A few gems from facebook today:

[The Straight Story]

Socialism is distributing someones personal wealth evenly among the other citizens. This means capital, land, etc. I do not personally want to give up my money or personal property to people that live off of the welfare system since they are too lazy to get jobs and abuse the system. But if this is what you would like please tell me, I will drop out of college and let you pay for my bills, house me, and take care of my junk food eating self.

--

War on Poverty declared in 1964. More than $9 Trillion spent on that war since. We spent ~$577 billion in 2005. The poverty rate remains unchanged.

Iraq: Liberated millions from a murderous dictator. Success!
Afghanistan: Liberated more from a murderous regime. Success!

--

You will be fined $50 to $1,000 and if you know someone that is not on the insurance and dont report them you will be fined.... I thought this was US OF A ????????/

--

Oh I know. They are transforming America into a socialist country one sector at a sector at time. After Socialism come Communism where everything is gov't owned. Which will be the fall of America. If it gets that far.

--

I met a drug dealer on the streets the other day. He said he just got out of the hospital the other day for an OD. He wanted to thank you all for paying for his bills with Universal Healthcare and helping him sell drugs to your children again. haha

----Working hard to keep up with them all, and was not very kind to that first guy...

[Heidi]

1. "Evidence of willful ignorance" might be a more accurate descriptor than "gems." (nt)

[The Straight Story]

2. They guy who wrote the first one also wrote the last one - gonna have me some fun today

:)

[abelenkpe]

3. Enjoy

I just block the feeds of my 'conservative' friends. I'm afraid insanity might be infectious. :)

[Bitwit1234]

4. So we lost millions and millions of jobs to India ,China and foreign countries

And at least 10% of the people in this country are out of work. So if this person is so damn sure that they don't want to work, why doesn't he start a business where he gets them jobs. I bet anything the people will flock to his door and when he GETS THEM ALL JOBS THEY WILL MAKE HIM A MILLIONAIRE, NO SCRATCH THAT A BILLIONAIRE.

[arbusto_baboso]

5. What about a 10%+ unemployment rate = "too lazy to get jobs"?

I still don't get that. How compassion-deprived do you have to be?

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. These are all throw a way lines from AM radio talk show hosts,

America is waiting for a message of some sort or another.
Takin' it again. again! again! takin' it again.
Well now... no, no... now, we ought to be mad at the government not mad at the people.
Takin' it again. again! again! takin' it again.
I mean, yeah, well... wha-what're ya gonna do?
America is waiting for a message of some sort or another.
No will what'soever. no will what'soever! absolutely no honor.
No will what'soever. no will what'soever! absolutely no integrity.
No will what'soever. no will what'soever! I haven't seen any any any citizen over there stand up and say "hey, just a second."
No will what'soever. no will what'soever! I mean, yeah, so... wha-what're ya gonna do?
America is waiting for a message of some sort or another

[GoCubsGo]

7. I assume you asked which "murderous regime" we "liberated" Afghansitan from?

When you find out, I would like to know who they are. ;-)

[Codeine]

8. There must be a correlation

between raw stupidity and the use of the term "U S of A."

[nutsnberries]

23. ahhhhh... that explains it....

i should have known from the first comment i got that said U S of A in it.

[WolverineDG]

9. My fave from yesterday was the woman crying over her husband burning the flag

& saying that they were leaving the US.

Sooo, being the nice, helpful person that I am :evilgrin: , I narrowed their search quite a bit...basically, they can't move to any country that has socialized medicine, which means that all English-speaking countries with lots of white people are no-goes. As is anywhere in Europe, & several countries in Central & South America. They're left with somewhere in Africa or the Middle East. oops.



dg

[lolly]

22. Hellooo Somalia!

They will love it there! Libertarian paradise!

[Lex]

10. This is what your Friends are posting?

Yikes. Need new friends.

