Shaun Groves
What do you hope the next president will accomplish? What hope is making you care about this election? What issue or cause or concern or dream will actually get you to the polls?
Just curious. Really. I’m not setting you up for anything. I’m not going to be all telling you you’re wrong or dumb either. I swear. I’m pretty sure. Trust me.
Not really.
anne jackson says:
healthcare that makes sense instead of a system that violates my checking account several times a month.
Shaun Groves says:
What exactly do you want, Anne?
anne jackson says:
granted, i spent a whole 3 weeks in the UK, but i happened to get sick while i was there. the way in which i was treated through the NHS was amazing. i was seen (for free, they called me a “temporary citizen”) within an hour of my initial call to see where the closest office was. i got an Rx for an expensive antibiotic (it would have been $75 for me here)…6 pound 65. a lot of people don’t even pay for their Rxs over there. there is a max when people do pay. If I did pay for my medicine here instead of my doctor giving me samples, I’d be paying $120/month for my asthma medicine (because of my poor insurance plan). $120 TO BREATHE!!!!!
We have been (and still are) THOUSANDS of dollars in debt because I had my gallbladder removed last year. Even with insurance, the hospital writing off 70% of the bill through financial aid (hint: go to a non-profit hospital, they do exist!) I still owe ~$5000-7000 currently. I fought for 28 months with a hospital because they billed something out-of-network to my insurance which was actually in-network which for two years was on my credit report in collections because I refused to pay anything but my copay ($100 compared to $4500 – it’s off now)…Chris and I will be w/o health insurance for a month as we transition jobs…what if my appendix ruptures or he breaks a leg? We’ll be totally screwed.
My friend James who lives in the UK had emergency gallbladder surgery. It was major (mine was laproscopic) so he was in the hospital for days (i was out in 4 hours). His bill? 0. Mine? $12K.
Many people think the NHS is flawed but anyone I know who lives in the UK loves it and has had no issues with it as far as wait times, etc.
So…I’m all for universal healthcare. I’ll pay taxes for it. It should be fair for EVERYONE. People with great jobs who make great money usually have great benefits. People who don’t, don’t.
My dad had a 5x bypass. His bill (government insurance) was $200 (the total amount was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars). If I had an asthma attack right now and had to go to the ER, my bill would be $400.
Fair????
DrewbieTech says:
I want someone who will encourage the government to quit spending money on junk. That includes unnecessary wars and welfare systems that don’t work, as well as subsidies and tax breaks to corporations in exchange for “creating jobs”. In other words, with the way that things are now, I think paying taxes is poor stewardship, but I do it anyway, submitting to the government’s authority, and rendering to Uncle Same what is Caesar’s.
Noelle says:
To be honest, I’m almost to the point where I don’t put any hope in the candidates. I’m not saying I won’t vote (I will), but with the country as divided as it is politically (I stand more in the middle), I think I’ll be disappointed in a way with whoever “wins”.
Jenn says:
As a Canadian I’m not sure if I get to weigh in on all this or not – the Universal health care system has many advantages, it also has plenty of disadvantages, I see first hand working in it. But yes as a whole it does have significant advantages for those of lower incomes – free necessary medication such as mental health prescriptions etc.
I think the general consensus across the board is simplification when it comes to government – streamline, as noted above spending on wars and welfare programs that will never address the systemic and persistent causes of our struggles – homelessness, lack of education and obesity/health – lack of effective health promotion. As you’ve noted before Shaun you’re new healthier lifestyle is expensive vs. McDonald’s what is a mother on welfare going to choose – and where are there the highest percentage of fast food restaurants?
I would like to see politicians change their views on immigrants and in general stop ignoring the poor and minorities – the immigration thing is far past the point of “getting rid” of them as it seems the trend is on your side – accept and work from there is where you are now at – at the end of the day they’re doing the jobs you wouldn’t ever do, so don’t say they’re taking away jobs and the majority of the time they’re doing them in conditions you wouldn’t stand for… it’s hypocrisy – and imperialism within your own borders. Then again just a Canadian – what do I know?
