and functioning in this society without any problem, why give them health and education at the cost of our hard working middle class? Democrats want everyone one of us to be a bottom feeder. Look at North Korea, is it working out? China is flourishing under the new policy.

"TA - couldnt we stop the illegals problem by allowig them all to be aborted?

i think that also we should be able to shoot any illegal that steps on our property. That would cut down their numbers good - wouldnt it?"

Guy, you counter arguments you cannot win with incredibly stupid remarks of how you perceive those with my point of view to think. its no wonder you're buddied up with Spitzer, another self-centered condescending dickhead. When his wife takes half his loot, you and he will be free to double team some whores...just don't do it on the taxpayers dime.

ba294,

Where are you from originally (before Canada)?

ba294, definitely appreciate your comments here - this is obviously a huge debate. This isn't really the place to discuss healthcare being an RE board and all, but I'll try to keep this short - what's the primary difference between HMOs and PPOs? HMOs prevent excessive usage of specialists, who are extremely costly. PPOs allow a much greater choice of providers, but there's no evidence that having a lot more choice improves outcomes. It's not like HMOs contract with only terrible physicians.

Bjw,
You are right, PPO allows greater choice of providers.
HMO doesn't neccessarily prevent excessive usuage of specialist. They will seek referal through their GP if they need to.

HMO contracted physicians are all horrible (99.99%). I encourage all patients who show up at my door with HMO to pay out of pocket at the specialist's office instead of utilizing their HMO plan.
I wrote a reason why earlier, but simply it's because physician has no reason to work or spend more time with the patient if they are getting fixed check of $6/month per patient. They also need to work in volume instead of quality. They need to see 40-50 patients a day (oppose to 13-18 in private office) in order to make descent salary. I've encountered hundreds of HMO physicians and not a single one was able to provide what the private office would do. You'll also see some PPO physician's rushing and not giving ideal care but it's less likely compare to HMO

HMO plans are cheaper than PPO.

For HMO, insurance company pays out fixed amount to the physician for treating X number of patients on his roster. For instance, Oxford comes to me and ask to handle 1000 patient of theirs at $6/month. This would net me $6000/month no more, no less. I would minimize my time with patients and won't do any preventive or surgeries that aren't urgent because I am still netting $6000/month.

Under PPO, insurance company pays you reduced fee per procedure done. So doctors have intention to work harder and treat any available cases for the patient. Patients have copays to reduce any insurance billing abuse by the doctors and patients.

ba294, what you're really talking about here is capitation versus fee-for-service. True, many HMOs use capitation (which is far from perfect - I don't like it myself), but that's not always the case. HMOs don't necessarily prevent excessive specialist usage, but it does guard against it far better. PCPs are meant to act as gatekeepers who decide whether a specialist visit is actually necessary. The major counterpoint to that is profit-driven HMOs will cut back on questionable usage, which could cost the patient (and the MCO) far more down the road if complications arise. Again, this whole debate's been going on for at least 10 years now. Still no great answers. And they aren't coming from Canada.

i bet the 100 million uninsured and under insured in America really care what you guys think about HMO vs PPO's.

i bet that they would love to know that they could get sick and not go bankrupt.

petrfitz, what is your problem? Please take your attitude and poor information elsewhere.

Capitation vs Reduced fee for service (Not ffs)
not many HMO but all HMO is a capitation plan. I would say PPO would prvent excessive usuage due to copay per visit policy. If a person wants to see a specialist, it's just a simple phone call to the GP to see a specialist. So theoretically it may work, but it doesn't. Also Democrats legal system had forced PCP to refer almost any case not neccessary. If a patient comes in with a problem, I would refer although not neccesarry because I want my @ss covered. Bush was suppose to implement the new legal system on his 2nd term but it never came through.