[murdoch]

11. war on poverty

A war on poverty is more ridiculous then a war on drugs. A core component of capitalism throughout history is moving peasants and farmers from being self-sustaining to paupers needing to work in industry. England did this at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and NAFTA did this to campesinos in Mexico, who have come across the border and are now here.

[TNDemo]

12. From my facebook newsfeed:

We had the best healthcare in the world. Why change it?

[Duke Newcombe]

13. Say, "I agree"...

it's just that if you can't afford it, or you hurt insurance company profits by actually daring to USE the insurance you've paid for, you're well and truly fucked. This bill is just what was needed...the beginning of health INSURANCE reform.

Ain't it great when we can come together on common ground? :sarcasm:

[TNDemo]

18. True, true.

I like.

[gratuitous]

14. Talk about a target rich environment

While they don't want a more equitable sharing of the wealth that labor creates in our nation (for what reason, I cannot determine), they're just fine with that wealth heavily concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, positively convinced that some day one of those select few pairs of hands will belong to them.

As far as the war on poverty, millions were lifted out of poverty by Great Society programs between 1965 and 1980. That came to a screeching halt when Ronald Reagan and the Greedheads decided amongst themselves that the wealth of our nation belonged in the hands of a select few, and enacted economic policies to bring that about (see previous paragraph).

If what's happening in Iraq and Afghanistan are termed "success," I'd hate to see what failure looks like.

As for the "drug dealer" anecdote, since "Universal Healthcare" hasn't been enacted yet, one can only assume that the poster is a liar, and anything else he or she posts should be similarly regarded.

But he does a great "drunk Randy Marsh" impression.

[Bucky]

15. Interesting thing about poverty.

Regardless of what the rate is, what it actually means to be poor in this country has been radically changed by the War on Poverty. Anti poverty programs have not ended poverty--someone is always going to be in the bottom quartile. But unlike two generations ago, being poor does not mean disease-causing housing conditions, living without electricity, going to school hungry, being forced to skip school, never getting a chance to learn a trade to better yourself, or otherwise being forgotten by the system.

Poverty has not been eliminated, but it's a hell of a lot more livable. That doesn't mean nothing.

[MissMarple]

16. An excellent point. n/t

[Lucy Goosey]

17. Do these people know anything about the healthcare reform bill?

Because it really isn't socialism.

Also, many, many countries have had universal health coverage for decades without sliding into communism - see Canada, Western Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia, etc. Not to mention that none of these places have "death panels," nor do doctors there have to phone some government beaurocrat before treating a patient.

So many Americans don't seem to know anything about the world - it's kind of sad, really.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

19. I swear, FB brings out the stupid in people. My cousin joined the "One Big Ass Mistake America" grp

today and spewed forth failpoint after failpoint.

[nutsnberries]

20. i've got one (actually 3):

_____, your looking at it the wrong way. We all need to figure out how to become experts in gaming the system just like the politicians have done in gaming the constitution. I'm in on the progressive movement. what ever I can get for free and have others pay my way I'm going for it. And if everybody else were smart they will do the same. It's just a big game now. None of it really matters any more. The country we grew up in is gone.

from another day:

oh well that explains why my president wants Health care for everyone. He is so smart, Now if we legalize all the Illegal aliens we have a whole new voting base. My hero Saul Alinsky must have a smile from ear to ear. I wonder if they calculated all the Illegal Aliens into the new Healthcare Bill? Potus was right, Thi...s IS change we can believe in. I am so proud to be an American. Come on fellow progressives a big round of applouse for our side!

and one more (with link to RReagan on Socialized Medicine):

Ever wonder what Ronald Reagan thought about Socialized Medicine?
Give this a listen. Very powerful! And it fits what is going on right now!!
This is from way back in 1961!

[tabbycat31]

21. you should see the debates I get into on my Congressman's FB page

keep in mind my congressman's a flaming liberal (who is much more liberal than he appears to be because my county's conservative--nobody more liberal than him could win) and was one of the key authors of the house hcr bill. His comments from his "fans" are taken over by the teabag express. Here's one status from today (editing out last names here) that I didn't really debate in-- just sent him a message of thanks.

