Comments

• By pearlwillman on 09/05 01:52 AM

  Check out http://www.obamamortgagerelief.org/ There needs to be a program for the elderly but not quite to retirement age for mortgage modification when the have lost their job during this particular recession. I made a decent wage because I put my time into a company and now have no job. I am looking at $10 - to $12 hr jobs after working all my life. You can't make a mortgage payment on that kind of money. I will eventually lose my home.

• By Nunyabiz on 09/02 10:50 AM

  Josephus "The Testimonium Flavianum" is a very well known FORGERY and has been known as such for hundreds of years...................... Like I said I have actually researched this very extensively for 36 years, I have 86 volumes in my library that deals with origins of religions, I have actual field diaries of archeologist, I have researched online through many digital archives from museums and also during my time I spent at Stanford (4 years) I also had many conversations with various professors whose entire wealth of knowledge was religion/mythology & archeological origins. I know what I am talking about when it comes to religion and reading the bible and "understanding" it and its origins is exactly WHY I am an Atheist....... http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/josephus-etal.html

• By Randy Dye on 09/02 09:20 AM

  Nunyabiz, this may be where you went wrong. Your searching to hard for all the wrong reasons. Religion eh! God does not need religion, that's a man made issue to help us understand. Even Jesus himself turned his back on his own religion as a Jew. As far as Jesus only being know from the New Testament, Josephus was a Jewish historian and briefly mentions the historic Jesus and several others. Maybe you should quit trying to find the answers and allow then answers to find you. You know, the story about the pot of gold was in the mans own back yard to entire time. Whatever you choose to do, I will honestly pray for you my friend that a answer will find you. I know you do not care, but I will just have to care for you. Peace be with you.

• By Nunyabiz on 09/02 07:04 AM

  Tried that when I was 18, spent 36 years researching religion, mainly the big 3. The more I looked the more I learned that Christianity for instance comes mostly from Sumeria, Babylon, and ancient Egypt (Kemet). There is nothing in the Christian religion that is exclusive, it ALL comes from those 3 societies/religions. There is no record what so ever of any "Jesus of Nazareth" any place other than the bible. There were more than 50 very prolific well known historians during that time frame that this alleged "Jesus" would have existed yet not a single one of them ever mentions him or anything he supposedly did, NOTHING, not a word. That would be impossible. Then of course there are the identical similarities between the Hebrew "Sun god" (Jesus) and the many other sun gods such as Horus from Egypt & Dionysus from Greece to name a couple that are clearly describing the same sun god. Horus was some 2000+ years earlier. So you see unlike you I went in search of god and what I found was nothing but pure MYTH. I may as well believe in Santa Clause or Leprechauns.

• By Randy Dye on 09/01 06:13 PM

  Nunyabiz I'll make a deal with you, I'll go seek out a psychiatrist, if you agree to go seek out God :)

• By Nunyabiz on 09/01 06:02 PM

  Yep "Guns & Bibles" sure sign of a total nut bag. Myself I am not religious, I am 100% Atheist and have been my entire life. I consider religion to be a mind plague that completely destroys the thinking and reasoning mind. and that cross is in a NATIONAL PARK thus is on federal land thus is clearly unconstitutional and illegal for it to be there. Never should have been put up. You are clearly delusional and you seriously are in need of psychiatric care, I hope you seek it.

• By David on 09/01 04:03 PM

  Randy, maybe you should type it all in capital letters. It still won't make sense, but it'll be a whole lot louder.

• By Randy Dye on 09/01 10:59 AM

  Nunyabiz and David, as usual you libs go for the personal attacks saying that I'm in need of Psychological care and ignore to deal with the facts of a 60 trillion unsecured debt that SS,medicare and medicaid. And now you want to add more debt in one of the worst recessions we even experienced and raising taxes to pay for it. And the person who just said that your bus will be at Wake Med this Thursday, we called the Wake Med administration and they want nothing to do with your bus tour or this politcal mess that Obama bots have caused. And we conservatives have always stuck with our guns and Bibles, seems like it's always the liberals that put down the Bible thumpers, Yet when it's convient all of a sudden you reach out to the faith based Christian groups to support your politcal cause. Even Jesus himself can see through this. We conservatives have always stuck with our faith and now all of a sudden your getting religious, go figure! God will not be used in politcal debates on any party. It's always appears that the ACLU and other finacals are trying to rip our faith apart, and now you have the audacity to bring religion into this when it's convient, God don't play that game, even for me. Lets see, ACLU has been trying to have a cross brought down at a Veterans memorial in the middle of the dessert where it bothers no one. Proof you want, I have the article on my blog of this story, check it out on my blog site, it's in the federal courts as we speak "ACLU takes down Veterans Cross" http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/aclu-takes-down-veterans-cross/

• By Nunyabiz on 09/01 06:35 AM

  ""Wonderful. I'm trying to have a reasonable debate about health care with a guy whose main source claims that the UN is a criminal enterprise and that global warming is a hoax."" ================================================== Exactly David, Mr. Dye here needs a bit of psychiatric care, there is no need to continue "debating" someone that not only has no idea what they are talking about but has no desire to learn.

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 11:34 PM

  Because you all falling for the liberal bs, that do not have a clue what's it's going to cost with a already 60 trillion unsecured debt just with SS, Medicare and medicaid. And now you want to a nationalized health care to add to that.

