BS: Bush's Speech

Subject: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:36 PM

What did you think to it?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:42 PM

Well, we haven't hear all of it yet, John.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:44 PM

Hac he nearly finished yet, he's going on a bit isn't he?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:49 PM

Well, he's trying to cover all the bases, I suppose. Most State of the Union speeches do.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:55 PM

I meant to ask, John, but failed to. Is the speech telecast to Great Britain?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Tweed
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 09:56 PM

He's getting better at this I'm afraid. I wish the Democrats would sit their butts down for a while instead of jumping up at the end of every blast of bullshit coming out that guy.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:02 PM

What speech? Oh well, I missed another one. Whoopee do. What he says can't really matter very much. State of the Union is A MESS!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:15 PM

Ekh. What a load. Just when I thought I couldn't hate America any more... Seriously, someone from a good country: Adopt me.

----Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:16 PM

Doug-Yes all the major BBC Radio stations are playing it, all the ones exept Radio 1, but thats like a kids station, and they never cover any news.He is a lot like Tiny Blair (UK prime minister). He talked about Medicare, is that your NHS? What do the poor people do when they get ill in USA, we have the NHS (Ntional Health Service), but it is not very good, in fact it's pretty crap.We have to wait years for an operation and they have started sending patients to France, because the UK hospitals cannot cope.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:16 PM

Doug, I think John got to hear the speech a lot earlier since the UK is 6 or 7 hours ahead of us.(:<))

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:16 PM

Right on, Sorcha! Spoken like a true patriot. :>)

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:18 PM

I meant to ask as well, Who were all the people clapping and cheering, were they his friends?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:20 PM

Well John, I think some of them were Enron executives and others who owed their position to Enron. Bush has very few friends. His dog bites him in the balls on a regular basis.

Okay Doug....Have fun!

Spaw (:<))

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:27 PM

Lepus Rex-If you don't like Bush, you would not like Tony, they sound very similar, maybe they are related. Oh Shit, I am starting to sound like David Icke!!
They do sound just the same though.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:30 PM

Spaw-Who is Enron?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:30 PM

But when Tony Blair talks out of his ass, at least it sounds good. Bush only sounds good to Southerners and suburbanites...

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:35 PM

Nuclear, you ninny! N-U-C-L-E-A-R!!! Not nucular. ARGHHH!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:45 PM

John, your NHS is much better than our Medicare/Medicaid. What poor/unemployed/elderly/over 65/etc, persons do here is basically do without medical care at all. The gov't plan (Medicare) is so limitied as to be almost a No Pay option. There is this thing called Medicare Assignment...

If your chosen Dr. chooses NOT to accept assingnment for Medicare, that is his/her privilige and you are responsible for 100% of the bill.......if he does choose to accept "assignment" you are only responsible for 20% of the approved Medicare bill..........Medicare arbitrarily sets the "approved" amount.

After age 65, our Federal Medicare is NOT an option.....it's a mandated program. Private health insurance drops us at age 65 and sends us to "Medicare" so we have to get a "Medicare Supplement" policy. Especially since the Federal Medicare policy pays NOTHING for any drugs whatso ever.

In Hospital policies are also a real mess with Federal Medicare.....you have to request "Pre Approval" for anything, basically including real emergencies......

I am NOT looing forward to being a Medicare Patient....only 15 more years.

"Medicaid" for the low income is worse.......if ever an "inheritee" of a Medicaid patient comes into any money AT ALL, then the Medicaid program can ask for all medical payments to re-paid to the program.......even unto the 2nd generation. I kid you not.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 10:48 PM

Remember Lenny Bruce Sins? He had a bit about how we'd never elect another southerner as President after listening to Johnson:

**********************************************************

"Frayends, I theeink nukuler fishin....." You don't think shit you putz! Hell it took Lyndon Johnson 6 months to learn how to say Negro......"Naygerra...Neeggerra-a-o...Neegra-o...Neegera-0.......Aw sheeit, I cain't say it..."Say it fast Mr. President, try again.......uh...okay....Niggera ....Nigerroa........I just cain't do it..........Lemmee show'em my scar......."....Yeah man, that's it.....You talk like that you're a shitkicker man.....even if you win a Nobel Prize, you're still a shitkicker.

**********************************************************

Jimmy at least WAS a nuclear guy and he could say it.....but even then it sounded odd. But this asshole? Between that and the friggin' smirk...................

