Obama General Discussion II

[deep]

wow. are the Republicans now against Afghanistan because Obama is for it?




i mean, i can't quite fault him. land wars in Afghanistan certainly don't go well. but what about the unwavering faith that Americans are exceptional at everything (except soccer)?

i'm stumped.

Steele has been on thin ice for some time now,


I expected him to announce that he was pursuing opportunities in the private sector awhile back

this newest pointless statement
should bring that announcement fairly soon.

they just need to get the word out to the African American GOP.

Clarence Thomas has not logged into his twitter acoount, yet.

 

[Bluer White]

i mean, i can't quite fault him. land wars in Afghanistan certainly don't go well. but what about the unwavering faith that Americans are exceptional at everything (except soccer)?

i'm stumped.

Is your position on Afghanistan evolving?

Mine has over the past few years.

 

[U2DMfan]

Is your position on Afghanistan evolving?

Mine has over the past few years.

I wonder if we could start a thread to discuss our evolving opinions about it, without being inundated by 'you-know-who' with a bunch of armchair recitations of troop and brigade counts.

Because I'd love to have or at least read that discussion with many of you.

 

[Irvine511]

Is your position on Afghanistan evolving?

Mine has over the past few years.

yes, it has.

but this is the chairman of the RNC. the "stay the course/the Surge cures cancer" party. it's so diametrically opposite of what the party's broad stance towards war (we love it!) has always been. it's extremely unlike a Republican to think that certain regions of the world are essentially ungovernable by an outside power and that not every country is Germany or Japan in 1946.

Steele's job is to be the face -- more or less -- of the RNC. i guess he has two?

 

[Strongbow]

it's extremely unlike a Republican to think that certain regions of the world are essentially ungovernable by an outside power and that not every country is Germany or Japan in 1946.

The United States is not engaged in conquering, annexing and governing other countries. The United States did not do this in post war Germany and Japan and its not doing it now in Iraq and Afghanistan. In all these cases the United States has been engaged in efforts to HELP the country develop its OWN government, security forces, and economy. Its why these efforts are working despite the fact that so many other interventions failed.

There is nothing that makes Afghanistan immune to the effects of proper nationbuilding and globalization. But for some reason, liberal democrats like to believe that its impossible for the Afghan people to make progress. It may also have something to do with opposition to any type of military intervention, the military etc.

Abandoning Afghanistan in the 1990s did not make sense then, nor does it make sense now.

 

[Strongbow]

I wonder if we could start a thread to discuss our evolving opinions about it, without being inundated by 'you-know-who' with a bunch of armchair recitations of troop and brigade counts.

I see, you want a thread where the facts are few, and all of the opinions are similar.

 

[maycocksean]

Is your position on Afghanistan evolving?

Mine has over the past few years.

Steele's comment feels less like an evolution though, and more like an about-face--one that is rather convenient as it allows for more Obama-hate. Also, the actual content of his statement doesn't imply a change or evolving of his stance on the war.

 

[Benji2112]

Steele's comment feels less like an evolution though, and more like an about-face--one that is rather convenient as it allows for more Obama-hate. Also, the actual content of his statement doesn't imply a change or evolving of his stance on the war.

we agree again. Steele...... very dissapointed in him.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

thehill.com


Veterans Affairs head blasts administration over hospital incident

By Russell Berman - 07/05/10 02:10 PM ET

The Democratic chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee lambasted the Obama administration over its handling of an incident at a St. Louis VA center in which more than 1,800 veterans were told they may have been exposed to HIV.

“It's outrageous, one, that this happens, but even worse is this secretive, almost cover-up mode that they go into when something like this happens,” Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) said on CNN Monday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs last month sent a letter to 1,812 patients informing them that could have been exposed to HIV and other deadly viruses because of dental equipment that was insufficiently sterilized over a period of 13 months. The agency said the risk of infection was “extremely low” but it urged patients to return for blood tests.

Filner criticized the administration for taking more than three months to send out the letters after it discovered the faulty safety precautions in March. “We should be much more caring not only about the procedures but the way we deal with them after they're known,” the congressman said. He said it was “disgraceful” that Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki did not know about the lapse until last week.

Filner said the “only way you can get accountability is if there is someone who actually pays a price for this,” although he did not explicitly call for Shinseki to be fired.

The Veterans Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on the issue next week.

 

[BVS]

because of dental equipment that was insufficiently sterilized over a period of 13 months.

I have to wonder how this even happens in this day and age.

Something doesn't sound right...