• By David on 08/31 11:27 PM

  Wonderful. I'm trying to have a reasonable debate about health care with a guy whose main source claims that the UN is a criminal enterprise and that global warming is a hoax. Oh well, I give up. Just remember this, Randy: those guys in the black helicopters have government health care, and they'll kill anyone who wants to take it from them.

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 11:05 PM

  Are you one of these David, a UN Moonbat. Check it out, when are yall going to wake up! Note that Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Asheville, and other NC cities have all signed onto the international (UN) agenda for sustainable development under ICLEI and are using taxpayer dollars to implement it. REMOVE I.C.L.E.I. - RESTORE THE REPUBLIC by Tom DeWeese August 28, 2009 NewsWithViews.com http://www.newswithviews.com/DeWeese/tom144.htm Many Americans ask how dangerous international policies can suddenly turn up in state and local government, all seemingly uniform to those in communities across the nation and around the globe. The answer – meet ICLEI, a non-profit, private foundation, dedicated to helping your mayor implement all of his promises. Originally known as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), today the group simply calls itself "ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability." In 1992, ICLEI was one of the groups instrumental in creating Agenda 21. The group’s mission is to push local communities to regulate the environment – and it’s having tremendous success. I have included a list of 544 American cities in which ICLEI is being paid with tax dollars from city councils to implement and enforce Sustainable Development. ICLEI is there to assure that the mayors keep their promises and meet their goals. Climate change, of course, is the ICLEI mantra. Here’s just some of the programs ICLEI provides cities and towns, in order to spread their own particular political agenda in the name of "community services" and environmental protection, they include: Software programs to help set the goals for community development – which leads to taking control of your private property; Access to a network of "Green" experts, newsletters, conferences and workshops – to assure the indoctrination of city employees is complete; Toolkits, online resources, case studies, fact sheets, policy and practice manuals, and blueprints used by other communities – so you know you are not alone; Training workshops for staff and elected officials on how to develop and implement the programs -- wanna bet they never seem to mention that thousands of scientists around the world now say man-made global warming is a myth and none of these programs are necessary? Probably doesn’t make it into the workshop; And, of course, there’s Notification of relevant grant opportunities – this is the important one – money – with severe strings attached. ICLEI recommends that the community hire a full time "sustainability manager," who, even in small towns, can devote 100% of his time to assure that every nook and corner of the government is on message and under control. As I said, it’s not about protecting the environment; it’s about reinventing government with a specific political agenda. ICLEI and others are dedicated to controlling your locally elected public officials to quietly implement an all encompassing tyranny over every community in the nation. Like a disease, ICLEI (or others of its kind) is entrenched in most American cities, dictating policy to your locally elected officials, controlling policy and making sure they do not listen to your protests. To truly see tyranny in action, one only needs to go to a city council meeting and attempt to ask questions or discuss a sustainable development program. Most who have tried it have been literally physically removed from the chamber. It’s time to remove ICLEI. Look at this list of communities where they currently hide behind the curtain -- and take action to remove them. Now, before your community is run like a soviet, where there is no debate, no regard for constitutionally-guaranteed rights, no property rights, no free markets, no alternative thought. Through ICLEI there is only top-down control – just like a soviet. Remove ICLEI - Restore the Republic! ICLEI Cities Across the Country Action to Take: ICLEI is one of the most dangerous forces in the nation, particularly because so few people know if their existence. But your mayor and city council know. They are in regular meetings with them, They get memos on policy. They are told what to support and who to silence. What they fear most is exposure. Now, we can turn the tables on ICLEI by shining a bright spot light on their activities in your community. First, go to a city council meeting and listen to the discussion. Are they talking about land use, water control, development control? Are they using the language I have described in this issue? If so, Sustainable Development is ruling your community. Second, begin to ask questions. You may have to do it after the meeting, but if you can, ask during… Ask where these policies they are discussing come from. Ask if your community is now paying dues to a group called the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Once you have determined that ICLEI is truly in your community, they the battle can begin. Remember, the list of ICLEI cities on this page came directly from the ICLEI web page – so you already know they are there. Third, do not begin to discuss “UN” policies. Instead, keep your discussion on a local level, as in how such policies may impact local citizens. Fourth, I have enclosed a petition. Make copies of this petition, which calls on your city council to stop paying dues to ICLEI and to remove them from policy making in your community. Pass out your copies and get as many citizens as possible to sign it. Make copies of this issue of The DeWeese Report to educate your neighbors on the dangers of Sustainable Development. Deliver the singed petitions to City Council and cause a firestorm of protest if they ignore you. And do not stop until ICLEI and Sustainable Development are removed from your community. REMOVE ICLEI - RESTORE THE REPUBLIC.

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 11:01 PM

  Now your reaching David, here's another one of those mobsters at Prices protest. I bet your one of those that think Obama should investagate the CIA too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kA-3-Nd7ZY

• By David on 08/31 10:48 PM

  For a sample of the intelligent discourse coming from Randy's protest events, try this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DTzjwLx39w. Just lovely.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 05:44 PM

  "and if your health care plan is so great as written, why didn't it get passed?"" ================================================== Simple, worthless piece of trash Blue Dawg democrats that are being bought and paid for by the insurance company lobbyist. Also absolutely spineless non blue dawg democrats that are seemingly unaware that their constituency are beginning to hate the ground they walk on because they are so pathetic. All the democrats need to do is pass this bill in its original form before it was watered down trying to stupidly get some nut bag republican to vote for it. All they need is 51 votes, not 60. Force the idiots to filibuster it, show the country of which more than 3/4ths wants national health care exactly who it is that is holding it back and who those congressmen are being paid by. Then shove it in their face again & again & again, force it through, have Obama sign it. national health care if done correctly would be the biggest boon to the economy that we have had since the gold rush of 150 years ago. Every person in the country would save between 5000 to $12,000+ every year, now tell me that kind of money in everybody's pockets is not going to stimulate the economy, is not going to save people from bankruptcy, foreclosures, is not going to pay off credit cards, etc. then of course we have everybody covered medically living healthier and happier lives without the fear of going bankrupt over a sickness or maybe a car accident. It is a win, win, win situation. Passed and properly funded health care would literally kill the republican party, they would fade into the back ground.