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Tweed
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 11:00 PM

It's kinda scary ain't it? A friend's father just got diagnosed as being terminal with cancer and the doctor gave him maybe two months. The guy's got no insurance and medicare tells his son that they can't do anything for about TWELVE months. Now that's a hell of a system don't you think?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 11:03 PM

Ekh. What a load. Just when I thought I couldn't hate America any more... Seriously, someone from a good country: Adopt me.

----Lepus Rex

HEY ASS HOLE! WHY DON'T YOU JUST MOVE TO IRAQ?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Ebbie
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 11:25 PM

Is it possible that some here are confusing Medicare with Medicaid and with Social Security Disability?

I'm certainly not rich but I have Medicare insurance, along with a supplemental insurance policy. Medicare, as Sorcha said, is not income based and one is eligible for it the month you are going to turn 65 years old. As Sorcha said, Medicare pays up to 80% of the covered conditions, after a $250 annual fee. My supplemental insurance covers almost everything else.

Medicaid is income based- and I believe that medical care under it, including prescription services, is completely free.

Social Security Disability is different. They don't usually pay until one has been diagnosed with an ailment/illness for six months. If one can stay alive that long, they will start paying an income monthly, including a retroactive one-time payment for the time that has passed from your first application. Under SSD, medical care, including prescription services, is also free.

As Sorcha said, a doctor is not compelled to accept Medicare patients with their limited coverage. However, I have not found that to be a problem. So far, every single time I have needed medical care, including surgery, the doctors have not hesitated.

And if they did turn me down, it doesn't mean that I would have to pay 100% of the treatment- one looks for another doctor...

Ebbie

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: bflat
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 11:28 PM

While he wasn't my candidate for the office, he is doing fairly well in the worst of times. And if you don't believe that things are more precarious than ever befor than perhaps you need to emerse yourself in reality. I don't wish to appear confrontational, yet that does sound a bit like it is. I believe his address was more intented to exhibit to the world that the US is united in resolve and will not be deterred. This was more an address that spoke to values of freedom and our intention to ensure those values. I couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Karzi was able to fathom the issues that spoke to our domestic economic programs and concerns, when his country is at best in ruins, and far from 401Ks etc.

Ellen

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 11:48 PM

Nah, Spaw, I don't think I'll get involved.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 12:12 AM

I won't take the bait and comment on the President's speech. Everyone to their own opinion.

I will say this, however, since the value of our healthcare system has entered into the converstation.

My wife was seriously ill and hospitalized for twelve weeks; eight of them in intensive care. She had three major surgeries during that time, and her hospital bill exceeded 1 million dollars. Medicare and our HMO paid all the costs. It did not cost us a dime. I am not wealthy, and the care she got had nothing to do with our income level. You won't find me bad-mouthing the Medicare program, or the arrangement Medicare has with HMOs in this country.

Those who have had no experience with the system, and spout venom and inaccuracies based only on opinion at the system should (in my humble opinion) keep their fucking mouths shut.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 02:11 AM

I'm on medicaid, DougR. And there are quite a lot of things that I simply don't have access to. Many of which would probably help me a lot. I'm grateful for the coverage I have, but it's far from being adequate.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From:
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 02:34 AM

I read it but didn't hear it. It had some great lines in it..like honor trumping cynicism. I bet Peggy Noonan wrote parts of it. Anyway, a whole lot of diseases are going to fall by the wayside...mark my words.....do a google search under high insulin levels. The research is out there, the popular press is full of the news, and the doctors etc. are a bit behind is all. You don't have to believe this...just get a glucose monitor and see for yourselves that ailments drop when your blood sugar drops to a good level (and your insulin levels likewise...you'll need to have those checked.) Just start reading up on this and you can prevent or reduce a whole lot of problems. Read medical journal articles by Dr. Gerald Reaven, former chair of endocrinology at Stanford, and Dr. WIllett of Harvard. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 02:50 AM

Well, I just had my glucose level checked and it's perfect. I can safely guarantee that none of my health problems has anything to do with glucose levels. However, I can also safely say that they do have a lot to do with things that are correctible. But just not by me.

Some of my problems are the result of toxins in the environment. That's a situation that is getting worse rather than better, and it's going to continue to get worse before anyone does anything about it.

Lack of access to dental care is another issue that, if corrected, could make a big difference in preventing and/or correcting health problems in a lot of people. I don't see that one getting any attention any time in the near future, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 09:13 AM

GW did a great job. Excellent speech, well foucsed on the important issues of the times. His thoughts were well received by both sides of the aile, with a few exceptions. I thought Mr Gephardt did a good job too, in his follow up to the State of the Union.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 09:39 AM

I liked his speech - and this coming from a liberal folks - he gave praise where it was due, tasked the country with change, and has really pulled a divisive group together I believe. His popularity is very high and he has the potential to do a lot of good. My hope is he will do so.

