I agree with your analysis. This was strictly a political decision by the governor and will prevent many Georgians access to needed healthcare. Forty thousand Americans die every year because they have no healthcare or inadequate health care. That includes Georgians. It is a national disgrace and Obamacare, though not perfect, is our best answer.

Thomas you recall that our Governor won his election, he is operating within the law to refuse to be involved in this, he is the Governor, accept it. His reasoning is sound, the laws regarding the affordable health care act have not even been written, how can he sign us onto the unknown? You do know that govt employees, not Congresss, will decide the rules as they go, right? Obamacare will not do what it is reported to do. Its going to cost everyone, imcluding seniors a lot more, doctors will quit their practiced as they will not be paid enough to meet their costs. The health care act is a thousand page manual that few understand and its causing companies to lay employees off already and the lay offs have just begun.

Thomas, Open your eyes! Do some research! You have no idea, in this world, how much Obamacare is going to cost everyone! Businesses are having to close, people are being fired, or having their hours cut, because of the huge costs to individuals and businesses! Be informed and not just opinionated!!!!

The impartial truth squad FactCheck.org has debunked the job-killer claim so many times that in its latest update you can hear a groan of weary frustration: words like “whopper” and “bogus” and “hooey.” The job-killer claim is also discredited by the experience under the Massachusetts law on which Obamacare was modeled.

Ultimately the Affordable Care Act could be a tonic for the economy. It aims to slow the raging growth of health care costs by, among other things, using the government’s Medicare leverage to move doctors away from exorbitant fee-for-service medicine, with its incentive to pile on unnecessary procedures. Two veteran health economists, David Cutler of Harvard and Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, have calculated that over the first decade of Obamacare total spending on health care, in part by employers, will be half a trillion dollars lower than under the status quo.
Source - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/opinion/keller-five-obamacare-myths.html?pagewanted=all
If you still believe in those myths, try reading up on it next time.

What land? Maybe "Obama Land", but not Georgia. Obamacare was totally partisan. Not one single Republican Vote. Do you call this a "mandate". What about all the corporations that received free passes from Pelosi. Do know there is a real estate tax in this so called law? This law is corrupt. Scap it and start over. Do you even know what an exchage is? Just a way for Obama to pass the cost of his law to the States,

Then how do you explain the massive lay-offs related to the costs of ObamaCare Ann?

That’s EXACTY what was said about Prohibition and IT WAS a duly passed amendment to the Constitution! Not a “let’s pass it to see what’s in it” ..

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/p/prohibition.htm

You should move back to NC George. You're obviously too smart to associate with us dumbass Georgians.

Mr. Deal is the duly elected governor of Georgia and is tasked with doing what is best for Georgians. Mr. Obama was not elected by the people of Georgia, however, he has forced his government mandated healthcare upon most who don't want it. I applaud Governor for standing up for the people of this state.

And under what imaginable fantasy would expansion of Medicaid ever be a good thing. It has been a disaster since its implementation. Expansion will only make it a bigger disaster. Throwing money at a bad thing only makes for an expensive bad thing. There are better solutions but your president would never consider them because they involve free markets and not government control. Heaven forbid a company make a profit when the government can waste that money instead.

Mr. Wilson - Well said.

@George Wilson: Mr. B does not speak for all of Georgians. My family history here dates back to the 1700s. I've lived in Athens for almost a decade. Our governor's response to federal legislation that is one move forward to correct our broken healthcare system is an embarrassment to our great state! Just as is Rep. Paul Broun!

That's so sad when people are still upset about the elections. Please leave the country if you are baby and are still crying about that, but if you want to stay and make the nation great then stay and stop complaining about the election Mr. B.

@Chris: Wow, do you kiss your mother with that mouth? I bet you're in church wearing your nicest suit every Sunday too.....You have heard about what happens to people who assume haven't you?

Where have I complained about the election Ann? I just made a statement about our duly elected representatives here in Georgia. At least I didn't refer to my fellow citizens as "a bunch of losers."

Didn't make it through the first paragraph before I found this statement: "It is not an official document of the House of Representatives or its committees and may not be cited as ‘‘the law’’."

Mr. B, my sincerest apologies. I was trying to post without appearing bias, and chose a bogas website apparently. I do believe this is the correct copy. I don't have it on the laptop I am currently using, so I am having to search. I will cross reference this on Monday, though to be certain. Let's try this again. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr3590enr/pdf/BILLS-111hr3590enr.pdf

Robbing all ... its the fair way to proceed.