• By dab on 08/31 05:02 PM

  So who rode in on those buses? People from Greensboro. Why did they come to Raleigh, instead of holding their own health care reform rally? Well, I personally believe it had to do with the white supremacists holding an annual get-together the same day there in Greensboro -- http://pittsburgh.indymedia.org/news/2009/08/31214.php -- exactly 30 yrs. after some of their members killed four anti-racist marchers in that same city. I can't believe that hate-filled group is still manipulating the affairs of normal people.

• By Good grief on 08/31 04:11 PM

  I don't understand this obsession w. the "busing". You know many people don't have cars, right? Plus there's not a whole lot of parking downtown. So...? I'm not sure what's being insinuated here... Also, I'm all for personal responsibility, but life isn't always that simple. You can't control everything. (responding to the quote in the article). Really, it's mainly dumb luck & a spin of the genetic wheel that keeps you or I from ending up w. some dis-ease. Then you're sick and can't work...so you lose your health insurance and then all your money goes to paying hospital bills. Idk why that's so difficult for people to understand. All I hear is people screaming that people w.out health ins. are "lazy". Nunyabiz> Yeah, I am most certainly wasting my time. I don't know why I bother. Questions get answered and yet the same questions are asked again.

• By Good Grief on 08/31 03:59 PM

  Ok, so I think we can all agree that we're not happy w. the present healthcare system, then, right? That's the common thread I see through most comments & I think that is a good place to start. Instead of calling each other names and calling our President a "communist/Marxist/incendiary term of the day" let's look toward a solution! Because, come on, whether you voted for him or not, do you HONESTLY think the guy is going to turn the US into Communist Russia w. "death panels" and detention camps for those who don't agree w. him? I mean, really?! That sort of talk isn't helpful to our present situation and sounds just plain paranoid. (I bring this up b/c one of the older dudes (again, old enough to be on Medicare) had a sign w. a hammer and sickle on it)). Anyway, from what I can gather (and, of course, I don't know the guy personally), President Obama is someone who tries to see all sides of a situation and to understand everyone's opinions. This is just based on his two books and his basic demeanor. I think he's a compassionate person who is trying to do what he thinks is right; I don't think he has "evil" intentions. So, while I disagree w. him on the "co-op" idea b/c it still involves Big Pharma and the insurance industry, I can see why he thinks that might be a good jumping off point. People are already riled up about the idea of Single Payer care, to the point of violence. I don't WANT him to compromise, but I understand why he would, at this point. And remember, he's NEVER been as Liberal as people are trying to paint him to be, much to the chagrin of the Far Left. He's a moderate, so he's going to find moderate solutions. And Randy, the great thing about having the gov't in charge of healthcare is that you can VOTE THEM OUT if they screw up! You can't do that w. your insurance co. Insurance companies are obviously NOT being regulated if they aren't covering pre-existing conditions, etc. And I now know why your name is so familiar: constant op/ed letters in the paper.

• By Christine on 08/31 03:02 PM

  I did have a catastrophic condition that I couldn't help and wasn't covered and ruined me financially, so I can relate. I KNOW I am subsidizing health care for those who don't take responsibility for their health. If health care went for prevention and to treat catastrophic diseases of unknown etiology the costs would be lower for everyone. But the vast majority goes for useless things like pills and tests and surgeries and treatments that could be avoided. Switching to universal and "lowering the overhead" (which I'm suspicious would really be the case) is STILL a free-for all wealthfare program for the pharmaceuticals & the rest of the medical industry. It's a MONEY MAKING business and that ain't going to change. They don't care about prevention, it isn't profitable. Interesting that this article just appeared in my mailbox: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-arthur-ray/health-care-what-ever-hap_b_267315.html

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 02:56 PM

  Nunyabiz, no one is denying yall outnumbered us. It was your organized event and your permit. This was just a few conservatives that found out about your organized and paid for event at the last minute. And if your health care plan is so great as written, why didn't it get passed? And if you want to see photos,videos of the crowd that was at the same location yall held your ACLU event, take a look at my blog photos when conservatives held at the Protest in front of Brad Millers office, I was there. Videos don't lie. http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/protest-at-raleigh-office-of-rep-brad-miller-d-13th/ or even better yet, take a look at the Conservatives Tea Party we held at the Capital in Raleigh, the same exact location that you held yours, and not one person was bussed in, seriuosly, check it out folks fro yourself. This is from my blog Randy's Right http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/conservative-tea-party-at-capital-in-raleigh-nc/