As I looked at the two flight attendants that stopped the bomber, the Green Beret that is still in traction from his wounds, the military men and women sitting in front row seats I teared up - I recall only too vividly the reception we received during the Viet Nam war.

Frankly I am proud to be an American and proud of our President. He's done a good job in my opinion.

And the Minority Leader's post speech was positive also. After all of the negativity in the political arena it is good to see both sides agreeing on the goals. Maybe not the path there - but the goals are worthy ones.

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: SharonA
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 10:09 AM

I deliberately did not watch the speech because I cannot stand to watch that man speak. Every time he sticks his tongue out to lick his lips (which is OFTEN), I want to scream. It makes him look as if even he does not believe the words he is saying... which may in fact be the case, but his nervous habit doesn't exactly inspire confidence. I wish someone would train him to keep his tongue inside his mouth!!!

Here's a transcript of the speech, for anyone else who did not listen to it: ABC News transcript of Bush's 2002 State of the Union address

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: GUEST,Boston Bill
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 10:44 AM

Where are your values, to criticize on such a peripheral basis? Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: GUEST,Chip A.
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 10:51 AM

Damn, Lupus Rex, I wish I was superior to Southerners and suburbanites too.

But I am a Southerner so I guess it'll never be. Opinions are like assholes -------- you know the rest of the line. What upsets me is not the opinions on Mudcat but the cocky, superior, if you don't think my way, then you're an ignorant piece of shit attitude I keep running into on what is otherwise a wonderful forum.

Thanks Doug R. for your 12:12 A.M. post. My wife has VAST experience with surgeries over the last TWENTY FIVE YEARS. Our system has areas which need improvement but it beats the living shit out of dying!

And who the hell told any of you you had a free ride coming. It would be lovely indeed if that were true and our system is pretty close in many areas. It just ain't owed to you, that's all.

If you read through this, thanks for indulging me.

Chip

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 11:03 AM

SharonA, I didn't listen either. And I'm appalled at the amount of damage he's going to manage to do the country, to civil rights, and to the economy in the four years he's in office. I had hoped we could coast on Clinton's fumes for four years, but obviously not.

Do people accept the carnage in Afghanistan as acceptable simply because Dubya has told us it's okay so often that we forget our earlier arguments? Like the Afghan people had no choice in dealing with the Taliban and bin Laden? Do people honestly believe that if we treat North Korea, Iraq, and Iran like they're the lowest form of life, and like Cuba, continue with trade embargoes, that they WON'T turn to whatever form of help is offered, no matter how corrupt or immoral? There are simply NO critical thinking skills available in this particular Bush administration. In a comparison of people to nations, if Bush were the parent and these were his children, he'd have locked the four of them in the closet and starved them. For years. He has to get real, and understand that there will always be people opposed to the US, people considered "evil" by this government. Bush isn't going to take them all out, in any way, shape, or form. But he is attempting sleight of hand. He is going to set things up so while people who don't know any better watch the drama on stage, he's going to make sure to pick their pockets and set up an economy in which the rich continue to get richer and the poor stay poor or are worse off. But that pretty well defines the Republican agenda. In my jaded opinion.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 11:11 AM

GUEST Boston Bill, When someone really annoys you, then personal characteristics of that someone are going to appear all the more pronounced. It's reading body language. So if you're unable to see SharonA's criticism as based on a physiological delivery of an unpleasant message, then you need to spend some time studying non-verbal communcations.

We recognize non-verbal communications in all sorts of situations, and not just in humans. They convey everything, not just negative messages. But that's what was being discussed this time.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: SharonA
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 11:22 AM

GUEST Boston Bill: I'm sorry if my comment made me sound like a shallow person. I assure you that I am not. If you click on my name in the "From" heading of this post, you will be linked to a list of every post I've made to this forum (some of them about GW Bush). That'll give you some sense of my values... though I suspect they're not really of interest to you.

Bush just irritates me, that's all. He irritates me on many levels, not just that "peripheral" one.

I won't comment on the speech itself until I've had a chance to read the entire transcript. If you have comments about the speech, Bill, please post them by all means.

Sharon

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 11:42 AM

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Then I'll have some company... and thanks for the link to the transcript, I also had better causes of nausea around than listening to him. But I can read OK...

