Republicans take Ted Kennedy's Senate seat

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8470187.stm

Ted Kennedy's death vacated his Senate seat, and the outcome of this race decided whether Obama's healthcare thing would be filibuster-proof in the Senate. The Republicans won, and the race was not as close as I would have imagined. I dunno whether Obama's healthcare stuff will be passed, but one thing in this article is definitely true -- if the Republicans could take frigging Massachussetts, this says some things about what'll happen in the next Congressional elections in November.

I think the same thing brought down the Democrats in this election as it brought down the Republicans in 2008. Obama and his legislative buddies got too arrogant and greedy, spending too much, taking too many liberties due to their majority. While the liberals spin that a positive way, it is in essence the same thing that got the country pissed at Bush and his legislative buddies.

It's useless to argue with you, so I'll just say this: Martha Coakley was ignorant and overly confident, and her lack of campaigning until two months before the election is what lost the seat.

I am overly pleased. Down with the Kennedy's. One of the most corrupt families is no longer involved in government. They manipulated government to push polarization of the parties. With this new Senator we no longer have a tyrannical democratic majority that is destroying the nation. CLOTURE USE MUST END. That is all.

Long live the USA...

First they're responsible for fcking up the whole world economy with the Bush retards in power, then they decide that maybe it's better to elect someone as president who's toenail has more intellect the the previous president ever will have.

Now that this president is in office for about a year and has to fix all the rampage Bush left behind, they decide 1 year of intellectual prosperity is enough, and vote someone in the senate from the same party who ruined their country the last 8 years in the first place... all to delay the current president's restorations to their near bankrupt economy...

Yes... way 2 go USA! Let's all go back to Fox News University for more enlightenment and wisdom... :')

For all people in the USA who didn't want this to happen: you have my sympathy...

Republicans have been screwing with stuff since the 60s. Bush is just the tip of the ice berg.
What is it now? 15 trillion USD Debt? All from around 40 years.... .___. What happened to the politicians from WW2, who managed to pay off that debt?

First they're responsible for fcking up the whole world economy with the Bush retards in power, then they decide that maybe it's better to elect someone as president who's toenail has more intellect the the previous president ever will have.

Yeah, it's the government's fault that banks gave out loans to people who shouldn't have gotten them? That's not the fault of government, it's the fault of capitalism and greed. I don't recall Bush being the cause of capitalism or greed.

Yeah, it's the government's fault that banks gave out loans to people who shouldn't have gotten them? That's not the fault of government, it's the fault of capitalism and greed. I don't recall Bush being the cause of capitalism or greed.

Afaik, the Bush administration are the ones who are responsible for -allowing- banks to give out those loans by making this possible with -removing- those safety laws during his administration.

So yes, Bush heavily envolved and responsible for the current crisis... those safety regulations were there for a reason... now the world knows again why...

Afaik, the Bush administration are the ones who are responsible for -allowing- banks to give out those loans by making this possible with -removing- those safety laws during his administration.

So yes, Bush heavily envolved and responsible for the current crisis... those safety regulations were there for a reason... now the world knows again why...

The crisis has been due to numerous factors. Economics is not action 1=outcome 1 so Bush is NOT held responsible. The economy has been going to the pooper for a good 40 years now and theres nothing that could've really been done to stop it other than a government take over, which was wrong, but hey.

Politics is a waste of time.

The crisis has been due to numerous factors. Economics is not action 1=outcome 1 so Bush is NOT held responsible. The economy has been going to the pooper for a good 40 years now and theres nothing that could've really been done to stop it other than a government take over, which was wrong, but hey.

Iirc, The democrats controlled the Congress at the time. People overlook the fact the another party may have been in control of the main output of government. But some blame could still go to Bush, as he was the one who signed off on it.

Its usually the opposing party that controls the Congress as opposed to the Executive branch, tho its not always.

1. Government is too concern with what benefits themselves versus the nation. The old geezers want to hold onto old ways and wealth. The little factions of the government are so divided they never actually get anything done (unless it's like voting down gay marriage and abortion)
2. Change doesn't happen overnight, people are bitching at Obama, give the man more time.
3. With Clinton there was a surplus...with Bush there was a recession.
4. Let's wait for Bush's presidential records come out. Worth a read I'm sure.

1. Government is too concern with what benefits themselves versus the nation. The old geezers want to hold onto old ways and wealth. The little factions of the government are so divided they never actually get anything done (unless it's like voting down gay marriage and abortion)
2. Change doesn't happen overnight, people are bitching at Obama, give the man more time.
3. With Clinton there was a surplus...with Bush there was a recession.
4. Let's wait for Bush's presidential records come out. Worth a read I'm sure.

This post quoted for laconic brilliance. You go, girl.

I don't understand why Americans don't want a health care plan. I personally find it disgusting that you can kick someone with a life threatening injury out of a hospital because they don't have the money for a treatment. Sure you pay a bit more tax but what's that compared to saving hundreds, or maybe even thousands of lives who can't afford to treat their diseases.

I don't understand why Americans don't want a health care plan. I personally find it disgusting that you can kick someone with a life threatening injury out of a hospital because they don't have the money for a treatment. Sure you pay a bit more tax but what's that compared to saving hundreds, or maybe even thousands of lives who can't afford to treat their diseases.

Obama is a liberal, and therefor an evil devil spawn of a creature. He's a communist too.
/Red neck

Two different deomcratic presidents haven't been elected back to back since 1857. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pre...ted_States
Over a 150 years. Dual rebulicans, on the other hand, have occurred in between most of these democrats. :|
America has issues with democrats....

I don't understand why Americans don't want a health care plan. I personally find it disgusting that you can kick someone with a life threatening injury out of a hospital because they don't have the money for a treatment. Sure you pay a bit more tax but what's that compared to saving hundreds, or maybe even thousands of lives who can't afford to treat their diseases.