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 02:51 PM

  That is utterly absurd but lets put it this way then. Forget about every single one of the many many millions that do not have health care, lets just focus on the ones WITH health care. They pay an average of $12,000 per year, of course I am sure you are going to bring that figure down to about $2 a month somehow but in reality most people pay over $10,000 a year. There are millions upon millions every year that lose that health care because they lost their jobs, millions that are going broke just trying to pay for health care premiums, millions that even WITH so called health care are still going bankrupt because the insurance company figures out a way to not pay for what ever it is they need. Then of course even WITH health care which cost you many many $1000s a year when you are faced with an operation that they even pay for you are on the hook for several $1000 more because you pay what ever your deductible is plus 15-20%. So forget about the 10s of millions that don't even have health care at all and never will. Obviously to those like yourself they should just die and be thrown in a ditch anyway. Just the ones WITH health care are going broke trying to pay for it. and it is going to DOUBLE in 10 years.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 02:10 PM

  I was there from 10:20 until 11:45 and there was never more than 46 anytime I looked over there. The democrats do not have a filibuster proof anything because several of the democrats are "blue dawg democrats" which are nothing but republicans pretending to be democrats. The reason most of us are angry is 2 fold. one we have to constantly hear the drum beat of bald faced lies coming from the reich wing pundits and their minions and 2nd we were lied to by Obama and the democrats saying they were going to "change" anything. So far Obama has upheld about all the unconstitutional, illegal Treasonous crimes the Bush administration committed and refuses to put them on trial. He is also treating the Rethuglicans like they have the majority and like they were the ones that elected him.

• By Cnation on 08/31 02:03 PM

  Nunyabiz: First off, I'd like to thank you for perpetuating the stereotype that liberals are constitutionally incapable of debating anything without calling people names. As for your assertion that there were 46 across the street, I'm sure there were 46 when -you- counted, just as I'm sure there would have been only 17 if you had counted a half-hour earlier. The actual count was between 66 and 70 at its peak. I say 'between' because some people were moving around and I may have counted a couple of them twice. Something that puzzles me - and maybe you can help me out here - is why you're so angry? The democrats have the house, the senate and the presidency, and as soon as Massachusetts changes the law back to allow Deval Patrick to appoint TK's replacement, you'll have your filibuster-proof majority back in the senate. You should be dancing in the streets and overflowing with joy! The republicans can't stop you, nor can the "idiots on the other side of the street", so why the long face? -Cnation

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 02:02 PM

  Reagan should be dug up and then hung for what he did to this country. most all of this mess started with that lunatic.

• By David on 08/31 02:01 PM

  Christine, are you saying that you're ok with preventive care not being covered? That's not ok, that's a big cause of the problems we face. And as for not wanting to pay for people with obesity-related problems, you already are. Health insurance/care costs go up for everyone when people are treated for advanced stages of diseases like diabetes that could have been managed through preventive care. If those people have insurance, then the costs are spread among all premium holders. If they are uninsured and get treatment at the ER, the costs are passed on to the general public. So if you want to bring down health care and insurance costs, push for universal coverage with a strong preventive component. And while individual responsibility is good and sounds good, try telling that to people who are born with serious medical conditions or who develop them through no fault of their own and find themselves denied coverage. If you were to develop a serious illness and find out your insurer won't cover your claims or even terminates your coverage, what would you do? Blame yourself for a lack of personal responsibility? Randy Dye: On your "60 trillion dollers," I offered a set of policy responses a couple of posts ago. Did you bother reading, or did your eyes just light up when you saw the letters AARP, making you start typing another rant? "I could be wrong again" is probably the only reasonable statement you've made in any of your posts. At least you've given us the evidence to back that one up.

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 01:57 PM

  Ronald Reagan speaks to us from his blessed grave, watch the video Loggerhead Studios put together on my blog Randy's Right from the Tea Party at Raleigh NC, proof the Tea Parties are real http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/ronald-reagan-speaks-from-his-blessed-gravetea-parties-are-real/

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 01:53 PM

  Yes, Yes! Just like how "we all pay into" SS that is going bankrupted, that's a real winner.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 01:48 PM

  Sorry to hear that Alex, but these reich wingers on here are incapable of understanding what you so eloquently said. They don't get it because they have been so brain washed by the reich wing extremest & insurance company talking points.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 01:44 PM

  ""It BURNS ME UP that anyone would think I should have to help pay for drugs and surgeries for people who are overweight or otherwise abuse their bodies. How DARE they!" =================================================== Yet that is exactly what you are doing under privatized health care Christine because all those 46-54 million uninsured, and 10s of millions under insured that simply can not pay for health care are being absorbed by the system. Only difference is that single payer health care would cover EVERYBODY, so that all bills would be paid, the over head is about 3-6% not 30+% like private is. That is why your insurance premiums have gone up double in the past 10 years and are going to double yet again in another 10 years. Get a grip people. Stop listening to lunatics like Dye here that have no clue what he is talking about and think for yourselves.

• By Alex O'Connor on 08/31 01:39 PM

  I take personal responsibility for my health. I do not drink, smoke, do drugs. I am in good shape and exercise several hours everyday. I have health insurance. Everything was fine until I got Multiple Sclerosis and incurable disease where one's immune system eats your brain and central nervous system. The out of pocket costs are heading us towards bankruptcy. We went into this thing with perfect credit scores. My family does not want a hand out we just do not want to go broke. Then for all those who are opposed to health care reform I will be your problem. You will pay for my medical because I will be forced to go on SSI and medicaid.