Frank Pallone Jr. Attended White House ceremony where the President signed the health care reform bill. This an historic day for America.
9 hours ago · Comment · Unlike
You and 20 others like this.

Paul Thanks again for all your good efforts, Rep. Pallone.
9 hours ago · Report

Sue-Parham We can never thank you enough for your hard work and dedication, Frank! Now let's start working toward a single payer system!
9 hours ago · Report

Brad The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.
Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke. ...
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9 hours ago · Report

Bruce S. I said it to you before & I'll say it to you again; "Frank you've been on the right side of this fight from the beginning. THANK YOU."
8 hours ago · Report

Mark Uhh...Brad...there's a reason why FedEx and UPS don't want to do daily delivery, it's because they can't. The US Post Office has a mandate to deliver to every household in the country and that means to the remotest parts of this country. Using the post office as an example of bad governance is pretty stupid...

But, you're a tea bagger, so that explains it.
8 hours ago · Report

Paul Brad - your assumptions are all wrong, but you may be relieved to learn that the bill President Obama just signed into law in no way creates "a government-run health care system." Now that the process for passing the bill(s) is just about over, the corporate media will sooner or later have to start talking about what's actually in the law. Maybe you'll learn something useful about it.
8 hours ago · Report

David I often wish Rep. Pallone was my representative, both because he's a stand-up dude and because his Facebook commenters are just the best at dispatching Tea Party trolls. High fives all around.
8 hours ago · Report

Al Name calling? Really? Are you 12? Why don't all of you read the bill! You act like you know what your talking about. None of you read this 2700 page monster! I doubt Mr. Pallone did either! And if he did, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt! He does not care about you, NJ, or the USA. Read it! Within 2 years, 90% of insurance companies will be forced out of business! By this bill! Its just sick!
7 hours ago · Report

Pat Well Paul your right this bill is not government run health care, but it is huge step towards it. Pres. Obama said so himself. Government run health care= Socialism. Can you say USSR. For the first time in our history there will be a law requiring everyone to purchase a comodity. A change in our health care system is long over due, but not this over 2000 page (We have to pass this bill to see whats in it) abomination.
7 hours ago · Report

Eileen Moon Paul Younghouse, I appreciate your reasoned and informed response to the cynical army of spammers using social media to disseminate fear and disinformation.
7 hours ago · Report

Pat I'm sure we will all learn alot of useful things about this bill. Like how much of that Trillion Dollars cost is going to the states of the Senators and Congressmen who were bought to pass this bill. We will find out eventually if the creative math used to show a savings is acurate, NOT...When the cost of this bill spirals out of control, we will all know who was responsable...Careful what you wish for because you it might not be what you think it is.
7 hours ago · Report

Caroline (me) thank you Congressman, I am glad to see someone who shares my values representing me. I only wish you spoke the other night at Pelosi's press conference (you were right there, you should have said something). Now please cosponsor HR 4789
7 hours ago ·

Steve Hooray! Another victory for deadbeats!
7 hours ago · Report

Salvatore 20 FACTS you need to know:
1. You are young and don’t want health insurance? You are starting up a small business and need to minimize expenses, and one way to do that is to forego health insurance? Tough. You have to pay $750 annually for the “privilege.” (Section 1501)

2. You are young and healthy and want to pay for insurance that reflects that status? Tough. You’ll have to pay for premiums that cover not only you, but also the guy who smokes three packs a day, drink a gallon of whiskey and eats chicken fat off the floor. That’s because insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status. (Section 2701).
...
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6 hours ago · Report

Paul Thanks to folks who've said nice things about my comments here. I appreciate the efforts of others here to counter the talking points, and so on, too.