You make a very intelligent point. Yes there are pros and cons but you need to balance quality of service and cost. Universal HMO plan proposed by democrats are just plain insane.

ba294, very astute points. And I completely understand your position as a physician. It's really about misaligned incentives, and that forces people into these kinds of choices. There are no easy solutions unfortunately, but I agree with you, a universal HMO is not the way to go.

petr, you are trying to be sarcastic, but you just sound like an idiot. Who are these people ranking the healthcare system? You can get any America-hating liberal group to create a ranking that makes us look bad. This is meaningless.
You keep talking about the poor as if most of them are helpless invalids. This country succeeds based on individual responsibility. Practically anyone in this country (not all, but most) who decides to work hard can make a decent living, provide for himself/herself, and not live in poverty. If you love socialism so much, why don't you move to some communist country and experience its lower quality of life, but stop trying to change this country and its glorious principles.

I wanna see a cage match debate between LICC and Petr...

I'll start popping the corn

I agree with ba294 that immigrants are the biggest problem we have in the states. In fact I'd vote for just about anyone who would keep Canooks like ba294 in Canada. In addition I'd send "totallyanonymous" to France for government paid mental health screenings. Petrfitz it is really hard to argue with idiots who soak up propaganda with their morning toast. Argue these you Republican idiots.

1. France's public health care system ranks #1, USA's private system #37
2. The amount of money Lil' Bush has blown in Iraq to date: $560 billion
3. Clinton's Federal Budget surplus in 2000 = $230 billion, national debt was at 5.7 trillion
4. Lil Bush's Federal Budget Deficit in 2008 = $410 billion, national debt is almost double @ 9.6 trillion

Obviously there is a gap between Republican rhetoric and reality. So, ba294 and all you other Repubs please take your "talking points" to an RNC sponsored web board this one is supposed to be about real estate.

Also addressing the partisan hacks who claim that we should be lowering taxes and actually believe that McCain can keep Bush tax cuts and make more:

"A rare consensus has developed across the political spectrum that the government's own fiscal affairs are precarious, with an astonishing $53 trillion in long-term liabilities, according to the Government Accountability Office.

To put that number in human terms, the debt has reached $455,000 per U.S. household. As that debt grows, the United States increasingly relies on foreigners, including China and Middle East oil producers, for financing.

"The factors that contributed to our mortgage-based subprime crisis exist with regard to our federal government's finances," said Walker, now head of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a group established to raise alarms about the nation's budget. "The difference is that the magnitude of the federal government's financial situation is at least 25 times greater."

We are now getting our economic nuts squeezed by Arab countries because we are dependent on thier oil to run our cars and homes. Now with irresponsible calls for further tax cuts and waste ful spending by the republicans our debt has grown tremendously. We are now relying on Foreign Debt to power the engine of our economy. What do you think will happen when the foreign countries who hold our debt like China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India start to call those loans in or raise the cost of borrowing?

It would be devastattion to our economy unlike the credit crisis, katrina, and oil prices combined could not do.

I am actually proud of GWB and what the REpublicans have turned our country into:

"The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

Mr Bush, whose second and final term as President ends at the end of the year, then left the meeting at the Windsor Hotel in Hokkaido where the leaders of the world's richest nations had been discussing new targets to cut carbon emissions."

melandjes - not exactly accurate to label all of us as Republicans, especially when some of us aren't, and the "idiots" comment is in poor taste. Anyway, to address your first point, the French system is not as great as you think it is. I feel pretty confident telling you this as I'm half-French. They face huge deficits and the threat of bankruptcy is real. Every health system needs reform, and the French are no exception. As for Bush's failures, I tend to agree with you, but it's disingenuous to place all the blame squarely on him. I was never really in favor of the war, but crying over the money already spent isn't too helpful.

When would be the timeframe to sell to avoid the potential new gains tax? When might that go into effect, if they do?
I was planning on putting my coop on the market in Q4 of 2008 and want to make SURE the sale is subject to the current gains.

He has to win the election first...

Assuming he does win. My will most likely be closing sometime in 2009.

"I agree with ba294 that immigrants are the biggest problem we have in the states. In fact I'd vote for just about anyone who would keep Canooks like ba294 in Canada."

And you call other people "idiot".

"I agree with ba294 that immigrants are the biggest problem we have in the states. In fact I'd vote for just about anyone who would keep Canooks like ba294 in Canada."

I'd don't believe he's a Canook, originally. His written English implies that it's a second language for him, and doesn't read the way a francophone would write English.