• By Christine on 08/31 01:17 PM

  Hello, I pay for my health insurance just the same way I pay for car insurance (which is legally required) or my utility bills. I take personal responsibility for my own health. Most of the health care expenses I have are not even covered because I do not take drugs or get tests or procedures. It's preventive care or what I need to maintain perfect health which isn't considered "necessary" by insurance. Most health problems can be prevented or reversed if people took personal responsibility for properly caring for their bodies. It BURNS ME UP that anyone would think I should have to help pay for drugs and surgeries for people who are overweight or otherwise abuse their bodies. How DARE they!

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 11:57 AM

  As for the police thing: I am afraid that you all are about to be disabused of your concept of the "protect & serve" establishment. You are poking a very large fat tiger with a pointy stick so to speak. As the poll numbers go down for not only this bill but for the incumbents you can count on increased selective enforcement of laws, regulations, permits etc... (real or imaginary) Those in power have no intention of losing it due to some rabble rousers carrying on with the truth. The American Sheeple are simply not interested in the truth if it is in anyway inconvenient to their thought processes. Please watch the recent videos from the pro side of the rally and you can understand how little they know about government, taxes, or business function. They think that because they got fired from their job they are being punished by having to pay for the health insurance the company was footing all these years. They simply cannot understand how much the evil boss man was paying for their healthcare, when it comes time for them to write the check it is outrageous how high the premium is. I love the woman that is pissed because "30-47% of her healthcare dollar (her employer, probably the tax payers) is going to prevent people from getting healthcare". I wonder who told her that lie. Whoever did was very convincing because she has bought completely into that story and no amount of statistical data will relieve her of that hate. To think that insurance companies spend almost 50% of the cash they bring in on killing people is crazy talk but they believe it. They also believe we are racists. So when we have people across the street chanting "commie pinko commie pinko" which they do not comprehend ( and they are not going to go home and Google it) they interpret that as screaming racial epithets at them while they stair at a banner that says "eliminating racism-empowering women". So obviously if racism needs to be eliminated and you are protesting across the street you receive the guilt by association treatment. I did discover some very easy questions to ask to help them to understand the equation without taxing their mental faculties: 1. Do you currently have government run healthcare? What do you think about the taxes you pay now? Too much or too little? (The answer will always be too much) Then simply ask how much they think those taxes will be once they start providing health care? 2. Have you ever been to the DMV? First you sign in, then wait, then speak to an agent, then wait, then take picture, then wait, then pay, then wait, then get your license. If a government agency cannot handle this task in one step then how can they handle your healthcare other than the same way? 3. Do you think we are against healthcare reform? Actually we are very much hoping to reform healthcare. We are just against enslaving every citizen of this country by mandating they pay health insurance or receive a $1,000.00 fine. If the fine is not paid then who do you think is going to knock on your door to get it. That's right the I.R.S. and if you do not pay they will seize your car, home, savings, retirement $, college funds and whatever else to get it, plus they will charge you interest plus penalties. So if you thought you couldn't afford healthcare before at least not being sick didn't cost you your home. This will also apply to your employer for every employee. 4. Ask them if they are against drug addicts or homeless people? Part of the proposed ways to pay for this is to eliminate the tax exemption status for churches so they will no longer be able to do many of the programs to help those in need like the victims of hurricane Katrina. You know the one that destroyed New Orleans and the government was holding up convoys of aid materials because they didn't have the right paperwork to enter, or the EPA hadn't cleared it for entry. The churches came with boats and were first on the scene to help many(funny churches having boats laying around in case of flood). I could be wrong again but if we help these people that suffer from public education to understand some of the things they were not taught in social studies it could be easier. They are like children in their understanding of this very complex issue. They just want someone anyone to relieve them of the burden of having to be responsible for themselves. You cannot let them know that you wish them to handle their own affairs because they have never had to do it and they simply aren't functionally literate in monetary matters to handle these issues. They are the reason that social security exists and must. We cannot be perceived as their enemy. We can and should be their real teachers. Keep it very simple. Don't make them lie by telling us they "read the bill" anymore, we know they wouldn't know where to find it. Instead let's discuss how we both wish for lowered costs etc..

• By Randy Dye on 08/31 11:44 AM

  LOL, now someone is saying it's nbc's fault fromisrepsenting your rally. That is rich LOL. NBC was fair and balanced, they allowed both sides to speak and the same amount of time on this clip. And still no one has responded to the facts of the unsecured debt of 60 trillion dollers of the govt programs we have now, how in the world would you expect anyone to trust the feds of fiscal resposiblity. This should be up to the states, not big brother.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 09:52 AM

  wasting your time Good Grief these nuts don't care about the facts at all and don't care to learn. Apparently neither does NBC17.