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: SharonA
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 11:49 AM

Oops – I have to make a technical correction to the first paragraph of my last post here:

If you click on my name in the "From" heading of this post, you will be linked to a list of every post I've made to this forum as a member. However, the posts I made to the Mudcat Forum as a GUEST, before I registered for membership. won't show up in that list. They will be included in the list if you go to the Forum Search under the Quick Links pop-up menu at the top of this page, type "SharonA" in the UserName space and click "Search".

To Stilly River Sage: Thanks for reinforcing my comment about non-verbal communication.... and about their value!

Sharon

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 12:15 PM

I should qualify my criticism of ostracizing out-of-favor nations, that I disliked it when Clinton continued the same practice left over from Reagan and Bush. To place a nation under an embargo is not to affect change, but to punish those within that nation least able to make the local system work to sustain a reasonable way of life. I just see Bush as taking a bad sitation and making it worse.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 12:56 PM

Don't get me started on Medicare. I'm old enough to be covered by Medicare—in fact, I have no choice in the matter. Within recent years I've had plenty to do with doctors and hospitals, and all I can say is, thank God my wife's medical insurance at work covers me, too. Some weeks after a visit to a doctor, I get a report from Barbara's insurance company that explains what they cover, which is usually everything. I also get a report from Medicare that explains what they cover, which is usually nothing.

The speech:-- what I saw last night was a small man delivering a string of bumper-stickers. I also saw a man who apparently thought a comma in the script meant "assume smirk and pause for applause," which that assembly of sycophants (from both parties) responded to on cue—after the three or four second pause it took them to realize that they were supposed to applaud at that point. And all those standing ovations! It began to look like they were all on pogo sticks.

I've heard political speeches delivered by all the presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt (now there was an orator!), and all I heard last night was a small man uttering all the froth and meringue that he assumed people expected him to say, but supplying no underlying substance. Patriotic twaddle, a lot of scary saber-rattling (the 800 lb. gorilla strikes again!), and the usual tripe about huge increases in spending while cutting taxes. Just how is he going to manage that? Is magician David Copperfield one of his advisors? The words have become a news reporter's cliché within recent years, but all I heard last night was pure "political rhetoric." And the assembly gave every indication that they loved it! Well—I guess Bush was speaking their language. And we elected these doofuses! In the immortal words of Pete Seeger, "When will we ever learn?"

When small men cast long shadows, that means the sun is setting.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 12:58 PM

Silly River Sage - you're correct about one thing at least; your opinin certainly is jaded!

In fact today's polls show following Bush's speech Americans overwhelmingly believe he is leading the country in the right direction. The poll says that 94% of independents agree with Bush, 72% of Democrats and 99% of Republicans.

Strong as your hatred for him is, you are among a very very few detractors.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 12:58 PM

Most people who rave about how great American Health Care is, are people who are employees either of a Government Entity or a large Company where their Health Care is part of their benefits package. Try running a small business in this country. In addition to the fact that you have almost no influence or sympathy from the powers that be in government, health insurance that you must carry to avert a possible bankrupting illness or accident is near crippling in itself.

I have been in both situations, employee of a large company, and owner of a small one. No insurance company is a benevolent giver of unlimited benefits : money spent on operations, hospital stays, and prescriptions comes back two-fold in the form of higher premiums.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:01 PM

The stats I quoted were from ABC News Radio.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:01 PM

oh, and as for GWBush. I thinks he is doing an admirable job of handling the War on Terrorism. I have little confidence that he can identify or help avert the severe economic difficulties that are bearing down on us at this time.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:09 PM

... he may not need to LEJ. Today's reports show we've already turned the corner and the GDP was back in positive growth for 2001 Q4. Good news, if we can keep it going!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:17 PM

SRS, thank God you are in the minority in this country.

For those of you who want socialized medicine, why in the world don't you move to a country that offers it? Do you know of one, however, that is not in trouble? That offers the care you want, when you want it?

Neither Medicare or Medicaid in the U. S. was designed to cover all medical costs. It would be cost prohibitive to do so. Neither was Social Security designed to cover the full retirement cost for someone who wants to retire, for the same reason.

Chip: I don't think I have seen you post before. If you are new, welcome! Good post.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:30 PM

Sweden.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: DougR
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:34 PM

Sweden is a beautiful country, I'm told. I wonder if it will be able to absorb all the Mudcatters that will shortly be moving there?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: GUEST,Chip A.
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:54 PM

Doug R.

Lost my cookies. I haven't posted for a while. I really am bothered by the things I mentioned and sorta quit posting.

Chip

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Speech
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 01:59 PM

Chip - that's why I typically keep to the music threads! Couldn't help but peek in on GW's thread though ... and once I peeked in, I just had to speak up.