Shaun Groves says:
So the tally at this point is:
Health Insurance/Health Care = 1
Welfare reform = 1
Tax reform = 1 (I’d put corporate subsidies here)
Immigration = 1
Anything else?
Jenn says:
Granted it’s early in the polling here but it’s interesting to note the things people care about vs. what the politicians run on – definition of marriage, abortion and all those “hot topics”
Cali Amy says:
Education. It’s a mess.
yes, immigration…both figuring out how to make a good system for those who are here as well as reformed policies and procedures, to make sure it’s fair for all.
Improving international relations.
I don’t know if I’ll vote yet, but I also know that if I do, it’s like a shot in the dark. You just sort of do the best you can, knowing you won’t get everything you want and the new person will probably create other problems.
angie says:
Well, as your resident conservitave’Becky’ here. . .
The war, what can be done to stabilize the Iraqi goverment.
Imigration-what can be done in a meaninful, non bigoted way, yet still save our country and BTW our healthcare.
anytime the gov. is in charge of something it becomes a mess! My children all have health issues so I do realize the problem but gov. is NOT the answer!
I tend to like Mike Huckabee. He’s a true conservative and yet pleasant at the same time. If I had to vote for Rudy I would hold my nose. I wouldn’t vote for Romeny, he gives me the creeps.
Thomson is interesting, but so far I like him on Law and Order better.
As far as gay marriage, I’m not for changing the constitution. Abortion should be illegal.
Those are just a few of my thoughts.
I voted for President Bush two times, but he has been disappointing.
But, I do think he has tried.
Hillary sends shivers down my spine.
Anyway, thats the view from here.
No mocking or name calling
Todd says:
Huckabee isn’t really THAT conservative.
I’d like to see the elimination of income tax and the adoption of a consumption tax.
I’d like to see the privatization of social security.
I’d like to see immigration reform that is both fair to those who want to enter our country and those who are already here.
I’d like to see a smaller government that exerts little to no pressure on the private sector, particularly when it comes to their constitutional rights.
So basically, I’m unrepresented by any candidate…
Grovesfan says:
I’m gonna have to change my name to “Becky” here for the most part too. It’s too early for me to begin thinking about elections right now. Too much campaign muckery to suffer through yet.
Here’s where I stand on some of the more major views however:
The war: end it; militarily speaking anyway. Stay in Iraq as a humanitarian aid asset only.
Abortion: Murder, plain and simple and the government calling it OK, doesn’t make it so.
The Marriage Amendment: While the definition of marriage is not spelled out in our current constitution, any union that is NOT between ONE man and ONE woman is currently not recognized under federal law. Again, the government (state or federal)saying it’s OK, doesn’t make it so. ANY government funding for abortions, insurance coverage, etc. for same sex couples should not be provided.
Health Insurance: My husband is active duty military and we have very good insurance. Once he retires, we will be at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to health care in the military system. I don’t even want to think about how much insurance will cost for a family of six with some pretty heavy duty medical problems that aren’t going away. Having said that, socialized medicine is NOT the answer in and of itself.
Anne Jackson’s comment about the health care in the UK is shortsighted. I’m not criticizing, just stating the facts. I lived in England for 8 years and worked in the NHS for about 2 1/2 years with the ambulance service. While in theory it works well, and even in fact sometimes, it’s not as rosy as it appears, especially to someone receiving treatment as a “temporary citizen.” Millions of Britons are turning to private health care coverage just to get timely access to health care. Private health insurance there is expensive too and they must still pay into the NHS system regardless.
A very dear elderly friend of mine there that lived in council housing (low income) nearly died waiting for gall bladder surgery. Her doctors told her it was medically necessary, urgently required, etc. but there was no bed space because she wasn’t acute enough. By the time she became acute, it was an emergency surgery with many complications. She was in the hospital for weeks and recovery took months instead of a couple of weeks.