• By Good Grief on 08/31 09:10 AM

  Robert Dye> Funny you should mention the behavior of protestors. I believe it was the people across the street (who, btw, first came up behind us until the cops made them go across the street!) who were shouting during the PRAYER (I find this deplorable and I'm Agnostic!) and taunted and screamed at the woman who was speaking about her ill son and her husband w. liver cancer. So really, you live in a glass house, my friend. As for how this is going to be paid for, that is a fair enough question. However, if you listened to the speech by President Obama a few months back, he explained EXACTLY how it's going to be paid for! Part of it is going to come from gov't programs that are going to be cut (ones that are repetitive, ones that are not effective, etc. I have seen a list of some that have been cut already. Wish I could point it out to you, but I can't recall where I saw it.), part is from funds that are already in the treasury (tax dollars), and the last is from when the tax rates for the top 1% of earners will be rolled back to what they were under Reagan. Think about it: even if you disagree w. his politics, he's a very intelligent man. He's not just going to go into something willy nilly. Right now, you pay higher premiums b/c of, for example, someone having to get his/her leg amputated from untreated diabetes. Doesn't it make more financial sense to make sure this person has proper preventative care? It costs a lot less to make sure someone has the insulin he/she needs & the nutritional information he/she needs than it does for a major operation! In that respect, single payer makes more sense than "everyone fend for him/herself". I mean, if you can't see the human aspect of it, at least be able to see the fiscal aspect of it. Cnation> You say "it's no secret" that the people at these events are paid activists. Really? Please show us your proof! Nunyabiz> I estimated about 50, so I believe you are correct, although this footage by NBC is filmed in such a way as to make it seem like a lot more! I guess they are afraid of losing their pharma advertising. So much for "accurate". As for the woman they interviewed, um, first of all, she's old enough to be on Medicare so PLEASE. She's already receiving "socialized medicine". Second of all, the INSURANCE COMPANIES are already "between you and your doctor". Hello? They already decide what care you will or will not receive. They can drop you at any time if they feel you are not profitable to them.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 08:41 AM

  and here are the FACTS concerning those without health care. http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.shtml It is between 46-54 million and rising everyday. Even many the ones that HAVE health care are under insured and million that HAVE health care will go broke, lose their homes, go bankrupt because of Medical Bills. Not sure what you hope to gain by lying about it.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 08:35 AM

  and like Patsy, Amazed and Felicia said this article made it appear as though there were at least as many against as there was for. Disgusting bit of made up trash, what that is what "journalism" has become the past 30 years. NBC17 has flat out misrepresented what happened there on Sat. can't say I am surprised though.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 08:23 AM

  Cnation, well the numbers for the idiots on the other side of the street is EXACT because I counted you twice. exactly 46. the other is an educated guess because there were too many to actually sit there and count and we were spread all over the place under the trees. I am going to take an EXACT count at the next one on Sept 3rd. There could not have possibly been less than 1000 and it looked to me like at LEAST 1500+.

• By Cnation on 08/31 08:14 AM

  David: I am not familiar enough with amenable mortality numbers to comment, but in the interest of being informed, I will do some research.

• By Cnation on 08/31 08:12 AM

  Nunyabiz: Your estimates of crowds on both sides of the street as well as the number who came on buses is amusingly inaccurate, to put it kindly. Additionally, your "50 million uninsured" number has been debunked repeatedly. I'd be happy to do it again in this forum if you'd like. As for the WHO, since you seem to already know what the numbers would be on a new report, I'm really quite surprised they wasted all that time and effort in the first place when all they had to do was ask you.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 06:59 AM

  There were about 50 that came in on buses out of 1500+.

• By Nunyabiz on 08/31 06:56 AM

  number one most of the people that came on buses were SPEAKERS and those helping to set things up. Number 2 there were too many to count on the pro health care side, I tried. Had to be at least 1500+. On the idiot side across the street I counted EXACTLY 46. as far as the WHO 2000 report yes we were 37th and if it was taken again this year we would be much lower in the 40s. As for AARP David at 11:47 is exactly right. Randy Dye is nothing but a Reich wing extremest without a clue. and Who pays for the 50 million without health care plus the 10s of millions WITH health care where there 'plan" wont pay the operation they need? WE ALL DO you idiot, in fact we all pay one hell of a lot more to private insurance companies than we ever would to the government. My wife & I have it better than about anybody with health care, we have Federal BC/BS and we pay $3140 a year plus 15-20% of most things. Last year we paid out $6000. and we are the lucky ones! you trying to say that government run health care would cost every tax payer more than $3-12,000 a year? ROTFL More like about 30% of what we have now cost.

• By David on 08/30 11:47 PM

  Randy Dye: The right loves to talk about AARP losing 60,000 members because of their pro-reform stance. How about some facts: The AARP regularly loses 300,000 members each month due to membership lapses and deaths. More importantly, since July 1, 400,000 members have renewed their memberships and 1.5 million new members have joined AARP. In addition, many of those who tore up their AARP cards and sent them in to the ASA (the conservative alternative) may well have done so because they were offered a two year membership for the price of one year if they sent in a torn-up AARP card with their membership application. Some of these people may have kept their AARP memberships and requested replacement cards. (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/18/cbs-asa/) It's not hard to find the facts, Mr. Dye -- you just have to open your eyes.

• By Randy Dye on 08/30 09:07 PM

  You mean AARP that is loosing members left and right since their liberal agenda has been exposed and what they've been spending money towards liberal organizations. This should be done at the stae level and the federal govt needs to keep thier business out of State sovereignty. If a stae choose, then that will be a different matter, but feds need to stop thier controll over states. I also see hoe Harry Reid is wanting to shut down a opposing news paper in Nevada. Now we have major power play of a Senator in this country deciding what news paper to harass if they disagree with them. Check it out on my blog Randy's Right http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/harry-reid-trying-to-shut-down-free-press/