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

It's the VA-that and much worse happens

 

[Benji2112]

thehill.com


Veterans Affairs head blasts administration over hospital incident

By Russell Berman - 07/05/10 02:10 PM ET

The Democratic chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee lambasted the Obama administration over its handling of an incident at a St. Louis VA center in which more than 1,800 veterans were told they may have been exposed to HIV.

“It's outrageous, one, that this happens, but even worse is this secretive, almost cover-up mode that they go into when something like this happens,” Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) said on CNN Monday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs last month sent a letter to 1,812 patients informing them that could have been exposed to HIV and other deadly viruses because of dental equipment that was insufficiently sterilized over a period of 13 months. The agency said the risk of infection was “extremely low” but it urged patients to return for blood tests.

Filner criticized the administration for taking more than three months to send out the letters after it discovered the faulty safety precautions in March. “We should be much more caring not only about the procedures but the way we deal with them after they're known,” the congressman said. He said it was “disgraceful” that Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki did not know about the lapse until last week.

Filner said the “only way you can get accountability is if there is someone who actually pays a price for this,” although he did not explicitly call for Shinseki to be fired.

The Veterans Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on the issue next week.

This is outrageous. To be fair though,this happened during the previous Administration, but this is just one in a recent string
At a UPENN run VA facilliaty, veterans who were being treated for prostate cancer, were given the wrong doasage of radiation therapy and the system failed at all levels.
To be fair though,this happened during the previous Administration, but this is just one in a recent string .


1,000's of veterans were exposed to _____ because a VA Center used the same unsteralized equipement for Colon cancer screening.

Mistakes Put VA Patients At Risk For HIV and Hepatitis - Health Videos - redOrbit

 

[BVS]

It's the VA-that and much worse happens

But that's no excuse. Sterilization is a pretty simple and routine process. Either someone or something new got put into the mix to cause a problem with the sterilization.

Even in the worse of conditions you have proper sterilization or would be able to pick up on it when you weren't.

 

[Benji2112]

It's the VA-that and much worse happens

Yes, I see incident after incident in the reports. This is more common than not. Think how many have not been reported... yet. Their are a lot of systemic problems, serious ones, with the VA

This is more common that not. If the Government can't run the VA, they can't run the whole Health care system

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I'm not saying it's an excuse. But with just the limited personal knowledge that I have of the VA medical system and some of what goes on in it..the sterilization thing doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

[BVS]

This is more common that not. If the Government can't run the VA, they can't run the whole Health care system

I figured someone would come in and use this exact line of logic... but it's not comparable.

First of all, this incident more than likely is a personnel issue, so are you going to bash the military training?

And secondly the Government will not be running the whole health care system. Does your insurance system currently have anything to do with sterilization?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

The govt won't be hiring people to work in hospitals and medical offices. It's more about hiring and training and qualifications with the VA.

 

[Benji2112]

I figured someone would come in and use this exact line of logic... but it's not comparable.

First of all, this incident more than likely is a personnel issue, so are you going to bash the military training?

And secondly the Government will not be running the whole health care system. Does your insurance system currently have anything to do with sterilization?

It is not just THIS incident with the VA . There many, many Incedents like this is the VA

Dental instruments ( which the poster was refering to )

Colon Cancer screening , using the same, non steralized instruments on multiple patients .

Prostate Treatments gone wild. Surprisingly by UPENN which has an excellent cancer program.

Let me search the CDC and lets see how many Verterans have contracted Aids, Hep A,B,C and other blood borne things . It will take 6-12 months on the most recent ones, but unteralized Instruments especially dental is HIV 's greatest highway.

There is NO excuse for what happened in any of these incidents. None.

 

[Benji2112]

I figured someone would come in and use this exact line of logic... but it's not comparable.

First of all, this incident more than likely is a personnel issue, so are you going to bash the military training?

And secondly the Government will not be running the whole health care system. Does your insurance system currently have anything to do with sterilization?

Please, explan to us here how it will work. We will throw out what we know and tell the Regulators you told us to do it your way , not what we are in meetings about, almost everyday, listening to HHS . It would freak you out what they are "proposing" as a system. By Proposing, I mean they are throwing everything against the wall, to see what sticks. Most important to them ? give you one guess.

 

[BVS]

There is NO excuse for what happened in any of these incidents. None.

I agree, but it really doesn't address anything in my post.

 

[BVS]

Please, explan to us here how it will work. We will throw out what we know and tell the Regulators you told us to do it your way , not what we are in meetings about, almost everyday, listening to HHS . It would freak you out what they are "proposing" as a system. By Proposing, I mean they are throwing everything against the wall, to see what sticks. Most important to them ? give you one guess.

I feel like I need a decoder ring sometimes to figure out your posts.

