U.S. jobless claims reach lowest level since April 2008

[Jingthing]

Speak of the devil. I agree with this. Because of that, I'm not sure whether to cheer for Obamacare to win or lose in the court. Losing might be winning in the long run. I like Obamacare but I LOVE single payer. So does Obama. He compromised and tried to do a ROMNEY and see what's happening:

http://www.washingto...JtjS_story.html

I’m talking about a single-payer health-care system. If the Supreme Court strikes down Obamacare, a single-payer system will go from being politically impossible to being, in the long run, fiscally inevitable.

Total collapse, in the long run, is fiscally inevitable.

It doesn't have to be. In the long run, universal health care single payer with good cost controls will mean a huge financial savings and a way to finally reverse the health care cost madness. I get it that things are going in the wrong direction, but the situation is still solvable. The problem now and it is a big one, is POLITICAL.

[flying]

Who cares? Americans are Americans. Its disgusting to come on an expat forum to imply expat Americans don't have a full stake in America's politics and future.

Maybe that garbage will wash on loveitorleavitredneckheaven.com, but not here, partner!

Who cares? We care the folks that actually have to eat the cake that all vote on the recipe.

But I agree Americans are Americans & never meant to imply otherwise.

I was just saying take it from a source that is actually living it & that I agreed with Chuck...So what?

Ummm partner? No it is you that have confused the websites.....I am not your partner

you must be thinking of another website

Edited March 30, 2012 by flying

[Scott]

Drop the personal, off-topic remarks. This is the World News Section of Thaivisa.com . You do not have to live in the US to comment here. You do, however, have to follow the rules and that includes not making baiting and inflammatory remarks.

Now back to the topic.

[Jimi007]

What was the topic again? U.S. jobless claims reach lowest level since April 2008

I'm in the US for 90 days and I have work. My daughter just got a job as well. Seems like things are improving to me.

[chuckd]

He's creaming Romney in the swing states. Obama gave the GO order on Bin Laden with the knowledge there was a good chance he wasn't even there. If that operation had turned out to be a fiasco, which it well could have, Obama would have paid big. So he deserves FULL credit with interest, dude, and you know it too.

He's not exactly creaming anybody. As I said in my earlier post, he has a slight lead in some nationwide polls and a slight nationwide deficit in other polls.

I don't understand how you think a failure to get Osama would be a big loss for Obama. If the mission had gone in to find an empty house, they would have simply departed the scene and gone back to Afghanistan. If Pakistan had raised a complaint, the Obama administration would have simply bought them off some more and the Obama press would have let the matter die in a week. No blood, no foul.

Believe me, the CIA/Military knew exactly who was in the house and probably knew what room Osama was sleeping in. Obama is too much of a political animal to take a chance he might have been wrong about this. Though he does deserve credit for getting out of the way and letting the professionals carry the heavy work load. Biden makes it sound like Obama was leading the charge in the first helicopter to land at the Osama compound and that is patently ridiculous.

[koheesti]

It doesn't have to be. In the long run, universal health care single payer with good cost controls will mean a huge financial savings and a way to finally reverse the health care cost madness.

NOTHING the gov't is in control of will ever result in "huge financial savings".

[Scott]

NOTHING the gov't is in control of will ever result in "huge financial savings".

I am afraid that is a very true statement.

[Jingthing]

NOTHING the gov't is in control of will ever result in "huge financial savings".

I am afraid that is a very true statement.

Simply wrong. For example, the Canadian government negotiates with drug companies for their entire population, thus massively reducing spending.

[chuckd]

Doesn't it make you wonder who the pharmaceutical companies are passing that cost cutting on to? Probably the US.

...and then we have Amtrak, the US Postal Service, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Congress and the White House, none of which are profit centers.

[Jingthing]

Doesn't it make you wonder who the pharmaceutical companies are passing that cost cutting on to? Probably the US.

...and then we have Amtrak, the US Postal Service, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Congress and the White House, none of which are profit centers.

Government isn't supposed to be a profit center. Don't you know that? That's basic. As far as U.S. med costs, the pro big pharma corporate free market fanatics lobbied successfully to NOT allow the U.S. government to negotiate prices for the portion of the U.S. medical system that is single payer -- Medicare. Obama WANTED this power to negotiate but was forced to compromise by right wing extremists. Edited April 2, 2012 by Jingthing

[chuckd]

Doesn't it make you wonder who the pharmaceutical companies are passing that cost cutting on to? Probably the US.

...and then we have Amtrak, the US Postal Service, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Congress and the White House, none of which are profit centers.

Government isn't supposed to be a profit center. Don't you know that? That's basic. As far as U.S. med costs, the pro big pharma corporate free market fanatics lobbied successfully to NOT allow the U.S. government to negotiate prices for the portion of the U.S. medical system that is single payer -- Medicare. Obama WANTED this power to negotiate but was forced to compromise by right wing extremists.

Certainly I am aware that government isn't a profit center. Which brings up the interesting point of how could the Democratic Party have even considered for one second taking over 1/6th of the economy of the US and trying to succeed at something private enterprise was having trouble groping with.