• By David on 08/30 08:54 PM

  Cnation: You need to look at studies of amenable mortality -- that is, deaths before age 75 that could be avoided due to timely, effective health care. A study of the US and 18 industrialized countries shows that the US has the highest rate of amenable mortality, and that while the other countries on average saw their amenable mortality rate decrease by 16 percent from 1997-98 to 2002-2003, the US rate declined only 4 percent. That translates to 101,000 preventable deaths per year in the US. The authors of this study note: "It is, however, difficult to disregard the observation that the slow decline in U.S. amenable mortality has coincided with an increase in the uninsured population." (http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/january/united_states_has_wo.php) Randy Dye: Social Security can be fixed by increasing the salary cap for the Social Security tax. The AARP and other groups have numerous proposals for improving Medicare's financial situation. And note that Medicare B, which runs on general revenues and individual premiums, is not seen to be in trouble. It's Medicare A that is the big issue. A chunk of the Medicare cost explosion is tied to unnecessary, avoidable readmissions. A bigger factor is that many people with chronic diseases who enter Medicare without previously having had health insurance incur higher costs, thereby driving up the cost of Medicare for everyone. Getting everyone insured from the start and guaranteeing preventive care for all would drive down Medicare costs and overall US medical expenditures. So would eliminating "quantity over quality" incentives to reimbursement. Medicare also now provides funds to hospitals to help pay for the treatment of the uninsured, so there's a cost that could be dealt with effectively through a more rational health care/insurance system. Ultimately, the US spends more per capita on health care than any other country in the world, and we don't get the results that other countries get. And there's no evidence that the private insurance industry can do the job well -- all the evidence runs to contrary (including the high percentage of premiums being devoted to administrative costs, including paying bean-counters to find more and more creative ways of denying claims or rescinding coverage). Private insurers are for-profit entities that have no incentive to cover high-risk individuals and every incentive to shrink claims payments in order to expand profits.

• By cnation on 08/30 07:08 PM

  To Patsy L. Hoekstra: First, your "#37 in Effectiveness" talking point originates from a 2000 WHO report that compares the healthcare systems of 191 counties (unless, of course, you're simply taking Michael Moore's word for it). Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. The methods and calculations used to arrive at that number are highly debatable and rather suspect. Read this: http://www.cato.org/pubs/bp/bp101.pdf . In cancer survival rates, for example, we are number 1 in the world. In terms of life expectancy, if you remove things like homicides, automobile deaths, poisonings/drug overdoses/etc.. from the calculations, our life expectancy also shoots straight to the top. See: http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2007/09/natural-life-expectancy-in-united.html I won't argue that cost isn't a problem because it is. My position is simply that it's not for the federal government to 'solve' with an industry takeover. -Cnation

• By Patsy L. Hoekstra on 08/30 06:15 PM

  I never called you delusional Randy Dye. That's what you called me in the first sentence of your blog. Turn the light on, Dim Bulb.

• By Patsy L. Hoekstra on 08/30 06:10 PM

  US Health Care: #1 in Cost, #37 in Effectiveness. Get it CNation?

• By Cnation on 08/30 03:39 PM

  What these stories failed to report was that a large number, if not the majority, of the pro-reform supporters were actually bussed in from elsewhere. It's no secret that HCAN, OFA, etc...hire and employ paid activists to stage and attend these events, and what we saw here in Raleigh yesterday was an example of these paid activists in action. Simply put, the event organizers brought their crowd of paid 'supporters' with them. Based on the number of buses I personally saw, the actual attendance by genuine grassroots supporters would have been maybe a third, probably less, of what it was. This was pure astroturf theater (you know, the very thing they tried to accuse conservative protesters of), nothing more. More here: http://conservativenation.net/2009/08/29/hundreds-of-obamabots-bussed-in-to-raleigh-nc-pro-obamacare-rally/ -Cnation

• By Randy Dye on 08/30 03:35 PM

  Patsy, Your getting delusional. No one is denying that we only had 60 or so counter protestors and yall had 350. It was your event and your permit, what do you expect. Last Tea Party we had at the exact same location that you and the ACLU organzized,we ended up with 4,000+ individuals just from the local area, not stae wide. So your 350 organized attendees of the ACLU and your two bus load of friends only got this many a STATE turn out? so who are you calling dellusional. I'll also be happy to post some of the video of your folks taunting the conservatives. Some of it was very inappriate and sometimes I couldn't tell the difference between adults and a 6 year old. Even the Police that were right in front of us, didn't have to keep us on our side of the street. The police were having to keep your supporters on your side from taunting the conservatives. You have also not responded to my facts regarding the 60 trillion dollar unsecured debt that we already have with SS, Medicare and Medical, and now your want to start another program to add to that debt. Lets stick with facts and get back to uphoolding the Constitution. This should be at the state level, not the feds

• By David on 08/30 02:03 PM

  The News and Observer says at least 350 came out in support of reform and about 60 against. News 14 Carolina reported that over 1,000 people came out in support of reform and about 100 against. I think the N&O figures are too low (at least for the pro-reform side, since I had estimated somewhere around 50 for the opposition as seen from where I stood) and News 14 may be over-reporting both sides. But both of these outlets are reporting, accurately, that the pro-reform rally was far larger than the opposition gathering. And the fact of the matter is that vast majorities are in favor of not only health care reform but also of having the choice of a public option as part of that reform. 86 percent are for ensuring that health insurance is available to all Americans regardless of medical history (Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates), and 77 percent support having the choice of a public option (SurveyUSA).