Speaking of talking points, Google finds the filibuster Salvatore posted in a few places online. It appears to come from Investor's Business Daily, a notoriously goofball site. One notable place where it appears to have been spammed: "Tea Party Patriots," which bills itself as the "Official Home of the American Tea Party Movement" http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/forum/topics/20-ways-obamacare-will-take-1?xg_source=activity

I enjoyed reading Barry Dugger's slapdown of it, also on the Tea Party Patriots site: http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/xn/detail/2978134:Comment:269023...
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6 hours ago · Report

Salvatore I forgot to adds quotes. Whats amazing is that you fail to add anything of substance. I post facts and you posts bumper sticker soundbites. READ THE FACTS
6 hours ago · Report

Salvatore As for the question on who will help me more, I trust my insurance company, they have picked up most of the bill each time I had to take my kids to the DR or the Hospital. Frank Pallone Jr never sent a dime and I would never ask him to. Thats not the job of the Government. If thats what you want head north
5 hours ago · Report

Salvatore More FACTS big man:
Written by John Kartch
Obama to Sign Massive Tax Hike on Working Families in Violation of His Campaign Pledge
From John Kartch on Monday, March 22, 2010 3:35 PM
...
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5 hours ago · Report

Pat, thank you for all the acurate information you are posting. I only wish more people would stop looking only at the positive aspects of this abomination of a bill and also look at the overwhelming amount of negative aspects.
5 hours ago · Report

Paul There's just no way I'm going to attempt to respond point-by-point to huge blocks of text copied from somewhere else and pasted here (or in other posts). That's not a conversational form of interaction. That's troll behavior. And the ancient wisdom applies: Do Not Feed the Trolls.
4 hours ago · Report

Salvatore In other words you have nothing. You have no factual data to refer to. You have no way to dispute the fact that this is Socialism at its worst
3 hours ago · Report

Paul I'm not replying to unsourced chunks of text copied and pasted from elsewhere.

As far as socialism goes, I doubt you have any idea what socialism is, Salvatore. How's your Hayek and Mises?
3 hours ago · Report

Salvatore Ummmmm the facts I posted ARE all sourced, included with each statement are the actual page/section they can be found on...dos vidanya comrad
3 hours ago · Report

Paul What is the source of the "facts" you spammed, Salvatore? The section IDs won't have the same text, 'cause your "facts" are the result of somebody's hyperventilating interpretation.
3 hours ago · Report

Salvatore Nothing was spammed nor did I post interpetation, I posted facts and cited the sections of the bill they were derived from. I have yet to see you do the same
3 hours ago · Report

Paul Hah, America's only socialist senator is coming up on Ed's MSNBC show. Got tune in.
3 hours ago · Report

Salvatore Sorry I never tune into that rag, if that's where you get your talking points than your previous posts make sense
2 hours ago · Report

Paul "they were derived from" - there's your problem, right there. If they're derived, they're not simple facts.

Anyway, scholarship aside, the points raised in that list are just a function of how risk pools and insurance work.

And if HCR is such an economic threat, why hasn't the Stock Market tanked? Instead, we have a 17 month high: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Health-care-companies-pull-apf-3967866434.html?x=0...
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2 hours ago · Report

Pat Paul those of us who see this bill as a sugar coated turd at best and unconstitutional have not only a right but a resposability to speak out. It appears that you can only see the sugar coating and not the turd that sits underneath. Please educate yourself so you to can see the unavoidale down side of this bill. I am in favor of Health Care Reform ...
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2 hours ago · Report

Salvatore Read the fact that I posted. They are hard facts, not BS talking points that you post. The stock market is reacting to the fact that this administration is giving Billions to the friends of tax cheat Timmy. Man you really need to educate yourself with FACTS before you engage in such a discussion. Whatever, I have no time to sway you, you are ...
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2 hours ago · Report

Eileen Chicken Little! The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!!! (What? It's not? You're kidding! The boy who cried wolf swore to me that it really was!! I'm so embarasssed...well, never mind.....!)
2 hours ago · Report

Chris Did you hear the VP curse on live national TV in the WHite House? Very classy. You should be ashamed that you were there.
13 minutes ago · Report