Surely there is a link somewhere that you can provide to prove Obama was forced to cede his negotiation skills to the right wing extremists.

But it does make me wonder, since Obama's political campaign received $2,172,960 in 2007 and 2008 from pharmaceutical and medical insurance companies, if that didn't have something to do with him sailing silently into the dark night. As an aside, the pharmaceutical industry and health insurers contributed $26.2 million to the 111th Congress, pretty well equally split between the Republicans and Democrats which might indicate neither side was interested in negotiating anything with either industry.

Besides I am sure there is something in the 2100 pages of Obamacare that gives either him or somebody in government the right to do whatever they wish. Hasn't that been proven recently by administrative fiat?

Let me provide two words that could have an immediate impact on the costs of medical care...Tort Reform.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted. The topic is U.S. jobless claims. Healthcare is not the main issue of the OP.

[koheesti]

As far as U.S. med costs, the pro big pharma corporate free market fanatics lobbied successfully to NOT allow the U.S. government to negotiate prices for the portion of the U.S. medical system that is single payer -- Medicare. Obama WANTED this power to negotiate but was forced to compromise by right wing extremists.

Just so everyone is clear...by "right wing extremists" JT here IS NOT referring to Republicans. He is referring to the so-called "Blue Dog Democrats". During the Healthcare debate, the Democrats had super majorities in both houses of Congress and the Republicans were powerless to influence it at all. Obama had to deal with these conservative Democrats and bribe a few others with exemptions and cash to get Obamacare passed without anyone reading it.

whoops! Sorry Scott. I didn't read to the end of the thread before posting - again.

Edited April 2, 2012 by koheesti

[Scott]

Your forgiven. It's not that it's not an interesting topic, but it's going to heat up and then will require more severe action.

Hopefully there will be a thread that comes along that addresses the Health Care issue and then all opinions can be expressed.

[Jingthing]

60 votes. That's SIXTY votes out of 100 are needed these days to pass anything in the Senate.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/22/joe-biden/biden-says-every-senate-decision-now-requires-60-v/

Edited April 2, 2012 by Jingthing

[chuckd]

60 votes. That's SIXTY votes out of 100 are needed these days to pass anything in the Senate.

http://www.politifac...-requires-60-v/

It takes 60 votes to stop debate on a bill and call for a vote. Once debate is stopped, it takes a simple majority to pass the bill.

From your own link...

"Around this time, the old-school filibuster started to become less popular. With only 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster, the majority party would simply file cloture motions -- the technical term to set up a vote to stop debate -- and get on with it, said Senate historian Don Ritchie.

Of course, both the minority and the majority have benefited from the tactical tool. The minority can unify and oppose a cloture motion, effectively stalling a bill. And the majority, knowing it has no chance of winning on a vote, can file a cloture motion and then blame the opposition for holding things up. "

[Jingthing]

Oh, please, stop splitting hairs. You know and I know the truth. Obama could NOT pass anything close to what he wanted in his first two years and much less so after that.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Jingthing

[flying]

Oh, please, stop splitting hairs. You know and I know the truth. Obama could NOT pass anything close to what he wanted in his first two years and much less so after that.

Ummm there is a logical reason for that....

His ideas were not feasible & were denied. He nor anyone else should throw a tantrum over it.

Instead put forth a workable solution.

In a previous post you also stated..."Government isn't supposed to be a profit center."

Well none are expecting them to be (although it would be nice) but it wouldn't hurt their credibility if they could at least practice what they preach

& live within their means. They have X amount of revenues........They request XXXXXX amount of expenditures

They know full well what their budget is. They know full well where their overspending has taken this once great nation.

Yet they continue down the same road....

[koheesti]

Oh, please, stop splitting hairs. You know and I know the truth. Obama could NOT pass anything close to what he wanted in his first two years and much less so after that.

The only reason he had trouble passing what he wanted is that what he wants is so far out in left field, and such a majority of Americans were against it that even some in his own party wouldn't go along with it. Then some decided to only after being paid off...in the wee hours of the night...during the Christmas holidays so few would notice.

[chuckd]

Oh, please, stop splitting hairs. You know and I know the truth. Obama could NOT pass anything close to what he wanted in his first two years and much less so after that.

I simply quoted from the link you used as reference material. If what I cited is splitting hairs, then what you quoted is also under question.

He had a super majority (60 votes) in the Senate until Teddy Kennedy died. After that he only had 59 votes he could count on, although he \always had the two Maine Republicans more or less in his pocket.

His own party turned against him due to his radical ideas.

[Jingthing]

Can't comment on issues so closely related to the health care law. So sorry, because I have a LOT to say.

[chuckd]

Can't comment on issues so closely related to the health care law. So sorry, because I have a LOT to say.

Stand by. I'll try and get something open in otb and we can continue the fun over there. I had just found three great links when the warning came out. Now I have to find them again.

[midas]

" U.S. jobless claims reach lowest level since April 2008 "

how long did that last.....?

Initial Jobless Claims Soar Past Expectations, Hit 380K, Highest Since January

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/initial-jobless-claims-soar-past-expectations-hit-380k-highest-january