2012 ELECTION

[HairOfTheDog]

You may want to ask the vets if it was dropped or not.

I talk with a retired vet everyday, I think he knows what it costs him for healthcare don't you?

If what was dropped? The proposal? Benefits?

Hey, if you've got more accuratet information and I'm outdated, please share what you know. I like to be educated and you may well know something that I don't.

[HairOfTheDog]

Dick, I read the opinion piece you posted from Jan 2009. It does not deal with eliminating or minimizing Veteran's Benefits. It focused on increases in copays for Tricare users. Maybe that's what your friend was talking about. Copays for insurance have risen for everyone including Tricare users, which I don't doubt resulted in an increase in his health care costs. But the DOD-managed Tricare is still provided to active and retired military at generally reduced rates as compared to private or employee plans.

The 2009 proposal by Obama to bill combat-related health expenses to private insurance carriers was in fact dropped.

I think veterans deserve the benefit of special VA loans, educational assistance, military health care plans, coverage for combat-related injuries, Aid and Attendance supplements... I don't expect that some of the rates and out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries will never increase/decrease in correlation with the rest of the economy.

[Duchess]

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain came out on top in the Florida straw poll on Saturday.

The former CEO of Godfather's Pizza won the test of conservative strength with roughly 37 percent of the vote. Texas Governor Rick Perry came in second place, followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who did not actively compete in the event. Here's a full breakdown of the results:

Herman Cain: 37.11%

Rick Perry: 15.43%

Mitt Romney: 14.00%

Rick Santorum: 10.88%

Ron Paul: 10.39%

Newt Gingrich: 8.43%

Jon Huntsman: 2.26%

Michele Bachmann: 1.51%

[aussiefriend]

Rick Perry will win. Didn't know he was running.

[Cynical Ninja]

Who the fuck is Herman Cain?

Sorry, a president called "Herman"?, I don't think so.

[Maggot]

I thought the same about Hussien.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good for Cain! I think his platform deserves more serious consideration. It's an early straw poll and I don't think he can win the whole enchilada, but you never know.

I didn't think Perry would come in first in Florida because of the large number of retirees in the state and he called their Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Not sure many expected him to win the poll there. But, I am surprised in a good way that it was Cain who came out on top. He wants to personalize social security, which I thought might be a disadvantage for him in Florida. Apparently not.

[Lady Cop]

Who the fuck is Herman Cain?

Sorry, a president called "Herman"?, I don't think so.

florida...where the dead vote and the chads are hanging.

[HairOfTheDog]

Romney Wins Straw Poll in Michigan

Mackinac Island, Michigan (CNN) – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won an overwhelming victory over Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a straw poll of attendees to a major Michigan Republican conference.

Of 681 votes cast in this weekend’s poll, Romney captured 346 votes or 51 percent, according to results announced Sunday.

Perry won 114 votes or 16.8 percent of the ballots. No other candidate reached double digits.

Romney was expected to do well because he is a native of Michigan, has a large network of supporters in the state and won the primary in Michigan in 2008. He has already campaigned in the state several times, including spending Saturday here on the resort island greeting attendees and meeting with activists and donors.

[Cracker]

Isn't Romney a Mormon? If Mormons get deferments and don't serve in the military because they are wearing short-sleeved white shirts and black ties and knocking on doors and God-bothering, he will get a deferment on election day from me. I won't put an effen Mormon the White House. They are fucking nutbags. Ever read the Book of Mormon? Crazy fucking cult shit.

I'll take Cain/Perry. Perry fucked himself with me because he wants to give illegals in-state tuition. Fuck that. No illegal should get a better deal on tax-payer funded colleges than an American child. Double fuck that.

I'm taking the black guy from Georgia and I don't even like pizza.

Dick Nixon wasn't so bad, was he? In retrospect.

[Maggot]

Ron paul wins straw polls all over, but thats not media worthy.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yep, Romney is Mormon. I thought it would be a bigger problem for him in most of the country. It's still early, but he's doing better than I thought he would. Course, lots of people didn't think Obama could carry many states or get elected for reasons not limited to his positions on key issues, and he's sitting in the White House.

[HairOfTheDog]

Double posted deleted

[HairOfTheDog]

Ron paul wins straw polls all over, but thats not media worthy.

He truly got shafted by Fox News in the very early straw polls, according to what I researched/read when you first brought this up last month. They either downplayed his victories or they used non-standard poll results instead of the standard measurements and claimed someone else as the victor.

If Paul wins a poll now that it's closer to election and now that there are broadcast debates, I think he will get credit. But, some voters rely on recognition factor (based on media exposure) to consider whether a candidate is viable or not in getting to this juncture. Paul may have been negatively affected by the slant of some media. Not cool, imo.

[Cracker]

Oh, yeah, forgot about Ron Paul.

OK, Paul/Cain. Likes it.

9,9,9 baby!

[sally]

Sorry, a president called "Herman"?, I don't think so.

Yeah, but he's black. The name Herman sounds much cooler on a black man.

[aussiefriend]

Rick Perry will win. Didn't know he was running.

Ah wrong Rick Perry I just found out! Sorry about that, I will not comment any further on your elections, I will spectate only. I thought it was Pastor Rick Perry who wrote the New York Times Best Seller! silly me.

[aussiefriend]

Oh no, Warren, I meant Rick Warren. I just realised it was Rick Warren, sorry. I am not going to comment any further.

[Cynical Ninja]

Jesus Christ.

[Duchess]