Tuesday, September 16, 2008

What to Do

It's September, presidential elections are in November, and I have no idea who I'll cast my vote for this time.

I lean towards Obama because he promises to calm the health care crisis and make health care affordable to each and every American, but I'm also afraid of him because someone, or some group of someones, is surely pouring a lot of money into his coffers and I have to wonder, who, and for what reason? I also wonder where this realively unknown young man came from all of a sudden, and what, or who does he really stand for?

I can't vote for McCain because that fella has no idea of the struggles a middle-class family must go through in order to just have the necessities in life (food, clothing, and a roof over their heads). He also plans to restructure health care by taxing employer-paid health insurance premiums and giving folks a tax credit to offset it. If you're at all savvy about taxes, and the profit greedy insurance companies, you'll know that his plan will add even more Americans to the group of uninsured.

I just don't want to vote this go-round.

I don't.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't want to vote the last go-round, either. I don't like Palin AT ALL, and Obama just makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it's because of the company he kept here in Illinois.

Anonymous said...

This one is especially hard. I'm just not sure which candidate would be good for the country.

There was a presidential election some years ago, I'm not sure which one, that I was standing in line to vote when I made my decision. This may be one of those years again.

Sally said...

I'm with you Ms. Brenda. Don't have a clue; this whole thing has turned into a media circus. I'm sure it's not the first time, but I don't remember it being this bad before.

McCain, I will say, does know about suffering but not in the vein you've mentioned perhaps. If I'm not mistaken Obama's health plan would be likened to that of Canada, and we all know, or have heard, they really have NO healthcare to speak of.

I read this morning that Barbra Streisand (sp) is sponsoring an event in "Gollywood" to raise money for Obama - that right there turns me off. :)

Donna said...

McCain/Palin for us...there's no way I'll vote Obama. But the One thing I will Not do, is to Not vote...that vote is my voice...it's all I have. For me, the decision wasn't hard. The research I've done...scary. Hugs to you sweetie!!hughugs

Anonymous said...

A large majority of Obama's money comes from individual people who send in $5, $25 or whatever they can. In fact, last month's $66 million he raised was from mostly HALF A MILLION new donors. He does not accept money from lobbyists for his campaign. I am alarmed at McCain's healthcare plan...he wants to tax the money the employers pay on behalf of their employees and make the amount the employees pay for their premiums taxable as well, but only offer a small tax deduction to the employees. This is going to cause a lot of companies to drop their health insurance for their employees and leave even more without health insurance.

Louise said...

It makes me sick that healthcare is an issue. Not that it shouldn't be affordable to everyone, but the last time it was tackled (by a Clinton), my medical costs tripled. Yes, tripled. I didn't have to pay triple because I had insurance to cover it, but I had to pay MORE. The insurance companies were paying triple what they used to pay for the exact same care. That was exactly when it started taking longer--months longer--for me to get an appointment. And mind you this was just my annual pap smear. That's when HMO's became the norm, and more people had insurance, but it didn't cover as much treatment.

Personally, I'd prefer large, beaurocratic governments like ours stay OUT of the healthcare business. I can't vote based on that one because either way scares me. The more the government messes with it, the worse it's going to be. Are insurance companies making more money? Maybe. I really don't know. But I know the red tape that came from the last bit of this, some 12ish +/- years ago, made them have to SPEND a lot more money. And that ultimately winds up in MY lap through premiums, taxes, whatever. What I wish is that the American public didn't think the government could or should fix everything. They can't. They shouldn't try. Trying messes it up worse. Socialized medicine works in some places. Those places are tiny countries with populations the size of smaller US cities. And the taxes in those places are horrendous. 20% minimum income tax. 100% import tax. Imagine the inflation if our imports were suddenly taxes as such.

From my persepctive I have to pick another issue (hopefully LOTS more issues) to vote on than this one.

Brenda said...

Health care wasn't foremost in my mind 8 years ago either, but since then, my husband's employer no longer provides help with insurance which made us have to search for individual coverage. We found some for my husband, finally, with a huge deductable, and huge jumps in premiums every year even though he's never used it. I can't get coverage at all because of prior health issues. Until someone is put in a situation like this (and more and more are every day), you'll never know what it's like to wonder if an illness will bankrupt your family. Plain and simple, when given a choice (as will happen if employers and employees are taxed on premiums) Insurance companies will only offer coverage to the young and healthy cause the bottom line is their profit.

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

I know who I'm voting for and I actually plan on explaining exactly why I'm voting for that person one day soon. Just as soon as I get over my computer stupidness.

I'm so tired of the BS on both sides on this election, though. It occurred to me just yesterday that maybe I should change my "party" to Independent. It seems like in the last 2 decades, both major parties have become almost rabid about electing "their" side - regardless of the issues, the stances, current world events, etc.,...it's all about Party Power anymore. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

Geez. I'm getting so worked up just thinking about this, I can't decide if I need a Tums or a drink. LOL (I kid, I kid!)

:)
Kari

Maria said...

Very interesting what you say about the presidential elections.
Right, here in Europe, the government takes care of many things and we pay very high taxes, but the costs for health care also explode, and old age pensions have been severely cut down recently. Young people earn less money, the work contracts are not good anymore, and it is not easy for young middle class families who have not inhereted a house or an apartment from their parents to get along. Seems to be a world wide recession after many good decades after WW II?

kimberly said...

i agree with so many, that i am just plain sick and tired of all the fighting going on with both parties....about the most ridiculous things...they've spent less time talking about real solutions to real problems than bickering!
thank goodness there isn't much time left to deal with it....but i also agree with donna....i will be voting and making my voice heard....now to just make sure i make an informed decision!
hugs,
kimberly

Attila the Mom said...

Ah hell, can't help you there!

Carole Burant said...

I always vote but I feel like a hypocrite when I do because I don't trust any politician.Here in Canada we found out we're having a Federal election on Oct. 14th and the campaigning has now started...ugh! xoxo

Cindra said...

You are not alone. I don't trust Obama... he's too pretty and smooth, but I am not hearing concrete ideas... just the word change rearranged many different ways.

I think McCain is a great man, a great leader of men and a true patriot, but......

Best part of the election so far has been the Palin/Hillary connection on SNL. Too funny... wish I felt like laughing.

I'm with Sally, if Barbara is for it, I go the other direction... do like her voice when set to music though.

donna, you are right... we have to vote... can't complain if we don't that's for sure.

Is there some reason why insurance should be a "for profit" company?

Brenda, illness has bankrupt my family. Illness we had no control over. It should never happen to anyone.