Who is "we" and which regulators are you telling what?

You make no sense man. None, slow down try to write gramatically correct and explain what you mean.

 

[BoMac]

You make no sense man. None, slow down try to write gramatically correct and explain what you mean.

Either he's incapable of spelling words correctly or is doing so intentionally to get a rise out of grammarphiles such as myself.

But, yeah, it's amazing how someone who is trying to come off as so intelligent really can't spell very simple words correctly, or put together a coherent sentence with correct grammar.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

cnn.com July 2

The Health and Human Services Department announced Friday that it is making $25 million available to states to support pregnant women and teen parents, in an initiative that the White House is framing as a way to find common ground on abortion.

The new federal Pregnancy Assistance Fund will award grants to states aimed at providing pregnant women and teen parents support for completing high school or college degrees and for getting health care, child care and housing, HHS said in a news release Friday.

The grants can also be used to combat violence against pregnant women, the release said.

In an e-mail announcing the initiative to nonprofit groups on Friday, the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at HHS tied the new fund to the abortion issue.

"It was only a year ago that President Obama gave a seminal speech at Notre Dame urging our nation to find common ground on the issue of abortion and unintended pregnancies," said the e-mail, which was obtained by CNN.

"The Pregnancy Assistance Fund is a competitive grant program established by the Affordable Care Act to assist women who have decided to carry their pregnancies to term and those who are parenting," the e-mail continued. "...This funding is another critical step in the President's vision for common ground."

HHS did not mention abortion in its Friday news release on the establishment of the fund, which was created by the health care bill that Obama signed in March.

"The opportunity created by the Affordable Care Act will provide States and Tribes needed assistance to support vulnerable teens and women who are pregnant and parenting," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in the news release.

"The Pregnancy Assistance Fund provides States the opportunity to link these families to health, education, child care, and other supports that can help brighten the futures of parents and their children," she said.

Moderate religious groups hailed the measure as an important way for the White House to deliver on its goal of reducing the need for abortion, which Obama articulated last year in establishing the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

"Pro-life and pro-choice people have gotten behind it so it's a good first step at reducing abortion and providing support for healthier babes and mothers," said Kristen Day, executive director of the antiabortion group Democrats for Life of America. "Once we show how effective this is we can go back and expand this program."

Day, who has consulted with the White House on reproductive health issues, said the new fund also had political benefits for Democrats. "We've been working on common ground around abortion for a long time because we want to take it away as a wedge issue," she said.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America also indicated that it supported the measure.

But conservative anti-abortion groups greeted the announcement of the Pregnancy Assistance Fund more skeptically.

"This money is mandated for services for pregnant teens and women - violence prevention, vocational training," said Carrie Gordon Earll, a spokeswoman for CitizenLink, the public policy arm of the evangelical group Focus on the Family. "It would be inaccurate to characterize it as 'abortion common ground' since it doesn't specifically address abortion."

The new health care law appropriates $25 million for the Pregnancy Assistance Fund each year through 2019, according to HHS. The grants will be awarded competitively.

When Obama established the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in February 2009, the White House said that "it will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion."

 

[Benji2112]

I figured someone would come in and use this exact line of logic... but it's not comparable.

First of all, this incident more than likely is a personnel issue, so are you going to bash the military training?

And secondly the Government will not be running the whole health care system. Does your insurance system currently have anything to do with sterilization?

" so are you going to bash the military training?" what does that have to do with it. MOST VA's operations are under private contractors

They have OVERSITE of them though.

Yes, I would question the Millitary running medical ( I did a fellowship at a VA... not pretty ) especially when they buy 2,000 toilet seats.

Giving vets AIDS for dental care, or any disease, yes, that ticks me off.


Some lazy Liberal University, taking the money, but no follow through or compliance.

 

[BVS]

You've quoted my same post three different times and not once actually addressed it, that takes some talent.

If most VAs operate under private contractors then your post here:

If the Government can't run the VA, they can't run the whole Health care system

makes no sense

Some lazy Liberal University, taking the money, but no follow through or compliance.

King of the tangents

 

[Benji2112]

I feel like I need a decoder ring sometimes to figure out your posts.

Who is "we" and which regulators are you telling what?

You make no sense man. None, slow down try to write gramatically correct and explain what you mean.

Please, explan to us here how it will work.

We will throw out what we know and tell the Regulators you told us to do it your way ,

not what we are in meetings about, almost everyday, listening to HHS .

It would freak you out what they are "proposing" as a system.

By Proposing, I mean they( HHS ) are throwing everything against the wall, to see what sticks.

Most important to them ?

give you one guess.


