Comments on: Half a billion dollars https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:44:31 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27829 Robert Tue, 15 Oct 2013 06:18:07 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27829 But then, you would think that, wouldn't you? But then, you would think that, wouldn’t you?

]]> By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27803 alcaray Mon, 14 Oct 2013 23:16:36 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27803 income - spending = debt or surplus. how profound. income – spending = debt or surplus. how profound.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27797 TB Mon, 14 Oct 2013 22:13:11 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27797 <p>It ain't paranoia if you've watched it happen for years.</p> Missile defense and Medicare Part D problems are just the first couple of things that come to mind. The Democrats didn't get power back in Congress until over three years after Medicare Part D had been passed. The Republicans took the House less than nine months after Obamacare was signed. It's interesting to speculate on what might have happened if those numbers had been reversed. It ain’t paranoia if you’ve watched it happen for years.

Missile defense and Medicare Part D problems are just the first couple of things that come to mind.

The Democrats didn’t get power back in Congress until over three years after Medicare Part D had been passed. The Republicans took the House less than nine months after Obamacare was signed. It’s interesting to speculate on what might have happened if those numbers had been reversed.

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27785 Robert Mon, 14 Oct 2013 17:28:51 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27785 So then why did you pick the shallowest yet most stridently critical piece? "I doubt any of them would be this understanding if this had been a Republican legacy project." You know, the only reason I haven't talked about Hofstadter's <i>Paranoid Style</i> after reading it recently is that his description of the "paranoid scholar" was so spot-on that it would be cruel to mention it. But keep it up, Tom. Keep it up. So then why did you pick the shallowest yet most stridently critical piece?

“I doubt any of them would be this understanding if this had been a Republican legacy project.”
You know, the only reason I haven’t talked about Hofstadter’s Paranoid Style after reading it recently is that his description of the “paranoid scholar” was so spot-on that it would be cruel to mention it. But keep it up, Tom. Keep it up.

]]> By: SteveS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27778 SteveS Mon, 14 Oct 2013 15:36:53 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27778 Ill conceived, exceedingly complicated, vast regulations, unreasonable requirements and inept government control. The biggest mistake they made was not to let people browse the sites and policies before having to sign up and provide their personal history. Instead the hopes of trapping people into the system was designed for the show of big numbers in enrollment. "Relax, " said the night man, "We are programmed to receive. You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave! " Kind of backfired. <a href="http://www.jec.senate.gov/republicans/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=8e6dbf03-ca4a-44be-9de4-a100c43fb5c8" rel="nofollow">Complication Chart of ACA</a> Ill conceived, exceedingly complicated, vast regulations, unreasonable requirements and inept government control.

The biggest mistake they made was not to let people browse the sites and policies before having to sign up and provide their personal history. Instead the hopes of trapping people into the system was designed for the show of big numbers in enrollment.

“Relax, ” said the night man,
“We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! ”

Kind of backfired.

Complication Chart of ACA

]]> By: RobVG https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27773 RobVG Mon, 14 Oct 2013 14:09:58 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27773 At this point in history I think you can just tack any new spending onto the debt. n/t At this point in history I think you can just tack any new spending onto the debt. n/t

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27771 DanS Mon, 14 Oct 2013 11:37:25 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27771 I wonder what god of an IT geek dreamed all this up and said storing all our data in a finite virtual world was a great idea. Admittedly clever, but hardly sustainable. We should just turn it all over to a monistery and have the Brothers of St. Michael, or some such order, handle the world's records. They seem to be good at that sort of thing -- or at least they were. I wonder what god of an IT geek dreamed all this up and said storing all our data in a finite virtual world was a great idea. Admittedly clever, but hardly sustainable.

We should just turn it all over to a monistery and have the Brothers of St. Michael, or some such order, handle the world’s records. They seem to be good at that sort of thing — or at least they were.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27770 DanS Mon, 14 Oct 2013 11:32:22 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27770 They're called politicians -- which should be a four-letter word. They’re called politicians — which should be a four-letter word.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27767 bowser Mon, 14 Oct 2013 04:36:26 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27767 And then have the temerity to blame Obamacare. They have no shame. And then have the temerity to blame Obamacare.

They have no shame.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/13/half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-27765 TB Mon, 14 Oct 2013 03:01:11 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39387#comment-27765 <p>Thanks. We crossed posts, but we're obviously reading the same stuff.</p> Keep in mind these are highly sympathetic sources. I doubt any of them would be this understanding if this had been a Republican legacy project. Thanks. We crossed posts, but we’re obviously reading the same stuff.

Keep in mind these are highly sympathetic sources.

I doubt any of them would be this understanding if this had been a Republican legacy project.

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