Texsox

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 02:20 PM) I don't think it has to be, if you structure the sales tax correctly, and ONLY remove the income tax (meaning, keep cap gains, etc.). You would need a bevelled approach of course, product groupings like you said - but that doesn't have to be overly complicated. I think it could be done, and done well, to the benefit of the country. Think about the ubber rich, they may spend the first million they will earn this year, but not the next 20. I just do not see being able to recoup that without seriously crippling those in the $15,000 to $45,000 range.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 02:09 PM) Tex, while I simply don't offer insurance to my employees, I can recall back in the day when my father had his own company. They had to switch carriers every 2 or 3 years because they 'introductory' rates tripled, or someone had an expensive claim, etc. I think I recall the last one they had for a while, maybe 5 or 6 years, before he was forced to sell the business for unrelated reasons (family squabble, betrayal, etc.). So in a way, I feel your pain. I thought you had one employee you bought coverage for? You know how the competition thing is, non of my competition offered benefits and that's the competition I had to deal with. No way to pay 60 or 70% more, as it was I was paying 20% more than anyone else, but I had my pick of employees. I also treated them like humans. But it really is my ex father in law that I think of. Worked all his life, dumped from a company in his mid/late 50s based primarily on "image" and with his and his wife's health he was screwed until Social Security disability and Medicare kicked in. At first I was thinking that those cases of preexisting conditions and almost automatic loses for the company would destroy the system, but it would also include some healthy people as well. Small business owners and their employees.

QUOTE(Soxy @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 02:04 PM) My blood pressure is usually too low to give blood. I also have very rolly veins. In college 9 of 14 cross country runners got rejected for low bp and low pulse rates.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 01:50 PM) I hate to say it, but if the Dem nominee wound up being Hillary...I'd wind up considering myself undecided in that 3 way race. I'm just so sick of voting for people who voted for this damn war... I give everyone a pass on that war vote. First off, the underlaying evidence was faulty.

We've had this thread before and SS convinced me a long time ago how bad an idea it is. The system we have, although with plenty of built in and bolted on problems, is about as good as it gets. I'd like to see some serious balanced budget proposals, but I know that will never happen.

I was speaking with a local blood drive rep and she told me they are having a struggle this year because more and more Winter Texans are getting tattoos. I started laughing, thinking of grandma getting a slutmark when she told me it is usually permanent makeup.

I donate blood fairly regularly. Red Cross. I use to be more regular, now I just go when they are set up somewhere convienent.

QUOTE(Felix @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 01:23 PM) And he could still pitch! It worked for Jim Abbott. (man, this is a horrible joke)

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 01:06 PM) We got caught at very high altitude in Colorado one summer when the water filters both broke or clogged beyond repair. We eventually ran out of iodine, so we resorted to boiling. Except, at 13,000 feet, the boiling temp isn't high enough. 4 of us got Giardia - thankfully after we were out of the woods. Not fun, though. yikes. I remember the Backpacker article a couple years ago that tested water around the country and found very little incidences of Giardia, bummer you found a spot. Which filter are you using? I keep thinking I should update my 6 year old Pur, but it keeps working and working.

I've never seen that proposed. Seems like a great idea worth studying and a step in the right direction.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 09:50 AM) So, which party would Bloomberg get more votes from? I think it may be pretty close to even. flip flopper I think he would pull votes from both. But it will depend on which nominee from each party. For example Dems that just could not pull the handle for Clinton, but who would shudder at voting for say Thompson, would be more willing. Same thing, a GOP who just could not stand to vote for Giulianni, but would gag at a Clinton vote, would. Compared to say myself who would not vote for Clinton, but would vote for McCain. Another GOPer and I would look at Bloomberg

Actually the really poor already have coverage via Medicade, we'd be covering more of the middle class who get squeezed. They are paying taxes. And as to why, I guess it is the same rationale that produces roads, water, police and fire protection, etc. There is also some public health savings. We pretty much stopped polio by legislating vaccinations. Flu epidemics are almost unheard of here, etc. There is also a cost in lost productivity that is shared. So there may be a total cost savings. Or maybe because we can? Maybe it's a family value thing? In part it was one reason I closed my business and put a few people out of work. I could not get private insurance and needed a large group coverage. My employees were making between $10 and $12 per hour. Insurance would have cost $850 per employee. That was a benefit of over $5 per hour. I made it work for a couple guys while I could. But as soon as I had a hospital stay, the increases started and wham, it was all over.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 01:03 PM) Was the dog booked on manslaugher charges? No he had a good lawyer.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 11:28 AM) Take it to the 'Buster. This is a baseball forum. Thought it was about jewelry

Hmm a grudge baby, someone had it in for him.

At least in the woods, I'd have poured some boiling water onto those glasses (nalgene). Knock on wood, I've never experienced gastric problems while backpacking. We're very careful about cleaning. Imagine staying at a decent hotel and being subjected to worst.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 10:08 AM) A microwave? Now I know why max power chose that name! It just hadn't dawned on me yet. Wow, YAS is a multi thread / cross posting / comedic machine excellent

A little too much DNA on that bedding? I laugh when people ask me how you stay clean while backpacking for a few days. I'll take my own DNA filled sleeping bag to hotel sheets anyday.

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 07:56 AM) Took me a few minutes...but I finally got it! Next one in the chain to get it. well played sir.

QUOTE(ptatc @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 09:21 AM) I base most of what I know on Universal Healthcare on friends and relatives from other countries. They all say the same thing. Everyone wants a job where once you are high enough in the company you can get private insurance for healthcare and don't have to deal with the universal healcare system. They don't care what the job is as long as that is an option. They all hate the universal system. Except those that have no insurance. The entrepenuer that wants to start a business but $1200 per month for private insurance for his wife and kids is too much. Etc.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 10:42 AM) Seriously. I have some major problems with things going on and people in the system, but, the position that everything is awful in here sometimes rivals the negativity in PHT. For Republicans, anything that moves us away from 1950 is terrible. Abortion was illegal, Mexicans were legal. No dirty words on the radio, no homosexuals flaunting their lifestyle down mainstreet. We supported wars dammit and we won them! Everyone knew there was one True GOD, the only enemy was communists and we knew where they were, and Joe was going to find the rest. None of this Make Love, Not War Hippie nonsense. Factories could send pollutants into the air and water and keep Americans employed. Kept the government out of the workplace. Ahh, the good old days.

And if an athlete of Clemen's porportion did, or did not, use steroids is a much more important topic than some kid dying. Geez, that happens all the time.

I use to, and internationally. Those are decent, well known hotels. I use to think how cheap, plastic glasses. Now I'll be looking for those.