I have explained everything in posts that you have commented on. so , to you WE should be apparent , Where should be also .

We have meeting after meeting with HHS on this "healthcare bill" . None of it applies to real life, it is all theory.

The other, very important problem is converting medical records to electronic form. It is very good in theory, but there is no way this will be done by their deadline of 2015. Without electronic records, their system is impossible. I agree with electronic records, but to fine hospitals that are already strained, is whacked.


So we ( people here ) would love to hear your plan on how this should all operate .

 

[Benji2112]

You've quoted my same post three different times and not once actually addressed it, that takes some talent.

If most VAs operate under private contractors then your post here:



makes no sense


Government, Oversight procedures, and standards. The Gov still sets the prodecures and has oversite. It is like the Buck stops here. Here would be the Government .



King of the tangents

Government, Oversight procedures, and standards. The Gov still sets the prodecures and has oversite. It is like the Buck stops here. The buck and where it stops would be the Government . They set the standards and are responsible for making sure they work. If there is any blame, it goes to the Government.

Maybe they( GOVERMENT ) said, use the same equipement ? I have seen worse at a VA

 

[BVS]

WE should be apparent , Where should be also .

See? I need a decoder ring...

So we ( people here ) would love to hear your plan on how this should all operate .

I don't have a plan, no where did I state that I have a plan. Where is this coming from? Maybe you should go back and actually read that post that you quoted THREE times.

 

[Benji2112]

cnn.com July 2

The Health and Human Services Department announced Friday that it is making $25 million available to states to support pregnant women and teen parents, in an initiative that the White House is framing as a way to find common ground on abortion.

The new federal Pregnancy Assistance Fund will award grants to states aimed at providing pregnant women and teen parents support for completing high school or college degrees and for getting health care, child care and housing, HHS said in a news release Friday.

The grants can also be used to combat violence against pregnant women, the release said.

In an e-mail announcing the initiative to nonprofit groups on Friday, the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at HHS tied the new fund to the abortion issue.

"It was only a year ago that President Obama gave a seminal speech at Notre Dame urging our nation to find common ground on the issue of abortion and unintended pregnancies," said the e-mail, which was obtained by CNN.

"The Pregnancy Assistance Fund is a competitive grant program established by the Affordable Care Act to assist women who have decided to carry their pregnancies to term and those who are parenting," the e-mail continued. "...This funding is another critical step in the President's vision for common ground."

HHS did not mention abortion in its Friday news release on the establishment of the fund, which was created by the health care bill that Obama signed in March.

"The opportunity created by the Affordable Care Act will provide States and Tribes needed assistance to support vulnerable teens and women who are pregnant and parenting," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in the news release.

"The Pregnancy Assistance Fund provides States the opportunity to link these families to health, education, child care, and other supports that can help brighten the futures of parents and their children," she said.

Moderate religious groups hailed the measure as an important way for the White House to deliver on its goal of reducing the need for abortion, which Obama articulated last year in establishing the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

"Pro-life and pro-choice people have gotten behind it so it's a good first step at reducing abortion and providing support for healthier babes and mothers," said Kristen Day, executive director of the antiabortion group Democrats for Life of America. "Once we show how effective this is we can go back and expand this program."

Day, who has consulted with the White House on reproductive health issues, said the new fund also had political benefits for Democrats. "We've been working on common ground around abortion for a long time because we want to take it away as a wedge issue," she said.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America also indicated that it supported the measure.

But conservative anti-abortion groups greeted the announcement of the Pregnancy Assistance Fund more skeptically.

"This money is mandated for services for pregnant teens and women - violence prevention, vocational training," said Carrie Gordon Earll, a spokeswoman for CitizenLink, the public policy arm of the evangelical group Focus on the Family. "It would be inaccurate to characterize it as 'abortion common ground' since it doesn't specifically address abortion."

The new health care law appropriates $25 million for the Pregnancy Assistance Fund each year through 2019, according to HHS. The grants will be awarded competitively.

When Obama established the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in February 2009, the White House said that "it will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion."

Condoms and the Pill would be cheaper . Maybe a little personal responsibility? Condoms would work for the huge surge in STD's

 

[BVS]

Government, Oversight procedures, and standards. The Gov still sets the prodecures and has oversite. It is like the Buck stops here. The buck and where it stops would be the Government . They set the standards and are responsible for making sure they work. If there is any blame, it goes to the Government.

Maybe they( GOVERMENT ) said, use the same equipement ? I have seen worse at a VA

Who makes the oversights and regulations in other hospitals?



So MAYBE the government said, "use the same equipment"?

Boy, that's a solid argument you got there.