Posted by jis1999 (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree. My fear is by the end of this current 4 yr administration this country will be so for toward most programs being government run, that it will be very difficult to turn them back. We need less government at the Federal level, not more. Many countries are lowering taxes to stimulate their economy, but our leaders seem to think they need to take away from the earners and give to other citizens. If they keep this up, the earners will stop contributing to the tax pool and providing jobs, then where will we be. I am ready for small government, lower taxes, personal responsibility and State control of local affairs.

Posted by sharon (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am a 'regular, everyday citizens of America' and I do not agree. A lot of the people attending the townhall meetings were people on the fringes of everyday life. All that screaming and hollering, looking like fools, foaming at the mouth like rabid animals, walking around with guns, talking about their rights 'as American Citizens', well your rights stop where mine start. I have a very good health care provider but that does not stop me from wanting everyone to have the same. The problem with 'some' people is that they want it all and don't ever want to help those who 'have not' but the Bible say the 'poor will always be with use', so I don't mind if my tax dollars help the poor, better that than it go and help those who already have money.

Posted by sharon (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Edited corrections: 1. everyday citizen. 2. the Bible says. 3.the poor will always be with us.

Posted by jis1999 (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, I have no problems helping the poor and I donate quite a bit of my resources to these efforts. I can do a better job and quite frankly more of my resources would get to the ones in need if it didn't have to make a stop at the government first. I don't mind the poor being helped. I do mind the government forcing me to do this. I choose to do it on my own becuase I think it is the right thing to do. Likewise, I also think it is the wrong thing for the government to take resources at gun point and give the resources to people.

Posted by nowhining (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank-you for your letter, it was straight and to the point. I too, am an everyday citizen. I go to work everyday, and struggle to pay my bills every month. I have excellant health Ins., and don't depend on a hand-out to get by. When my wages were frozen, and my hours were cut, I had to tighten my belt. I don't appreciate Congress, and President Obama spending my grandchildren's future. They are now talking of fining people for not having health ins., but refuse to call it a TAX. The Cap and Trade Bill, by the President's own admission, will raise everyone's, not just the so-called wealthy, energy bills. He said, no taxes on us, THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN, but both of these are, in a way, taxes. I don't agree with how Rep. Joe Wilson handled the situation, but he was right in telling the President, YOU LIE.
Most people who want health ins. can get it. It's not the 30-45 million without ins. that have problems with ins. Most of those choose not to have coverage. If they can't afford ins. now, what about when they are TAXED to pay for it?? Will it be less expensive? How about being fined, is that less expensive?
I agree we need some type of reform, but NONE of the bills out there now seem to provide any of the right answers.
Last week the Administration, talked of cutting the waste in Medicare and Medicaid. Let's see them cut the waste, start saving money. Crack down on the fraud, then maybe talk revamping health insurance. Streamline the U.S. Gov., show that they can tighten there belt, before they ask me to tighten mine even more. I don't mind doing my part, but it is not up to me to further support others, who are capable of supporting themselves. We have Medicare, for everyone over 65. We have Medicaid, for all who are disabled, or meet the low wage requirements. We have ALL-KIDS, for children under 18 without health ins. whose family doesn't qualify for Medicaid, but fall into the low wage earner group. The taxpayers are more than doing their part. Would I like health-care more affordable? YES. I say again, none of the bills before Congress now, are what we need.

Posted by b4real (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Let me clarify this:

80 percent of Americans refers to the 80 percent of the Americans who do have health insurance correct?

My research shows that 18 percent of Americans are without any health insurance whatsoever. Leaving 82 percent of Americans with some form of health insurance coverage.

Of this 82 percent, 29 percent are on either medicare or medicaid, a government run program, so we are now down to 53 percent of Americans either getting insurance from their employer or paying out of pocket.

This remaining 53 percent is further reduced by the 2 percent of Americans who work for the federal government, including the military, cia, etc.

So, 80 percent of the 51 percent of Americans who currently have a health insurance plan not provided by the government are satisfied with their current health insurance.

Its only fair to remove the people receiving government sponsored healthcare from the equation, because that is the substance of the debate.

To make your statement accurate, it should read: 40.8 percent of Americans not receiving some form of government sponsored health care are satisfied with their health insurance plan.

In other words, 60.2 percent of Americans not receiving some form of government sponsored healthcare are unsatisfied with their health insurance plan.

Devil is in the details, eh?

Here is my question for the big business interests: Why would you not support single payer as it would relieve you of the burden of providing health care completely?

I'm human, if I made a mistake in my math please point it out.

Posted by yellowroseofTexas (anonymous) on October 4, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Remember that the IRS and the Alabama Dept. of Revenue will gladly accept checks/donations if one feels the government needs more money to control our lives.

Posted by wisdom (anonymous) on October 5, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"The people who matter most" is a statement bordering on racism and totally UNAMERICAN! In America, ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL!

"80 percent of Americans are satisfied with the health programs they currently have." SEE ABOVE POST BY b4real. The healthcare debate is NOT about people who are satisfied, it's about the people WITHOUT healthcare. Some people work everyday and still can't afford health insurance. But you're so vain I bet you think this song is about you, don't you, don't you.

Why does the healthcare system in the greatest nation on earth rank 74th in the world?

Tea parties are a JOKE. They're events organized and promoted by Fox News and carried out by their many mindless automotons. Ten thousand Fox/Limbaugh robots versus millions who support the president of the United States. Do the math.

And since you mentioned "W" (which stands for WORST president ever) where was the outrage over him running up the national debt and putting this country into it's present financial state? NOWHERE! That's where. Now all of a sudden you all are SO CONCERNED about the national debt.

Fortunately, most of the country is BLUE!

Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on October 5, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen Mr. Looper!! You are only saying what the MAJORITY of Amercia is thinking. This is NOT the "Change" people voted for. Obama and his programs are total failures. Not one of his stimulus programs or proposed changes have resulted in positive results. They have all failed. I'm going to save the facts and figures because the people that blindly support Obama don't accept reality anyway.

Posted by Liberty (anonymous) on October 5, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul175....

Posted by evenflo09 (anonymous) on October 5, 2009 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I must say that I expected more from our president than we have yet to recieve. It seems that, so far at least, he has made alot of empty promises! I have been working most of my life, and now in my time of need, I am turned down for help. I feel we should work on what is already in place, AND NOT WORKING, before we can move forward to new health care benefits. They're also talking about changes for our elderly, who are the ones who can LEAST afford the changing! You're not elderly, you say??? You will be one day, and if you're not, don't you have a mother/father who is? Who will take up the slack for their healthcare when these changes are made????? They can't work, so.....
YOU WILL!!! I agree with nowhining, the current plan is NOT what we need just now! For me, reforming the current plans we have are in order, if corrected, maybe someone who can barely walk into the disability docs' office can get the help they need, rather than someone who bounces in and out acting as if they haven't a care in the world!

Posted by jestful (anonymous) on October 10, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Those who oppose President Obama are only in the majority if you listen to Fox news. If you listen to ANY other outlet you will find you are not in the majority. Maybe you are in a large minority, and maybe in Alabama you are a majority, but if in the country as a whole, you are actually in a minority.

The good thing about listening to Fox News is you get to believe you are the majority.