Who the rich really are is relative, just ask any Keynesian...

They're smokers. Insurance or not, they are going to die. Population control.

What is your source for 'forty thousand' dying every year? Surely you're aware that NO ONE is turned away from hospitals, so did 40,000 not seek help? And do you have any experience with Medicare? If so, you'd cringe at the tho't of ANY form of gov't-managed healthcare. As for Medicare, look at the way it has been abused, via fraud & poor admin practices (but then what gov't bureaucracy EVER did anything efficiently or fiscally wise)--it's perilous situation is just one example of what happens when gov't takes over...IOW, a total disaster...BTW, if your source for that 40,000 is the CDC, I smell a rat....

Life should come with a Surgeons warning label.
"Life is the number one cause of death"

The President's job does indeed include policy and oversight over domestic "situations". The President's job is not limited to any one individual's idea of what his "eyes are supposed to be watching". Sugar with your sour grapes, anyone?

Eye Candy 1 flies again...

Forward Ho!

It could be worse that idiot could be the speaker of the house ...

oh it was never-mind...

Well he could threatened with deportation, but that would get him a GA Driver license and a FEDERAL work permit ...
(Smiles)

What happened? Did he tell the truth? The real truth? The truth you are too blind to see?

Most of us are not happy with any government control over our healthcare options, state or federal. At least Governor Deal is abiding by our wishes. NOw, if only Obama would do the same.

Mr. Successful Executive B,

Perhaps Governor Deal is abiding by the wishes of the majority of the voters in Georgia, and good for him if that is his motivation for inaction, but the President won the popular vote. He is abiding by the wishes of the majority of voters.

Mr. B, that doesn't change the fact that the healthcare law passed with the majority of House and Senate votes, then President Obama was re-elected with everyone's awareness that Mitt Romney pledged to have the law repealed if he won. It's done.

So what is better at this point - Gov. Deal's washing his hands of the whole thing and allowing the federal government to set up Georgia's exchanges, or allowing Georgia to participate in designing its own healthcare marketplaces? The former sounds like denial to me. Does not liking the law - now that it's established and, yes, going to happen - mean that it's better to cede control over the exchanges?

You just don't get it Sarah. The exchanges won't happen without state support. they can't. There is no money to set them up any other way.

I don't want any government deciding my healthcare. That's a decision between me and my doctors. Nobody else's business. I've seen government control of healthcare in action. Take a look at the VA. My father in law defended this country honorably during the 2nd world war. He earned his right to healthcare through the VA. Yet, he was recently turned down for a needed procedure because he is "too old." The government has just written him off to die. Is this what you want? I don't.

Don't fool yourself Michael k. Obama doesn't even begin to consider the majority when he makes a decision. NO politician does. Unless you are a major contributor to his campaign fund, you can only hope the puppet masters want the same thing you do.

Mr. B, with the exchanges in place, my family will have *more* choice within the health-care system. Right now, my husband has his insurer decided by the government (albeit the state of Georgia, not the feds). With his pre-existing condition, we're lucky that he can be insured at all - after being turned down by insurers going the traditional route, it turns out that the state of Georgia will assign people in his position to an insurer chosen by the state, to a fixed plan. No choice of insurer, no choice of plan. Don't get me wrong - we're thankful that he can be insured at all as a self-employed person with a pre-existing condition. Although his individual insurance costs 150% of what the total cost is for me and our kids put together.

Under the insurance exchanges, we can't be denied the opportunity to purchase insurance based on a pre-existing condition. They can't gouge us on price based on that condition. We will have a choice of multiple insurers, and when comparing plans they will be presented as apples to apples. All we want to do is purchase insurance just like anybody else, and when the exchanges are up and running in 2014 (and they will be), we will have the freedom to do so.

Well Mr. B, super successful non-profit executive whose successful company got a plaque from the President but says Goodwill's profits are 100% because their COGS may be 0% but doesn't consider their operating costs which any businessperson with experience at anything but a lemonade stand would obviously do, the President only really had to consider what the majority would prefer when compared to his republican opponent.

Given that the best the opposition could offer was Candidate Romney, the bar was relatively low.

But Sarah, don't you see? In response to your husband's pre-existing condition and the problem of sky high premiums that you cannot afford, Mr. B and all the other die hard Republicans would say, "Hey, that's just the way the cookie crumbles Sarah. Too bad for your husband. In a free market, capitalist world, not everybody wins. Some people count, and some people don't. We can't all survive. You should have saved more money, anticipating that rainy day." This line of thinking is ridiculous and horrid, and they will never get it until it applies to them.