A study from the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson foundation taken over a few months show increasing American "fear" of healthcare overhaul, from what they say
(no surprise) is fueled by ignorance about the entire topic.

Have you lived in America, this comes as nothing new to you.

Source: AP Report 1/25/2010
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/U...TE=DEFAULT

33% of people, up from 25%, think their overall access to healthcare will be WORSE. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. Anyway.

Of course people think it's going to be worse - it's unfamiliar.

For the past six months, the public has been barraged with - "The senate bill has this - the House bill has this. This senator says this. ONE. TRILLION. DOLLARS. Save the country money! Lose the country money! Lower access to healthcare. Other countries have it and they're fine. Cadillac plans. Employers paying for employee health care. Taxing the little guy. etc."

Everything is up in the air because the GOP and Blue Dogs have done a good job blocking the bill from passage. There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what's in the bill, who gets what, and how the average person is affected. All we get is a little bit of this and that from the government and never really any clear answers. When people don't understand something they generally view it as a bad thing, so that poll comes as no surprise.

[COLOR="Green"]Basically the problem is that our country is too focused on fixing things NOW to worry about letting stuff take effect. People hated Bush, so they elected Obama. Then Obama didn't fix the country in the 1st year, and now everyone is getting mad. It's a bunch of bullshit.

That being said, I remember reading a report somewhere of a number of Canadian citizens coming to America to get surgeries because their health care system was taking too long.

So basically, the whole world is screwed up.[/COLOR]

Not to mention healthcare discussion is behind closed doors.

BTW What about Australia? I heard good reviews about their health care system.
Also Australians and Canadians have better health in general.

I don't understand why Americans don't want a health care plan. I personally find it disgusting that you can kick someone with a life threatening injury out of a hospital because they don't have the money for a treatment. Sure you pay a bit more tax but what's that compared to saving hundreds, or maybe even thousands of lives who can't afford to treat their diseases.

The main issue people have is how this whole thing is going to be implemented. Seriously, I would much rather them fix the system now before they start on about government issued healthcare. Some people look at how other government agencies are ran currently by the government and feel it would be ran bad.

Of course people think it's going to be worse - it's unfamiliar.

For the past six months, the public has been barraged with - "The senate bill has this - the House bill has this. This senator says this. ONE. TRILLION. DOLLARS. Save the country money! Lose the country money! Lower access to healthcare. Other countries have it and they're fine. Cadillac plans. Employers paying for employee health care. Taxing the little guy. etc."

Everything is up in the air because the GOP and Blue Dogs have done a good job blocking the bill from passage. There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what's in the bill, who gets what, and how the average person is affected. All we get is a little bit of this and that from the government and never really any clear answers. When people don't understand something they generally view it as a bad thing, so that poll comes as no surprise.

This is a good point, lots is unknown about the bill/s, and the main thing that scares people is normally the unknown. How this is going to be paid for, even over time, is another huge issue.

[COLOR="Green"]Basically the problem is that our country is too focused on fixing things NOW to worry about letting stuff take effect. People hated Bush, so they elected Obama. Then Obama didn't fix the country in the 1st year, and now everyone is getting mad. It's a bunch of bullshit.

That being said, I remember reading a report somewhere of a number of Canadian citizens coming to America to get surgeries because their health care system was taking too long.

So basically, the whole world is screwed up.[/COLOR]

I agree, Obama should get more time to be able to try and get his ideas out there and made clear to people.

The issue with the Canadian system is kinda true as well, but I think the main system of coverage being proposed would not be quite as bad as the Canadian system, as it will have less of a coverage on the population.

Not to mention healthcare discussion is behind closed doors.

This goes along with what Fiel was saying. The whole secrecy around it really puts people off.


Personally, I would think they would have a better support for healthcare if they fixed the problems we have now with the current system (kicking people for pre-existing conditions, as well as other issues). That should be taken care of first and foremost. The government ran healthcare that would cover those currently without coverage should be something that has major thought and time put into it, this rushing to get it passed is complete bullshit, and Obama pushing it to get it passed is even worse. On top of that, some of the thing you hear them talking about going into the bill is completely wrong, theres no room for pork when we have a huge deficit as we do.

One comment I'll make about the "secrecy" of American politics, especially with regards to healthcare: I guarantee you the information is all out there online, if you so wish to find and read it. Now I'm a bad example of this because, I'll admit, I don't have the time to sit down and read a 2,000+ page PDF of the bill itself, nor look up terms I'm unfamiliar with, but my point is that the American public exemplifies the characteristic they are so often labeled as lazy, instantaneous people. Instead of looking and doing for themselves, the majority would rather have the basic information that's important to them put in a simple, one-page document they can skim through on the way out the door for work. Sadly, such a system doesn't work when you're dealing with issues as massive in depth and complexity as healthcare overhaul (not to mention such a world is plagued with bias, as presenting the basic information that is "important" to someone is completely designed towards a person's socioeconomic, racial, political, etc. backgrounds, whether that be the audience in question or the propaganda media presenting the information such as Fox News).

In conclusion? Don't bash politics as being secretive or confusing if you haven't bothered spending the time understanding them. People work their whole lives on bills like these, so you can't expect to understand such plans in their entirety over breakfast on the way to your job. Of course, there is a middle ground between all this, as the average American citizen can't (I say can't when I really mean won't, but I digress) spend the time necessary to educate themselves on such plans, so there are some alternate ways of learning the material. First off, President Obama gave a nationally televised, 40ish minute speech on the Democratic Health Care plan last semester. Did any of you "confused" about the plan bother watching it? Also, President Obama will deliver his first State of the Union address tomorrow night.

If I were you, I'd watch them.