• By PATSY L HOEKSTRA on 08/30 10:52 AM

  Anyone,including the so-called journalist who wrote this article, knows that this article does not in any way accurately portray this event. It is really shameful to see a local journalist misrepresent the truth as if the journalist has the same responsibility as a wing-nut blogger. Randy Dye and Jaclyn Asztalos of NBC17 are both quite obviously misrepresenting the truth and therefore are liars. Please come to the next rally on September 3 at 5:00PM at Wake Medical Center, Durant Rd and Falls of the Neuse Rd. Show the Grand Obstructionist Party and the press that apparently represents their views on NBC17, that they are vastly outnumbered. Please bring your neighbors. Health care is a moral obligation. Yes, Randy and Jaclyn, you ARE your brother's keeper. Shame on you both.

• By Amazed on 08/30 01:40 AM

  The only thing worse than this distorted coverage of this huge event are the comments made by Randy Dye. Shame on all of you who call yourselves journalists. You are no different than the paid for politicians!

• By Randy Dye on 08/29 11:40 PM

  LMAO of the comment that govt health care would be be better care than Pvt insurance. And you did not answer my question, of 60 trillion dollers unsecured debt for govt programs, how are we going to pay for this. The Country is heading towards financial collapse. But sometimes life is just not fair, making health care worse for everybody else is ridiculous.

• By David on 08/29 11:34 PM

  Several hundred people came out in favor of reform -- far more than could possibly fit on "two ACLU buses." The opposition's numbers were about the capacity of one such bus, though. More importantly, the opponents of reform had nothing to say about how to fix the health care system -- all they could shout was "No to Obamacare" and "Hands off my health care." I've spoken to some of these people before (including one woman who was interviewed in this newsclip), and they believe in the death panels nonsense. As Rev. Barber said today, "There are no death panels in the current legislation; there are death panels in the current system." This was a confrontation of facts and morality against ignorance and fear -- and the former far outnumbered the latter. It's ironic that the opponents of "socialized medicine" are often beneficiaries of Medicare, without which the health and welfare of this country's senior citizens would have been far, far worse over the last forty years. Want to imagine rationed care? Imagine no Medicare. Yes, Medicare needs fixing -- but as the AARP and other groups note, the way to fix it is by bringing down health care costs associated with existing inefficiencies (including unnecessary subsidies to private insurers) and perverse incentives. We can do this. And we can provide health insurance to all Americans, including through a public option that keeps private insurers honest and frees people from the fear that accompanies loss of coverage due to economic shifts that are beyond their control. Randy Dye's comment that "these people just want free medical insurance" is not only ignorant, it's insulting to the hard working people who can't afford or are denied coverage today. This is an issue of civil rights and human rights. And it's an issue of good public policy and good economic sense. Without real health care/insurance reform, the US economy will sink even further, and more jobs and lives will be lost.

• By Good Grief on 08/29 11:25 PM

  Agreeing w. the second commenter. I was also there and there were only a handful of people protesting AGAINST healthcare reform. Why did this video make it look like there were more? Not to mention that it seems like the sound of their chanting was manipulated, as well. What gives, NBC-17? For the record, I drove myself there. Not that it's anyone's business! Why am I not surprised that you're handing out misinformation based on a broad generalization, though? Perhaps these people did not own cars? Perhaps they thought it was more environmentally friendly than everyone taking separate vehicals? The point is, you don't know, so stop speculating. The NAACP is funded by people who donate to them...that's how they paid for everything. How is it a "staged" rally? I was invited. I'm for reforming healthcare. I showed up. As for the woman with "Lou Gerricks"[sic], again, you don't know her whole situation, so you aren't really qualified to judge. I, too, work and pay taxes, but I think we are put on this earth to help each other out. What's wrong w. that? Someday you might be in a similar situation and I would gladly help you. You really think the gov't would do a worse job than the insurance companies have already done!? Most people who are bankrupt are bankrupt b/c of medical bills!! That's not right.

• By Randy Dye on 08/29 10:53 PM

  I agree with you, we conservatives all had to drive their. The ACLU supporters were all bussed in, we have video of the two buses, check out my blog and see the ACLU supporters that agreed to speak on video. I'm still LMAO. Check out video's here on my blog Randy's Right http://randysright.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/action-alertprotest-in-raleigh/

• By Felicia on 08/29 10:18 PM

  I was there today too, and I have to say that I'm quite disappointed in this 'story' on the event. There was obviously at least five times more people there in favor of reform than against, yet this report makes it seem like support was equal for both sides. I drove myself, and my son there, btw, from my residence in Raleigh and so did the vast majority of supporters who were there. When people stop pretending like the emotion on both sides is somehow simulated, we'll be able to get a whole lot more done.

• By Randy Dye on 08/29 08:23 PM

  I was there today. The Obama crowd was bussed in with two buses. We stayed and filmed and took photos of the buses. These were luxury buses where the buss staff even served sack lunches, who paid for these buses? And the conservatives that counter protested, all drove themselves to the rally. The NAACP had a high dollar PA system, a sound and film crew. Where did that money come from to pay for this staged rally. The woman Lou Garricks disease is sad, but what is she complaining about? We have disability insurance already in place and medicare. These folks just want free medical insurance, just like free food stamps. But who Pays, the folks that work and make a paycheck and get taxed to death already. My point is, we already have 60 trillion dollers of unsecured govt programs with Social Security, medicare and medicaid that is going broke and you expect the folks to trust the govt with your health care and the cost. No way, govt has shown they have a record fiscally irresponsible. From Randy's right http://randysright.wordpress.com/

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