Bingo, Athens Mama! If something doesn't affect them, it doesn't matter. Like all those Republican seniors saying "Hands off my Medicare!" After 2014, the rest of the Republicans in the 98% will be saying, "Hands off my Obamacare!"

Over half have NO health insurance? Where do you get your info?

Actually, as best I can find the uninsured rate in GA is 19.7%, the fifth highest uninsured rate in the country. http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2012/09/ga-uninsured-rate-remains-high-u-s-number-dips/#more-21181

But Sarah, Mr. B and everyone else contend that only the lazy don't have health insurance. Not their problem! Not the state of Georgia's problem! Not the insured's problem - even though it directly affects their premiums!

Evelyn- The first thing citizens in Georgia should ask themselves is "What am I doing to ensure my own good health?"
People gorge themselves into obesity and poor health then want the government (us) to pay for their idiocy.
What we need are laws against obesity punishable by jail terms, during which they are forced to learn how to take better care of themselves.
What this, along with every other entitlement program, does, is force intelligent responsible people to pay for the stupid lazy ones. Unfortunately, the stupid and lazy ones, whom we have bred like cows and trained with television, now out number the intelligent responsible ones and are allowed to vote. That's how Obama got re-elected and that's why our country is being driven on the rocks. Give these people TV, loose shoes and a warm place to take a dump and they breed like cock-roaches, then vote for the folks who gave them those things.
People who are on the dole should be denied the right to vote. You pull your weight, you get to vote, period.

Wow! Racer-X wants to amend the Constitution to deny Americans the vote because they don't meet his weight and health standards. Throw them in jail if they're overweight? I think the ACA would be a lot cheaper to implement than the cost of imprisonment. Such a total lack of compassion toward human beings is disturbing at best, criminal at its worst. This thinking illustrates why Romney lost and Rs will lose more seats in Congress come 2014. By all means, keep spreading these ideas. Maybe some good will come of it after all, eventually.

@Racer X
Your comments represent the new oblique language of the racists. We all know who you are talking about and thanks for the excellent examples.

Actually, I don't think the new healthcare law is for the elderly and poor. The elderly already have Medicare, and the poor already have Medicaid. The new healthcare law will help the working poor and middle class - people who work part-time, who work for employers who don't offer health coverage, who have been laid off, who are self-employed. If you can't get into a group insurance plan (essentially, an employer-sponsored plan) in this country, you are likely to be screwed in terms of getting individual insurance. Why is this? Why should people be afraid to leave their jobs for a new opportunity just because of health coverage? Why should entrepreneurs be stymied from leaving a corporate position because they wouldn't be able to obtain health coverage as an individual? The main thing (among the many other things, yes) the healthcare law does is allow these populations to purchase individual insurance in a fair marketplace, whether or not they have a pre-existing condition. The exchanges that are the subject of the article above are just these state-by-state marketplaces.

Sarah, I know all about pre-existing conditions. When I decided to retire early, I don't qualify for Medicare due to my age. Yet, when I began looking into insurance options, there were many. One was to stay with my previous employer plan but pay the full amount (not subsidized by the employer.) The other options was to buy insurance on the open market. With a pre-existing condition, I was concerned I wouldn't qualify. What I found was that insurance options were plentiful and companies even competed for my business. And prices were significantly lower than my previous employers plan for similar coverage. As stated before, I don't want the government involved in my healthcare decisions. That's strictly between me and my doctor. I chose Humana by the way although BCBS was equally available. Some lesser known companies were cheaper but didn't have the respected names.

Mr. B, consider yourself fortunate. As I mentioned above, my husband was rejected out of hand for a preexisting condition, and had it not been for a state-run program, we wouldn't be able to get health coverage for him at all. As it is, we had zero choice of insurer or plan, and it is more expensive than care for the three other members of our family. The new law will provide choice for us.

@gary grossman: I thought the same thing! My mother still remembers when the governor cried over integration of schools and said, "We will not do it!"

George- Educated is what you get when you take human intellect and strip away common sense and instinct. You cannot spend your way out of debt and our Federal Government will never operate a "competitive" business.
America is lost if we continue to listen to robots like you.

