Dean guy after the debate... here's my opinion of Kerry.

[Peak_Oil]

I wish Kerry would have admitted that the war on terror is a joke. I wish he would have admitted that our empire is on teh decline. I wish he would have said that W is lying through his teeth about Iraq. There's so much I wish he would have said.

On the other hand.

There's so much he can DO once he's in office. I'll support him in the polls, but I will harangue his ass off on a couple subjects hear and dear to my heart. One is the deficit, another is the national debt, another is our precarious energy situation. He will get my vote ONCE in the hopes that he can help us out on these matters. Frankly, I could give a shit about medicare. Once you/ve passed the age of five, you should be educated in our educational system about how to take care of your body and how all environmental pollutants affect you. Then, turn those environmentally aware children loose on the public as voters and employees, and I think we'll see things change a little.

If he doesn't take these steps, and take care of WE the PEOPLE, then next election the Green party will have my vote, spoiler or not.

[wtmusic]

1. No one lives forever

You can take care of yourself and still need help when you get older.

You may not give a shit about Medicare. Do you give a shit about anyone who needs Medicare?

Kerry would be toast if he said the war on terror is a "joke"--too many people are scared.

I agree with you about W lying. He should just come out and say the "L" word. Dubya lied. He's a liar. Get people used to it.

[napi21]

2. Thanks, we'll take your vote this time!

I think you'll see Kerry work toward reducing the deficit and the debt, but it can't happen overnight.

I say he will promote alternative energy sources.

As for medicare, I suspect you are quite young. Not all problems with older people are related to pollution. There is a problem even with healthy people just being able to pay their HC premiums. Some problems are heriditary like a lot of heart disease and cancers, of diabetes. The drugs are sooo expensive, the meds are out of reach.

[Peak_Oil]

3. Both of you hit on medicare.

Here's the deal. And I say this as a middle-aged man, who has a very elderly mother. When it's your time to go, you go. Go. Right now, people are tortured for years after their time because by contract hospitals HAVE to perforate your behind with needles and stick tubes down your throat for a very questionable, isolated, painful life. That, instead of going the way the Godfather went, chasing his grandson around in a tomato garden.

I have standing orders that if I become senile and useless to have me dropped off in the wilderness of Alaska with a pack and shotgun so I can go down hunting for my food and eventually be eaten by wolves. That's how a man dies, dammit!

[napi21]

4. albeit you are a bit cynical, U agree, some people are kept alive

when they shouldn't be. That costs a lot! I too have a living will that states NO RESUSCITATION, and NO feeding tubes etc. I think everybody should HAVE to make a living will stating their wishes, and that would help. It's still unfair to demonize medicare. Without it, very few retirees could afford health insurance at all!

Three years ago, my husband changed jobs and we had to pay cobra for 3 months. It was $900 a month! How many average retirees can afford that? BTW, that was not including drug coverage, just BCBS.

[AndyTiedye]

5. ??

> subjects hear and dear to my heart. One is the deficit, another is
> the national debt, another is our precarious energy situation

I agree with you about needing to address the energy situation.
So does Kerry.

> Frankly, I could give a shit about medicare.

You would trash medicare to cut the deficit!?
A lot of people need it.

The only thing wrong with Medicare is that it is a partial solution.
Health care should be available to everyone.

> Once you/ve passed the
> age of five, you should be educated in our educational system about
> how to take care of your body and how all environmental pollutants
> affect you.

Of course. So what. Just because I know the smog will make me ill
doesn't mean I won't need to see the doctor when it does.

> Then, turn those environmentally aware children loose on
> the public as voters and employees, and I think we'll see things
> change a little.

About 25 years later.

What about the people who have already been hurt by those pollutants,
or those who are forced to work with them or live among them?
Labor's ability to bargain for safe working conditions hasn't exactly
improved over the past four years, nor has the enforcement of
environmental regulations.

[Peak_Oil]

6. I'm with you.

About 25 years later.

What about the people who have already been hurt by those pollutants,
or those who are forced to work with them or live among them?
Labor's ability to bargain for safe working conditions hasn't exactly
improved over the past four years, nor has the enforcement of
environmental regulations

I believe that we need a Labor party now to help the working class get the benefits they need. The problem with medicare, and I happen to stand to benefit quite a bit from medicare, is that it doesn't take into account the quality of life we get out of our entire lifespan.

Medicare is going to be really really expensive for guys like me, and will keep people over 70 going for an extra year. This is a really significant burden on me and guys like me year after year after year. As a financial planner, I know that most of your healthcare expenses will occur in your last two years of life. Unfortunately, if science prevails, and we extend the human lifespan by another five years, it means that we'll have an enormous amount of nearly dead folks hanging from tubes in pain and isolation year after year after year, knowing they're sucking the life out of the currently young and productive.

Just for me, and I don't advocate this for everyone, drop me in the badlands of Alaska with a well-stocked pack and a shotgun, and let's see how long I can go hunting Elk and making my coffee over an open fire with the stars watching over me!

[Andromeda]

7. That's fine for you. Go to the wilderness

to live out your last days with my blessing, however, when I am ill I want to take medicine that will make me well.

If I need surgery that will extend my life I want to have it. I have people who love me and want me to be alive for as long as I can be because I am an essential part of their lives.

Medicare alone does not cover all medical expenses for the retired and most people do not rely on that alone. Supplemental health insurance picks up the costs Medicare doesn't cover.

Maybe we should just shoot people over 65 instead of letting their wretched, useless lives drag out too long. We can't have all those decrepit, shriveled old bodies cluttering up our hospital wards now, can we?

Cherrio, and happy hunting!