Stan. We should open a Beatles versus Stones forum
The first topic could be who is the better businessman? Mick or Macca?
Mick, like JFK and George Soros, did a short stint at LSE. All three obviously picked up a few pointers.
Paul, a Liverpudlian, went to the century-old Liverpool Institute High School for Boys, an English grammar school with an excellent academic reputation.
Both Mick and Macca are considered as brilliant at business as they are with music.
I spent an hour with McCartney in New York a few years back and he is truly a regular bloke.
Like everyone they both got whacked in the current downturn. McCartney, even after paying his ex $40 million is worth three quarters of a billion. While, Jagger struggles along with only $300 million. Who said: "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"?
Maybe I should tell the over the top O detractors to "Let It Be" or "You Better Move On."
Jackson - You have a fundamental misconception
[quote=Jackson]The responsibility lies first with the individual, and second with the family of the individual. It's not my responsibility. I don't wish to be forced to pay for somebody elses fucking health care.
I have a suggestion for those of you who apparently suffer from guilt for having health insurance:
Go out on the street, select a poor person of your choice, and buy them a health insurance policy. Keep your hands out of my pocket![/quote]People who happen to have compassion are not suffering from guilt. We were taught certain values by our parents and most of us have found those values have both merit and benefits - individual and societal.
When I commit an act of compassion I get all warm and fuzzy. I don't feel like somehow my guilt has been assuaged.
Have you ever read any Dickens?
Oops Jackson - another misconception
Jackson quote:
"Every single person in the country already has "access" the quality healthcare now. All they have to do is walk in the door of any emergency room in the country and they will receive medical treatment."
That statement is absolutely, demonstrably, irrefutably and absurdly false.
Every day, all across the US, hospitals turn away people needing serious medical treatment by the thousands unless they have insurance coverage. Terminal cancer, as just one example, is not treated in emergency rooms.
The definition of an "emergency" varies hospital to hospital. In most cases, unless it is evident visually or otherwise that a person is in or close to a life threatening situation may not get treated or even evaluated.
The "Access" that is available in "any emergency room" hardly qualifies as "quality" at every facility and is limited to very narrow definitions of what constitutes an emergency. In addition, if an emergency patients arrives at the wrong time on a busy night, a quiet death in the hospital corridor is distinct possibility.
If what you say was true, the major cause of individual bankruptcies in the US, would not be the huge medical bills that people - including those with insurance - can't pay and that their insurance carriers have refused to pay citing some technicality. These people are forced to file for Chapter 13 protection for the crime of having gotten sick and believing, in error, that paying their premiums every month meant they had insurance.
Every day, all across the US, families, including those with insurance, have to make wrenching decisions about essential health care that is too expensive (and not provided in emergency rooms as you infer) Those decisions can mean death sentences.
If you think that system is fine, bully for you!
Jackson - get out your wallet!
A new poll of Americans 45 and over, conducted by AARP, shows Obama's speech to Congress has totally altered the health care reform landscape. Now, changing the current system is supported by a majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation.
A large majority (76%) of all Americans say healthcare reform should be a priority this year. This includes 56% of Republicans, 70% of Independents and almost all Democrats.
So much for 90% of the people being happy with their insurance plans!
Overall 68% of Americans support the President's approach, including 63% of independents, and even 43% of Republicans. Nearly seven in ten of those who agreed that Obama had addressed their questions and concerns in his comments now support the Obama proposals.
As I read this I can't help but ROTFLMAO!
If Sidney Wrote Obama's Inaugural Speech
When Obama took office the global economy was a few financial missteps away from a 1930s like depression. Interest rates everywhere were already near zero, but credit or spending were frozen. EVERY leader of EVERY government around the world - right, left and center - used the only tool available to stave off catastrophe – temporarily pumping government money into the economy to replace the individual and corporate spending that had evaporated. This was terrible according to the anti-government intervention crowd who never offered an alternative.
HERE IS AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS I ASSUME SIDNEY AND HIS FREE MARKET EVANGELISTS BRETHREN WOULD HAVE PREFERRED OBAMA TO DELIVER:
"My fellow Americans, hey, I'm really sorry, and I know a lot of you will be upset when I tell you this, but it's time for a good, old global depression.
We need to wring out of the system, all of the debt that the financial institutions lent you over the last fifteen years. Now we can see that they shouldn't have and you shouldn't have borrowed it. But we can't cry over spilt milk.
Let's face facts, free market capitalism has it's good points and it's bad – it's good times – like we all just enjoyed – and its bad times – like we are about to suffer – big time.
The economists call it "creative destruction." They do have a way with words, don't they.
You know, I'd like to do what every other country is doing right now and have our government step in temporarily to pick up the slack. We could deficit spend for a while, until we can stabilize the crisis. Then we can do what's needed to get back to a growth economy that can bring down and eventually eliminate the debt we need to carry for a while. We did it before. My fellow government heads in every country agree with me that we can do it again.
But those countries don't have Rush, Sean, Billo, Glenn and Fox News to deal with. I do and I don't want to spend the next four years being called a socialist. It would really piss me off. So screw it.
I'll just do what John McCain and Sarah Palin demand and give more billions to the banks and Wall Street, cut taxes for everyone making more than $250k and gut all those social welfare programs that help people.
I call it the YAOYO Ownership Plan or "The You Are On Your Own Ownership Society."
I won't cut defense spending and we will continue to be the world's policeman. Actually we may have to increase that spending due to the fact that our depression will soon spread across the globe. That will create serious social unrest just about everywhere and we will do what Americans always do – throw our weight around, bring stability to foreign lands and show people who's boss!
If that leads to a few wars, remember wars can be good ways out of a depression, as long as they are World Wars and last long enough.
In a similar vein, we made need to spend more on jails as some people when they lose everything turn to crime. Prisons are God's way of protecting economic freedom.
Now cutting taxes will push the deficit through the roof and cutting social welfare programs will mean people will suffer and die in the streets, but the free market will fix that over time – perhaps a very long time, but them's the breaks I guess.
On the up side, our very rich people are still going to be very rich. With more tax cuts we can make then even richer. They are symbols of what makes capitalism great and I salute them.
I know from my childhood that living in poverty is not much fun. But you may have to get used to it. You may find out its not so bad.
This depression is going to run anywhere from five to fifteen years and I can't predict what things will look when it's over. So just suck it up.
After today's parade I will take a few weeks off. If people want a smaller government, so be it. As President I only do big stuff, so if I disappear for a while what's the problem?
God bless America and here's hoping most of you come out of this in one piece.
Michelle, Malia and Sacha, we're outa here!"