@George Wilson: You're a small business owner. You are an older caucasian Georgian. You often post from a liberal mindset. They hate you because you go against what they feel liberals should look like. Those who voted for Obama should be minority, young, jobless, with a bunch of illegitimate children, trying to sponge off the system. You interrupt their narrow perspective of how things should be. They don't want to think about educated small business owners voting for Obama. So they post things like "You are senile. You don't make any sense. You forgot to take your meds." They hate you most because they think only common sense would cause you to vote Republican.

@Racer X
The insurance companies will be competing for your business through an insurance exchange. The government is out of the picture unless they are forced to set up an exchange because our reactionary, stubborn, Governor will not. I don't understand your point.

Mr. B, what about your fellow Americans who do need some help in receiving healthcare? A consistent pro-life position would show more concern for their lives.

Depends on why they need help I suppose. Personally, I am pro life, however, that decision was made many years ago by the Supreme Court, almost 40 years ago to be exact. Why do liberals keep living in the past? Isn't that something liberals accuse conservatives of wanting, returning to the good days of the past?

Yep, that was her. I bet that makes the people of SF so proud.

Bush's fault...that's funny but the only thing they know to say other than call us names.

What would your mama say about you judging people, same as if she heard you call someone "loser"? Saying everyone who supports President Obama is "enamored . . . (they worship him)": is you judging others. What about all the Republicans who secretly voted for re-election. Are they worshipers, too? Oh, and what's wrong with a lot of America and the world is Bush's (and Cheney's and the other neocons') fault. The Rs leading your party know that., except for Romney, using all those neos in his campaign, and I guess the neos themselves.

Mr B maybe we ARE because he DOES....

THINK about it ....

@ Mr.B
I was very specific in saying that the losers were elected Republicans especially the Governor.

George, you were very specific in comparing the people of Georgia to the people of Louisiana and Mississippi, then calling us a "bunch of losers." I'm offended as I assume most Georgians would be. I suppose you folks from NC are just so much more sophisticated and intelligent than us.

Yeah, what was it Gallagher called them...Granola, what ain't fruits and flakes is nuts.

@Tammy Osier (more on losers and wackos)
The Republican Senate Majority Leader ,Chip Rogers, convened a meeting of Georgia Republican senators to talk about Pres. Obama’s mind control plot to take over America and then Better Georgia shot video of it and then that video ended up on the local news with the amazing graphics and then it ended up in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and in other Georgia newspapers. And then it started to get national news in Mother Jones, Huffington Post…Quick run to the grocery store and get me some tin foil so that I can communicate with our Republican leaders. News flash, they replaced old Chip with another fringe Republican as leader.

I think I agree with your first and last sentences.

Daniel- Spot on. When our corrupt government implodes those dependent upon it will be coming after those who are not. When they do, they are in for a rude awakening, because we will be ready for them. It isn't going to be pretty, but neither was the last American Revolution.

Daniel, the best candidates for office won't run because of all the money and time it takes. (Not to mention being in the 24/7 "news" spotlight, along with their families and everyone they've ever had contact with.) Campaign reform, including finances and the length of campaign season, could bring out better choices. You shouldn't judge all Americans by what some attention-seekers do. Those upside-down flag flyers are in the skinny minority. Doom, gloom, apocalyptic talk is what they want you to feel and do. Don't give in to it. Dwell on the blessings instead of the flaws. Have a peaceful, grateful Thanksgiving.

@Racer X
You are already paying for this irresponsible behavior.Visits to the emergency rooms of this country cost the average insurance policy holder about $1000.00 .Through Obamacare emergency room visits will be reduced because people will get treated earlier and they now have health insurance.I also convinced that after reading some of the comments posted here is that people really don't know much about the actual plan.

Heh. I have a feeling if Racer X saw my car with the "I (heart) Obamacare" bumpersticker alongside my 26.2 and triathlon stickers his head might explode. I'll be thinking of you when I'm running a marathon this weekend.

You're right Grief. You should read the entire law. It's boring but stay with it til the end. It really gets interesting toward the end where all the new taxes and all the pork is documented.

No, Racer, I haven't read it. And, even if you have read it, comprehension is everything. Yours or Mr. B's or T.O.'s interpretations and comments aren't expert. Some of you don't even understand simple words like partisan, thinking it only applies to people with opposing views and not to your own party ideology. What I have read are experts who disclaim all the horror stories about the bill that the Rs have put forth. Much of the bill has R ideas - mandate - and was modeled after Romneycare, yet you wanted him to be POTUS. You can blame your own people for the fact that it is not better. But it will be improved, we just need a few more Dems in the Senate and the House. The way Rs are continuing to prop up instead of reform, we'll get there in 2014. You guys do your side no favors by insisting on your narrow mindedness. But I like it. Keep it up! :D

Grief, read my comments below. These aren't speculations, these are taxes published in the bill. READ IT!!!

