A New Hampshire recount? Say it ain't so...

"Some obscure Republican candidate"? Why don't you name names son, you'll be famous overnight.

Like many cash registers, voting machines should print out a two part paper copy of each vote. The white copy is left in a locked box while voters can take their yellow receipt home. Votes can still be tallied electronically by machines, but a random hand count totalling at least 3% must be done to keep everyone honest. A four-day weekend should be used to vote (not one day in the middle of the week) with one of those days becoming a National Holiday. Every state gets a week to count (more if they need it), and for national elections the results should be announced together, not one state at a time. If we are the Greatest Nation on Earth, can afford to invade and occupy Iraq, surely we can figure out some way to be able to afford to vote legitimately. We cannot recount what we cannot count, and vice verse. We could even use recycled paper.

Obama represents the "Audacity of False Hope" on health care. As small business owners whose very lives depend upon real (not fake) health care reform, we have done our research on this topic. Please trust us on this. Lives (ours and possibly yours) are at stake. Specifically, Obama's plan says health insurers would have to "JUSTIFY" charging large premium differences...as if financial discrimination against people when they are sick and at their most vulnerable is justifiable at all. That's all the insurers need to keep us at their mercy, and THEY HAVE NONE. With friends like this who needs enemies? Other legislation he supports says we will have access to the same health care plan as he and other members of Congress have "except for the way (we) are rated" (sigh). He leaves that part out, but I'm pretty sure he knows it's in there, and neglects to mention that federal employee plans cost more than the $12,100/year national average in a country where the median household income is $48,200. He gutted real health care reform legislation offered here in Illinois (by changing one word: "shall" to "may"). Had he supported the "Health Care Justice" bill as written, it would have passed. Hillary's plan says insurance companies will be prohibited from charging "large" premium differences based on "modified" community rating (whatever that means). Again, that is the only loophole health insurance companies need. SHAME on both Obama and Clinton for caring more about health insurers than people, when health insurers are killing at least 101,000 innocent Americans every year (new study in Health Affairs) and wasting $600 Billions (with a "B") of our health care dollars. Physicians for a National Health Program (www.pnhp.org ) concludes we could cover everyone far more reliably and comprehensively, and still save $350 Billion (again with the "B") each year by cutting out one very unnecessary, greedy and heartless middleman. California Nurses Association (the largest nurses' group) is right on real with this topic too (unlike Clinton, Obama and every Republican running). Massachusetts is a great example of "Universal Care Done WRONG" (an unaffordable, unsustainable, mandate feeding the beast that is the main part of the problem will not solve the problem). HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART: Edwards is the only one of the top three (and all Republicans running) who even wants to create a level playing field with REAL (not fake) community rating and guaranteed issue. The difference is Edwards "gets" what needs to be done while Obama and Clinton don't. Both (and all the Republicans running) want us to believe that the problem is the solution when it isn't. American lives and the future of our economy depend upon voters not being too busy to notice or care about the devil in their details. Edwards is the only viable candidate who would even try to point us in the right direction on health care, not to mention a few other issues as well (Invasion and Occupation of Iraq). Bless Kucinich for what he is trying to do, but he is not electable, and Al won't run. Please help me spread the word about Obama, Clinton, and their selling out of "We the People" to the "Welfare of the Few" powerful moneyed interests on health care. I think Republicans think they can beat Hillary or Obama, and that Edwards bothers and worries them more because he would do the most to counter the damage they have done. Plus, polls show him the most likely to defeat any Republican running. A quote from Michael Moore after the Iowa caucus: "So Barak...if you can, tell me why you are now the second largest recipient of health industry payola after Hillary. You now take more money from the people committed to stopping universal health care than any of the Republican candidates"...

Health Affairs just printed a study this week that found at least 101,000 American deaths every year are due to lack of access to health care. BTW, America is the richest nation on Earth, but the American people are not the wealthiest or best off in the world. One in every six of us is totally uninsured, but it's one of every four who are trapped in the profit-driven health insurance system, and one in every three Americans 18-34 years old.

Why are you talking about healtcare here? No amount of health insurance or care will save your life.

Sadly we can't trust our voting system. It is doubtful we ever will.

We used to trust our voting system, so I think we could again. Tell me what you think might not work with the method I suggested above so we can improve upon it. And I'm talking about health care here, there and everywhere because access to health care would (in the all-too-real world we live in), save at least 101,000 innocent American lives plus millions of devastated but not dead ones, plus our nation's economy. I think it's pretty important and under understood. Reliable elections and campaign finance are pretty important too. Invasion of Iraq (again none of the top Republicans, nor Hillary nor Obama will even point us to an exit). Environment, education..... It's all one big ball of wax.

Chique that is one of my all-time favorite clips. Thanks for posting it again here. As many people as possible need to see it because it tells one of the most under-reported yet important stories alive.

spoon, I think you're absolutely right with everything you posted on health care. I've been going to different blog sites (marilynn posted several on another link) and posting about Edwards position on corporate control and health care off and on all weekend and will continue to do so today. Getting the facts out there by as many of us as are willing can only help. We aren't getting any comprehensive comparisons on the media - and that's for sure. What they choose to talk about is empty nonsense the majority of the time.

www.atrios.blogspot.com
www.instapundit.com
www.dailykos.com
www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp
www.wonkette.com
www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
www.watchblog.com/
www.electablog.com
www.poliblogger.com
www.lt-smash.us
www.huffingtonpost.com
www.democraticunderground.com
www.americablog.com
www.crooksandliars.com
www.firedoglake.com

I'm on the same page with ya'll and it just sucks Edwards is getting so much gruff! Best candidate fosho'!

Spoon thats the exact cash register metaphor I use when I explain it to people... haha Weird! Oh and I thank you for your responses, they are very informatively meaty... and I couldn't agree more...

And Chique... amazing clip!!! jaw dropping to say the least. I knew a lot of that was possible but not to that extent nor siting actual accounts! My gut wretched paranoia has been brutally justified.....

Here in California within the last year or so, electronic voting machines were being forced into precincts on the basis of a statewide mandate that polling places must have at least one electronic voting machine available for persons with disabilities. (i.e. our machines have headphones and different languages to aid any blind or hard of hearing or ESL Californians) Unit increments assumed to increase by future elections. Which is, IF genuine, honorable, but I'm suspicious that that's how 'they' plan to shove those tainted machines into every corner of the US... On the backs of the disabled!

I guess I could be having a very pessimistic thought, but honestly what is the likelihood that the corrupt DON't try to take advantage and sell it as a good intention. I have never seen any ADA issues ramp up so quickly. It seems as if outta no where comes this essential premonition that is solved with zero-to-sixty speed when bureaucracy tops out at thirty. It's almost as if your landlord snuck in, in the middle of the night and replaced your broken light bulb before you asked to replace it. I mean, something has been fixed without much of a squeak from the wheel is almost unheard of! But that could easily fault the media bastards, but... who knows!

Twisted idea - yes... Possible?..... Eh!? (shrug)