newsobserver.com projects - SCHIP - Comments

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

greenswamp — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:43:03 -0500

You have the choice between a Saturn and Hummer don't you? There's no freedom lost here. Decide whether you want to smoke or not. I am sympathetic to smokers and know it's hard to quit. And I also wish they would tax alcohol more because I believe it is more harmful than tobacco. But I have to pay a high insurance premium to make up for the hugely costly treatments for chronic emphysema, liver disease, and lung cancer. People who have to have this treatment cannot pay enough premium to make it worthwhile for insurance companies, so I, who am not a smoker and non-drinker have to make up the difference. Or worse yet the government picks up the tab with my tax money to pay for it for the non-insured. Is that fair? Probably Hagan did not make a politically popular decision, but she made a stand and will take responsibility for it. That is a welcome change.

Re: Quick Hits

kttechwriter — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:34:59 -0500

Not all mountain biking is in state parks, silly. There are many legal trails where mountain bikers share land with hunters. I've ridden past drunken bear hunters in the NC mountains. Also have ridden past those who WERE hunting in state parks in the NC mountains.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

mickiep — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:59:42 -0500

The tobacco industry in NC, as an example, was once a major employer and source of income for many until the Democrats demonized it in the name of Public Health. Individual choice no longer means anything in this Republic and its erosion is rampant. The Democrats continuiously and systematically burden one group for the benefit of another with their redistribution programs. It won't stop at the final demise of the Tobacco industry or any other as there are plenty of industries to demonize and tax. Democrats are experts at social engineering using taxation as a means of behaviour modification and wealth redistribution. So when the time comes that we all pay 70% of our income in taxes, we need not worry about having or losing a job, because we can all just join the Kay Hagan/Obama Socialist club and have all our needs fulfilled.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

JoCoCruiser — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:41:21 -0500

So we have someone that feels the need to vote how she perceives the popular vote to be ..... Make is proud!

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

tangoz — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:34:16 -0500

What has happened to responsibility for one's self and their own family. Why do I as a taxpayer have to pay for someone elses inability to raise their own children?
The Democratic party's policies and intentional efforts have created this dependent class. Let them pay the bill. Soon they will take all of my earnings from me and make me dependent on them to get a pittance of it back. Socialiam at it's best, or should I say at it's worst.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

ThoughtCrimes — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:43:17 -0500

HA! That's reallllly sticking to her guns, eh? Oh well. It'll be nice to have another socialist govt program that doesn't work!

Re: Quick Hits

tangoz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:04:39 -0500

Katy said she didn't want to get shot. My question is how much hunting is allowed in state owned parks?

Since when has this been a concern of Burr's?"

James_Protzman — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:09:18 -0500

What he said:

"What are the reforms that must take place so that every American has the opportunity to be insured?"

What he meant:

"What the the reforms that must take place so that every American has the chance to enrich the shareholders of insurance companies?"

Re: Dole: Health care bill hurts tobacco

Proctor — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:43:24 -0500

Sen. Elizabeth Dole has taken a politically courageous position against the runaway commodity-taxing train as the first-resort vehicle for general policy financing, in this case, health care. Two Democratic members of North Carolina's congressional delegation also held to this position for a certain period of time but have recently moved to the other side of the political lineup on this issue.

Public policies ought to be financed through appropriate, constitutional revenue allocations, and these general revenue allocations should not be exclusively commodity-specific but broadly derived from the entire system of public finance whether at the federal or state level.

The proximity of many ideologically fortified political interest groups in the Triangle region notwithstanding, Raleigh is nonetheless the capital of the entire state of North Carolina, and the people of this state should not agree to the targeting of the economy of one single state--or two if you include the annual tobacco manufacturing yields of Kentucky and North Carolina--as the only source of revenue for funding important general-purpose public policy initiatives including even the urgent area of children's health.

Sapping the economy of its fundamental strength, whether across-the-board nationally or in certain states, regions or localities in particular, is a penny-wise, pound-foolish methodology. Much better to meet fiscal responsibilities for public policy financing with a full team of horses rather than with the reins to a single plow-horse.

David P. McKnight

Re: Hackney heads to Capitol Hill

ethanperry — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:38:53 -0500

I wonder if it will take the state as long to get Federal money for SCHIP, the drought, and other issues as it did for the counties to start getting Medicaid releif from the state? Whose on their knees now?

Re: Hackney heads to Capitol Hill

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:06:05 -0500

I'll pass your thoughts along to Grey Blackwell, our resident artiste.

I always thought this caricature was more of a half-smile, personally.

— RTB

Re: Hackney heads to Capitol Hill

Isaac136 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:25:10 -0500

My compliments -- mostly -- to the artist who provides the sketches of the politicians that accompany these articles. But this depiction of Joe Hackney -- it ain't right. I mean no criticism of Rep. Hackney when I say it, but everyone knows Joe isn't a smiler. Nothing wrong with his looks, and nothing wrong with his demeanor, but the eyes should be a little sadder and the face a little less full -- what with the lines around his mouth being ordinarily cast downward. He's a stern feller, our man Joe. No back-slappin' and no gratuitous grins. You guys know better.

Re: Monday quick hits

MeckDeck — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:00:37 -0400

Check that -- Moore said he NEVER HEARD OF bagels or egg rolls, not that Oxford did have a deli or a Chinese restaurant.

That -- frankly -- does not pass the smell test. He grew up in the 60s and 70s, not the 20s and 30s.

Why say such a thing?

Oh, and if he is so worried about raising his children in America in 2007, why not spend more time with them and stop running for office?

Re: Monday quick hits

Forget_not_the_children — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:59:06 -0400

Yep in the small town South in the 50's and 60's there were no bagel shops or chinese restaurants or if there were we were too poor to go to eat there.....so I know where Moore is coming from....I remember when yogurt first came around and the novelty it brought....

Re: Monday quick hits

Forget_not_the_children — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:59:05 -0400