- Do you have any concerns with the way the bill was drafted - with no input from Republicans?
- Do you have any concern with the way the bill was passed - bribing Senators, using budget reconciliation to get it passed in the House, not a single congressman whom voted for the bill actually read or understood it? As the esteemed Nancy Pelosi said, "We will have to pass the bill to see what is in it".
- Do you have any concerns over the consequences of the law - rationing of care, fewer doctors, longer wait times, death panels, bureaucrats making medical decisions? Look at any country with socialized medicine and study their level of care, wait times, rationing, etc. Is that what you want?
- Do you really want your doctor's office to run like a post office or your local DMV? Can you name one government-run endeavor that is run efficiently with the customers' best interest served? Are you willing to turn your families healthcare decisions over to a bureaucrat?
- Why don't we just allow people to buy health insurance across state lines like we do for homeowners and car insurance?
- Why don't we remove all of the government-imposed mandates on heath insurance companies and let people buy a la carte policies?
- Why can't we implement portability rules so the insurance stays with the person not with their employer?
- Why don't we pass tort reform so malpractice insurance costs come down?
- Why don't we promote and encourage the use of HSA's (healthcare savings accounts)?
- Why don't we allow citizens with pre-existing conditions to join large pools and spread the cost? Why don't we tell people with pre-existing conditions that they should expect to pay a little more for their health care? Why shouldn't they since they will inevitably use more of it than a healthy person?
2. Iraq and Afghanistan
Yes he is drawing down in both theatres but he is far from a dove when it comes to military engagements - Guantanamo, drone attacks, kill lists, Syria, Libya . . . .
3. Women's Health
#1 - Women (and men and children) already have access to preventative healthcare via thousands of clinics throughout the country.
#2 - There is no such thing as "free"! Someone has to pay for it! Eventually all the free stuff takes all of the money away from those who produce and then there is no more "free" stuff. As Margaret Thatcher once said, "the problem with socialism is you eventually run out of other people's money".
If you were genuine in your argument, you would simply say, "I believe the American taxpayer should pay for abortions on-demand". That's what you mean by "women's health" or "free preventative healthcare for woman". Planned Parenthood performed over 300,000 abortions in 2010 and only made 800 adoption referrals. That ratio tells me all I need to know about liberal's mentality toward women's health.
4. Lily Ledbetter / Equality
Everyone is pro-equal rights, even dastardly Republicans. Women are fully equipped to fight for their pay in the workplace without the involvement of the omnipotent federal government's. Have you looked at the work force lately? Have you looked at the CEOs of major corporations? Woman make up the majority of the workforce and sit in the corner office of thousands of companies.
If you believe that it is a good idea for openly gay soldiers to reside with and serve next to heterosexual soldiers, you clearly have no compassion for nor care for the safety of the American soldier. All you are doing is putting a grain of doubt in the minds of people who need to have each others' backs at a moment's notice. The repeal of NADT was a political decision by the president to rally his base despite the recommendations of his military leaders.
5. Clean Energy
Anytime someone uses the word "investment" in describing government spending, it simply means "wasting taxpayers' money on things that will buy votes". Both parties do it. Regarding clean energy specifically, can you point to one success story? Solyndra? Abound Solar? Amonix? Beacon Power? A123?
6. Education
Really?
- George W. Bush's increase in education-related spending wasn't enough?
- The lackluster results of No Child Left Behind isn't enough?
- The $2 trillion dollars spent on education since 1965 isn't enough?
- The tripling of federal education dollars since 1970 isn't enough?
- The United States spends more per pupil than any country other than Switzerland yet the results we get from our students continues to dwindle. In 1961 we spent $2,800 per year - - today $10,000 (inflation adjusted dollars). Good to know that all the administrators tucked away in school systems all over the country are pulling in fat salaries.
Currently there is over $1 trillion dollars in outstanding student loan debt. There is nothing quite like allowing tuition rates to rise 7%-8% per year for years on end while making more federal dollars available to the students via loans and grants. I can't think of a better way for a 22 year old to start off her career than with $100,000 in student loan debt for a watered down four-year degree!
7. Class Warfare
Please have the courage to define "fair share" rather than throwing the slogan around. Currently the top 10% of income earners pay 70% of all federal income taxes. How much would you consider to be their "fair share"? 72%? 80%? 95%?
- Have you ever stopped to consider that millionaires and billionaires do not consumed the amount of government services commiserate with their contribution in taxes? Why should they pay more?
- Have you ever stopped to consider that millionaires and billionaires tend to be employers of non-millionaires and non-billionaires? What would happen if you taxed them less? They could possibly hire more people to run their businesses, clean their houses, wash their cars, add a room on to their residence, build a new house, sell them another car / boat / piece of jewelry or clothing, cut their hair, fly their plane, etc.
- Don't you think every single American should pay some income taxes? Shouldn't everyone have some skin in the game? Or do you believe that having nearly 50% of Americans paying zero federal income taxes and, therefore, indifferent to conversations around raising taxes on the "rich" the path to overall prosperity?
8. He Inherited the Worst Economy Since the Great Depression
Are you not embarrassed by a president who constantly blames his predecessor? I cannot find a single instance where, after the 1980 election, Reagan blamed Carter.
We were all led to believe that Obama was the smartest guy in the world. If that is so why hasn't he improved the economy? Instead he is residing over the worst economic recovery from a recession in the nation's history including but not limited to:
- Anemic GDP growth
- 8%+ unemployment for over 40 weeks
- 15%-20% underemployment
- The lowest labor force participation rate since the 1981-1982 recession
- Record number of Americans receive food stamps
- Record number of Americans are on disability
- The deficit is up 183% under his watch
- The national debt is up 48% under his watch
- Gas prices are up 90%+
- African-American unemployment is 14%
- Over 200,000 small businesses are no longer in business since he took office
- 46 million Americans living in poverty
- Teen unemployment over 70%
The "turn the Titanic" argument just does not work in this case. Obama is a socialist at best and a communist at worst. Neither philosophy has led to economic prosperity, therefore, why should he be given four more years?
