en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2946972 Comments by rzc17 http://biggovernment.com/dladams/2011/08/11/profit-and-loss-of-character/#IDComment182272933 I just can't help wondering where all this name calling gets you? I get it, you disagree mightily with the poltiics of liberals. There is much to argue about there. But doesn't the hating just end up turning back on you? Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:45:45 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/dladams/2011/08/11/profit-and-loss-of-character/#IDComment182272933 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181644396 Clearly I am at a loss to deal effectively with your obsession to define everything I say as some sort of affection for Communism. As far as our "well-documented values," I assume you're referring to the Declaration and the Constitution? Again, we are back to the problem where different people look at these words and have different interpretations of their meaning, and particularly their meaning for our time. This seems to be the crux of the problem with our govt right now. Some parts of those documents used wording that was deliberately vague and open to interpretation. Other parts, less so. There also has been fluidity in our understanding of these documents based on naturally evolving consciousness as time has moved away from the 18th century. It might be worth the exercise to bring together groups of widely different Americans (different in political leanings, religion, social class, heritage) and have them all talk about what they think are American values. My guess is that there would be a few items of basic agreement and after that a lot of surprising differences in thinking. Tue, 9 Aug 2011 19:20:47 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181644396 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181522188 I know the simplicity of that solution really appeals to you. Homogenous societies may be easier to govern, Roger, but that is not the world we live in, and I question whether we should or even can go back to that. My father took full responsibility for his choices. A better option might be learning to live with each other's cultural differences. There will always be assimilation. But we can actually DECIDE to become comfortable with people who look different, worship differently, etc., have a different point of view without regarding them or their ways as enemies to the so-called American way. Tue, 9 Aug 2011 13:09:23 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181522188 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181518825 I'm sorry my post conflicts so mightily with your perception of reality that you have to call me a liar. Tue, 9 Aug 2011 12:55:34 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181518825 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181343645 You misunderstand. My father was proud of his military service, he never felt himself a victim of it, nor do I perceive it that way. I am telling you that as proud as he was to be an American, being torn from his own culture was very detrimental to him and contributed to the stress that killed him. Yeah, he had all sorts of freedoms here that he would not have had in the old country, but the stress of assimilation was very damaging. He probably wouldn't have chosen to do anything other than what he did. It still saddens me and I would have wished for better for him. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 21:15:13 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181343645 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181310546 Honey, it is your interpretation of a fact that you believe is truth. You may think what you are talking about is logically true. Your argument may follow logic. It is not true because of that. It is only YOUR truth -- a truth you may share with others who also interpret facts the way you do. A fact can have more than one interpretation. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 19:29:07 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181310546 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181287288 But there is nothing to say that a people cannot AGREE to limit choice for an agreed upon common good. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:22:28 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181287288 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181285677 Way too reductive to be a fair comparison. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:17:43 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181285677 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181284639 Being the daughter of immigrants I can tell you it is never that simple. Most people leave because they feel they have to. My father desperately wanted to assimilate. He worked hard, faced terrible prejudice, achieved great success and died very young from the stress of that, and also because he had to in many senses betray what he came from. There was no question that he was willing to pull his weight as an American. He served in the Army at the end of WWII. But part of what killed him spiritually was the rejection and downgrading of the culture to which he was born. This is a terrible thing. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:14:42 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181284639 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181283114 I find it difficult to separate these issues. But for the sake of argument I would say that the early rural communities in most states operated similarly, when it was accurately perceived that everyone's survival depended on cooperation and integrity. A lot of water under the bridge since then. And also a hell of a lot more people per sq. ft. I concede that a society like that is possible, even desirable, however. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:10:29 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181283114 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181280391 I must be too dense to see it, Roger. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:02:22 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181280391 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181279917 Well, I'm not sure what you're reading into what I'm saying here. In some ways it must be too vague a statement to be all that profound. I can perceive the possibility of humane govt (just as there are humane businesses) in which I would agree to accept some decision making in certain areas (such as health care, resource management, environmental protection, etc). Under the US Constitution, this seems both possible and good for all. As long as I'm being all idealistic here, I might add that it would give me a lot more confidence if the Citizen's United decision were overturned and the money taken out of elections. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:01:03 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181279917 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181277316 what are the "wrong reasons"? Mon, 8 Aug 2011 17:53:04 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181277316 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181254969 What you call Obamacare is not beloved. It was a compromise. Dems accepted it as the best they were going to get and (it remains to be seen) an improvement over what existed for those who could not afford health care insurance. The days when any health care coverage -- either insurance or gvt pd -- are over. "Everything" will never be covered again, except for those rich enough to pay out of their pockets. Fair, do you think? Those rich people worked to get their money, they deserve it? Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:48:16 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181254969 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181246294 Ah, yes, it all boils down to the contract. But what if what you need, or what your doctor would prescribe, is outside of the contract? Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:24:13 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181246294 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181245097 Neither one nor the other? Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:21:38 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181245097 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181244210 It's a fine point, but a fair one. My view on the govt's ability to decide what each person needs is very qualified. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:19:39 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181244210 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181243107 Fair enough. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:17:09 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181243107 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181242462 True. Shared culture is a definite factor. And here we are in the US with a vast array of cultural differences. What are we going to do? Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:15:35 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181242462 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181241615 I'm sorry I didn't also add Medicare. They do deny a lot of procedures -- possibly they are among the worst right now. I do know this. It is a funding issue (I can hear you screaming now). But I am telling you I know MANY families who have had significant procedures or medicines withheld from insurance coverage. Sure, they have the right to pay for these things themselves. Sure, they have the right to appeal. I have seen appeals won and lost. Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:12:50 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/rabonelli/2011/08/06/a-lack-of-leadership-the-root-of-the-sp-downgrade/#IDComment181241615