Mr. B, I believe you believe you. No thanks. I have a lot to do and no time to dwell on a law the Supreme Court has upheld. I have faith and confidence the law as it stands can and will be improved.

Mr. B, I refer you to my comments above.

And, by too-much government, you mean putting people in jail for health reasons, like obesity?, denying them the right to vote because of health reasons, like obesity?, insisting on unnecessary and expensive procedures for women because of pregnancy?

With very few exceptions, obesity is a choice. Making people accept responsibility for their choices is much better than asking those who do to take up their slack.
I have never said anything about unnecessary procedures for women due to pregnancy.
Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you don't get eaten.

I met a young man recently at a grill and bar during an all you can eat chicken wing night. He was there with someone I knew. He was huge. I'm guessing at well over 500 pounds. He explained to me he had a glandular problem that made him so fat. As the night progressed, he ate no less than 100 chicken wings. At least 10 orders and there were 10 on each plate. Glandular problem, my ass.

Another one of those anecdotes, Mr. B? You can have an extreme story coming from either side. Racer, the phrase about pregnancy fits with the big government theme you're so against. You seem to be obsessed with eating, people eating too much, people eating people. That's disgusting.

It was a funny anecdote. But he was eating chicken wings. He was too slow to catch people to eat them. And I'm pretty sure he wasn't pregnant so I don't understand your jump pregnancy and big government.

Mr. B, I was talking to Racer about the pregnancy comment b/c he didn't understand my point, also about his reference to cannibalism. I was not directing those comments at you, which is why I started my sentence with "Racer". Reading comprehension - see, that's why I can't take your Obamacare reading and interpretation seriously. Next time, I'll make a separate post to each commenter. That will be easier for you.

I knew you started your sentence with Racer. I was just being dismissive of your entire post. It added nothing to the conversation.

Really, Mr. B? You knew that, or are you just pulling a Romney - backtracking? The immediate conversation is about "too much Government" and the ACA. My reply is relevant. Too much government - but let men in Congress make decisions on women's healthcare, which is covered in the ACA (that's Obamacare to you)? Absolutely relevant. You're entitled to your opinions, but not your own set of facts.

Michael, I would normally insist you read the bill for yourself as I think it is very informative and you will probably be amazed. But just for you I will point out a few tax points.
Excise tax on charitable hospitals: $50K per hospital
Codification of ESD: $4.5B
Bio-fuel tax hike: $23.6B (Bio-fuels in a healthcare bill? Really?)
Drug company Innovation tax: $22.2B
BCBS Clinical Services Tax: $400M
Indoor Tanning Salons: $2.7B
HSA/FSA/HRA no longer pre-tax: $5B
HSA Withdrawal Tax: $1.7B
W-2 Insurance reporting: Amount undetermined yet
Investment Income Surtax: $123B (Healthcare connection???)
Medicare Tax Increase: $86B

I could go on and on but it really would be to your benefit to read this yourself. These taxes come out of your pocket. Even when manufacturers are taxed like the new tax on medical devices ($20B), these costs are passed along to consumers. The money has to come from somewhere and its our pockets.

READ THE BILL!!!

T.O. I have never, ever said Democrats are saints or that I agree with everything they say and do. I still think you don't understand the word partisan and that you, my dear, are as partisan as they come. Until you cease making such comments as the following, you will never have a productive conversation with Democrats, liberal or moderate: "The hypocrisy (and ignorance) of the left is astounding." Look back through your own posts and pretend you're a Democrat - sorry, I guess that would be too painful - just pretend you're, let's say Independent or from another country, you'll see what I mean, hopefully. I challenge you to make a post on your views or a comment to another poster without making one of your colorful, descriptive, but inflammatory remarks. You get back what you send out.

"Works both ways"...isn't that part of your worn out and tired rhetoric.....you're such a bore GGY.............

The difference, John B, is that T.O. talks out of both sides at the same time. She insults the opposition while lamenting that no one will have a reasonable discussion. She is incessant with her disrespect and inflammatory remarks about President Obama. It's why I have a struggle with her posts. If I'm boring you, keep moving.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......................