I believe he's originally from a country that has no national health plan at all, and a hideously bad health system for virtually everyone. But he's not willing to let that get in the way of his personal ideology.

Cassie unless you are selling your property for a net gain of $250K if you are single or a net gain of over $500K if you are married. Then even if Obama change cap gains you still wont pay any tax.

Before the pro bushies scare you make sure you know ho wyou are listening to and what their motivations are. They are trying to scare you with lies.

pertfitz, how come if someone doesn't wholeheartedly agree with you and/or Obama they are automatically a "pro bushie". And you call other people 'political hacks'.

Alanhart,

Sorry if my spelling, run on sentence, and grammer had offended you. I had much to respond to bottom feeders like yourself and few others, and had not translated my thoughts into sentences properly. BTW, my parents are from Milan. I was born in NJ, raised in Toronto most of my life (6 years in Milan), and now back in NY.

Much of the country in Europe has outstanding healthcare but it is nowhere to be compare to ours.
Like bjw said, no system is perfect but we have no reason to make it worse.

ba294

Is bad healthcare, like Canada has, is better than no healthcare for the 47 million Americans or not?

Toronto hospitals have equipment on par with the US and considered among the best in North America and have great doctors who might not have your mentality of $$$ coming before everything else. I do understand people have to wait for non essential surgery longer than in a pay as you use system like the US. My mom, who lives in Thornhill, just got diagnosed with cancer about 45 days ago and got operated on a few weeks later. She is even getting a nurse's aide for a month for 3-4 hours a day. So tell me how is it that the Canadian system is bad?

surdy,
Sorry to hear that. Hope she feels better.
Many canadian doctors choose to work less and neglect their patients to maximize both their earnings and lesigure. The reason why I say their Health care system is failing is because they do not allow any private health sector among their public health. Your mother was able to get a surgery within few weeks because it was probably an urgent care (my guess is stage two and need for lymph drainage which requires a nurse). Some folks with $ should be able to afford better doctor and better care while having a OHIP (public HMO).

I have no doubt Toronto has equipment and medical skills on par with the US. But the problem is, the skilled ones end up leaving the country to seek further education/training in the US, or better pay.

BTW, I am from Woodbridge...not too far from your parents

ba294

I agree that doctors leave Canada for greener$ pastures of the US but I know quite a few world class physicians who would never leave Canada even if you gave them a million bucks. I agree with you OHIP care is probably not the best, but it sure beats having no health coverage.

OHIP had it best when extra billing was allowed in the 80's. With extra billing everybody was happy. The doctors could bill extra if they could command the premium and people who could pay the fee got the doctor they wanted while others still got decent care. I agree with you when you socialize medicine, in time, the care falls to the lowest denominator. It's just too costly to provide the best for everybody, but I guess there should be a happy medium somewhere in between.

And thanks for the kind words.

How many zeros in a billion?

This is too true to be funny.

The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of its releases.
A billion seconds ago it was 1959..
A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were
living in the Stone Age.
A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
A billion dollars ago was only
8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our government
is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...
let's take a look at New Orleans ...
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D)
is presently asking Congress for
250 BILLION DOLLARS
to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number...
what does it mean?
A.
Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, and child)
you each get $516,528.
B.
Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C.
Or... if you are a family of four....
your family gets $2,066,012.
Washington, D. C
< HELLO! >
Are all your calculators broken??
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporat e Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal U nivers al Service Fee Tax
Telephone F ederal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago...
and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt...

We had the largest middle class in the world...

and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?

Can you spell 'politicians!'

And I still have to

press '1'

for English.

Yes, Obama will be terrible for the economy... Just like Frankin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton were.

I remember the Republican mean machine going into overdrive about the Clinton economic policies in 92-93. I seem to recall some peace and prosperity for a few years, brought to an end by a stain on a blue dress and some stuffed ballot boxes in South Florida. Okay, counting errors.

I can speak for the national health care system in Italy....yes, they are covered BUT it can take months before you can see a specialist...get tests.. etc.
They are at least still lucky enough that they have many doctors that will see patients privately. These doctors usually charge approx. $50 a visit and are THRILLED to make some money and give great care to their PAYING patients in return.
Who knows what would happen in the USA!!!!