WAKE UP! :D

Michael, there's only a couple of MINOR problems with your statement above. If this bill allows people that couldn't afford healthcare to buy it cheaper, most are still not going to be able or elect to buy it, regardless of price. Unless it's free!! And if its merely an expansion of the current programs, they pay so little, doctors will continue to push these patients off to ER's.
I saw the report you reference and it probably has merit. However, anything published by the Kaiser Foundation has to be looked at very closely. They do have an agenda with reference to healthcare so one must look at other sources too. BUt as I said, it probably has merit...at least the chart shows the correct direction.

T.O., that is the ONLY non-partisan comment I have seen from you. Did you go back and read your stuff? You really should if you are sincere in wanting to communicate with Democrats.

Michelle, you won't find the answers here. U.S. Health & Human Services will have to step in and take care of Georgia's citizens.

There is no law requiring you to have auto insurance to own a car. If there is, Prove it!

Why doe I have to pay that ridiculous Uninsured Motorist Fee if auto insurance is required?

Mr. B, PLEASE LEARN TO READ! If you learn to read and still can't comprehend, ou can blame your government education.
"There is no law requiring you to have auto insurance to own a car"

I own a car without insurance and I'm breaking NO laws. My uncle owns a farm and has several vehicles that he is "not required by law" to carry insurance on said vehicles. You democrats have tunnel vision. You need everything explained and done for you or else you are completely lost.

That's why you boneheads feel Obamacare is a good thing.

They're supposed to follow the law even if they don't agree. They're hurting their own people. I, too, would be glad for the states to stay out of it. Many of them are too backward to do it right. With the standard being to come up with something better, it's too big a hill to climb.

lisa, you need top wait as long as possible for 2014 to get here. Stop the clock if you can. You will have 1/3 to 1/2 less disposable income than you do now due to taxes and/or added expenses.

Classy aren't you Nancy Sistrant? You're part of the angry, hostile right problem. And you just proved it again with your potty mouth. You will pay for it, sister, and I will, and T.O., and Mr. B and Racer-X. That's what you do in a civilized society - you do civil things, you share in the cost for all. You want to live in the woods on a dirt road with no electricity, phones, internet, tv, emergency service? When you get down and can't get up, do you want to just lay there and rot? IF you pay federal income taxes or any form of taxes - local, state, federal, gasoline, any consumer taxes - that pays for the civilized lifestyle which you don't seem to deserve. You are so wrong, plenty is being paid for, including 2 wars-unfunded tax cuts including for the super duper wealthy who don't give a rip roar about you-Medicare Part D also unfunded. You and your Republicans got us in this hole and you have not a modicum of appreciation that the Democrats have had to do the heavy lifting to get your butt out. Turn off anger radio and Fox channel. Listen to some soft or upbeat music, see a shrink, stay off opinion boards - you don't seem able to handle it.

Well at least I use my real name. No courage and no brains. You're damn right I'm angry. You either don't understand the Constitution and Bill of Rights or you just don't care about liberty and freedom. What gives YOU and your retarded friends any right to my child's property?

I don't need faux news but thank you for knowing everything.

NS, If I made the comments you do, I would be ashamed to use my real name. I am not the only participant smart enough to use a moniker. There are some really bad, crazy people out there. Nobody's taking anything from your child, except possibly you if you rant like this in front of him/her. If you were a Constitutional scholar you wouldn't be making the bizarre claims you do. You don't write like a mother or a female. Maybe you're a he. Does your child go to public school? Dear God, I hope you're not homeschooling!

Someone has a very limited vocabulary and/or is a few cards short of a full deck.

Your posts are more prevalent here than any others. You seem a bit upset yourself. As a matter of fact, no one is required to answer to you about their charities. Some just give and find no need to boast.

Oh, I didn't know you were following me, Sandy. I haven't been on this board all weekend like many others, or didn't you notice that? At the moment, I am a bit upset over the posts of a certain person with no civility and a filthy mouth. PATCH seems slow to take notice. Other than that, I'm good. I don't post comments with anger, ordinarily, but I have often been the recipient of such. If I were angry, I wouldn't be following Patch opinion columns and the comments that follow. That only feeds the hostility. I am interested enough to read and try to understand why people have such hate toward others who have a different world view, and offer my rightful opinion. I haven't asked anyone to answer to me about their charities. I was making an observation, much as you are toward me. Giving and helping without boasting is as it should be. Maybe you're even doing some of that. I have noticed that you like to parachute in and take potshots at others. Do you ever contribute to the discussion otherwise? I've not seen evidence of that . . . as a matter of fact.

Is that what you call what you do? A discussion? You sound like a disgruntled cry baby.

Hello Scott Terry, thanks for dropping in. I must have rattled your cage, too, somewhere in one of my comments :) I only cry when sentimental, because of heartbreak, tragedy, out of compassion for the misfortune of others and fear for the safety of my loved ones. Nothing I have read on these opinion boards fits into any of those categories. Yes, Scott, I am discussing, not potshotting like many others such as yourself, you know, as in example above. If someone throws something at me, I usually respond.

ggy said:
If all these people bitching about Obamacare and taxes had a high-enough income to be truly affected, they wouldn't be on these opinion forums. They would be out enjoying life, being grateful, maybe even working with charities to feed hungry children, help victims of disaster, the needy and helpless among us. Well, except for the selfish and greedy, they would still be here.
Here's why people have a hard time having a conversation with you. You ASSUME to know all about people that you know absolutely nithing about! I have a feeling more than you think do exactly that. Maybe we feel that we do a better job than the government and we don't require a penny for our efforts. All is done for no other reason but that it's the right thing to do. I have some friends who live in St. Ives (very wealthy). They build wings for children wit htheir money, help the homeless, built nad help maintain a nursing home for hte elderly. BUT obama said of them, "they don't need all that money". I lost respect for the man the day he said that, knowing what I know about people that he obviously knows nothing about. He "assumes" a lot too. Maybe that's why his followers do the same. Food fo thought.

Living in S/Ds like St. Ives doesn't automatically indicate that those people are in the income bracket which would be most affected by going back to the Clinton tax rates or Obamacare. If they are, they are probably not posting on these forums. Maybe you can do a survey for us. I wasn't assuming anything. I was making an observation . . . hence the "If". I really still think there's a serious reading comprehension deficit on these Patch threads. That's a real cause for concern as opposed to what people are attempting to get off their chests. I didn't say the wealthy don't do charity work - in a nutshell, I said they probably don't spend their time posting (a lot of nonsense) on opinion boards - they're out doing good works and enjoying life. Thanks for the analysis of why you "assume" that, "Here's why people have a hard time having a conversation with you." I'm not in a popularity contest with you or anyone else. It matters not to me whether anyone responds to my posts. Neither of us knows who reads what or what they agree with on these threads. They may choose not to participate by writing, but that doesn't mean they aren't reading them. I'm surprised, based on your comments, that you have actually heard the President speak. I have heard and read a lot of his speeches and interviews, but have never heard him say that exact phrase. Do you mind terribly posting a reference for that? I would like to see the context. That's not a demand, but a request.

WRONG! Good God!

I'm calling "silly" and ignorant. "There is no law requiring you to have auto insurance to OWN a car" NONE!

What are you people smoking?

Michelle, you forgot to explicitly state "operate on public roadways" as opposed to own. I can't tell if Sportsfan and his buddies know that and are just trying to be cute, or if they're truly clueless.

GGY - the verbiage that I actually used was "carry" auto insurance. Not own or operate. I do so apologize for the error of my ways....LOL! I didn't mean for my comparison to be so terribly confusing...LOL! I am glad that you understood what I was trying to so poorly articulate :)

There was no error on your part, Michelle. Some folks like to zone in on the obvious and turn it into something else. Some are really clueless. Some fit both descriptions :)

YOU are the one that said to call you silly. So I did.

I made my point, it was challenged, I reiterated and it was challenged, I made it again and now I'm criticized for being correct.

"There is no law requiring you to have auto insurance to OWN a car"

I stick to my story and I ask again... are you people okay with the government requiring you to install and wear a seat belt at you kitchen table chair?

What's the difference. I have never cost anyone anything for my healthcare. Again, I am personally responsible like our founders expected us to be.

GROW UP!

Well said, Michelle! Excellent post!

Thanks, Michael. Your reasoned explanation will get through to those who really want a better understanding of the subject, to those who aren't looking to just trash talk.

Tammy, I just realized you posted this comment twice. I know, it's hard to keep up with all these folks you want to answer to or about ;) See my reply after the first posting.
No thanks to your "Food for thought", I'm allergic to convoluted thoughts.

See there, Tammy, more insults and name calling from your side. :)