The lowest tax bracket here in the US is 10% with the majority of those citizens having NO marginal tax liability at all at year’s end. Most in that bracket are receiving refundable credits of one sort or another as well. The highest bracket is 36%. The LOWEST in the UK is 28% and that starts at an income level of just L4250 (about $8500) per year. There’s no refunds of anything overpaid, no credits, etc. Lots of government programs yes. Tons of them. The US has the lowest taxation of any nation in the world.
Is health care affordable in the US? Not always. It’s not fair for everyone and has many serious flaws. Letting the government have more control over it would be even worse.
I’d love to see us do away with our income tax system all together. Take home 100% of whatever you earn. No papers to fill out, no credits, rebates, etc. How you say? A 10% NATIONAL SALES TAX would FULLY FUND our entire government, social security, medicare, military, and adequate health care for EVERYONE, etc. It is equatable for everyone. EVERYTHING is subject to 10% sales tax. You buy, you pay, you don’t buy, you don’t pay. As a minimum, 7.65% is being taken out of every dollar earned just to fund social security and medicare, and then there’s anywhere from 0% to 36% taken out for federal income taxes and additional yet for state taxes depending on where you live, you’d be far ahead in the take home department this way. As a current professional in the tax world, this would certainly put me out of a job, but I wouldn’t need one with all the money I’d be saving elsewhere.
The current candidates: I’m not to thrilled with any of them so far.
Thompson is OK, but I’m still out on him. Romney, no way. Giving me the creeps only begins to tell. Clinton, we’ve already endured 8 years with her in the white house. No need to repeat that again. A female president is a whole other debate. Obama, too young, too inexperienced, too arrogant. Gulianni, can’t make up his mind about much.
Maybe it’s not exactly good or whatever, but I’m continually moving toward the thought that my only true citizenship is in heaven and while I will certainly render unto Caesars’ what is his, I’m not going to fret too much over the state of affairs in a temporary citizenship. I’m not crawling under a rock or anything, just not losing sleep over it.
Beth
Cali Amy says:
Beth! I like your tax ideas! of course, when it comes to economy, I know nothing, but it sounds good to me.
DrewbieTech says:
Beth: Sounds like someone has been reading up on the Fair Tax. It’s an interesting idea, and it just might work… but it will never get passed through congress… too much bipartisanship.
My two cents re: Marriage Amendment:
I don’t care if gay people want to have unions of some sort. The fact of the matter is God defines marriage, not the govt. If congress says its ok, that doesn’t make it an actual marriage. The govt is not the Church, and therefore is under no obligation to uphold her values as its own. Bottom line, marriage has traditionally been a states rights issue, and thus any true conservative (political, not theological) has to recognize that a federal amendment regarding marriage is unconstitutional
Ok, so I’m a little off topic, but the point is that I don’t care what the candidates think about Gay marriage. I’m more concerned with the government handling our money well (which isn’t ours anyway), as I said before.
john in colorado says:
Justice.
reasonable help for poor people that do not have opportunity. protection for those that cannot protect themselves.
improved education system.
intelligence.
Integrity
quality leadership
visionary leadership – calling our country to something better and greater.
a person that unifies the nation because of the good that he does and the vision he castes. the things we have in common are much greater than our differences.
thecachinnator says:
It has wisely been said that the best way to evaluate a leader is how well the poor prosper under his/her leadership. So I hope the next president prospers and cares for the poor in our country.
I’ll vote if there’s a candidate that I believe can and will do that. But while I think they have great capacity to do either good or bad, I don’t believe that politicians have the answers to the real problems of this world. So whoever wins, I’ll keep living my life.
Michiel says:
Well, I’m definately not an American citizen, but if I had to say something, I think I would vote for a president who would take his responsibility towards ‘the third world’, would take his responsibility toward environmental issues, would drop military expenses…
Just to name a few…
Michiel
Kim B. says:
I first want to say I agree a lot with what Beth had to say. Well said !!
I just want to throw in my own controversial way of thinking….
We have given over enough control over our lives to the government. We are a country that was intended to be set apart from that. Our government was to be a government “by the people for the people.”
The day we vote to turn our health care system into a national health care organization is the day that we became even more of a controlled socialist nation. I understand the health care is expensive….but, it wasn’t always that way. It has been made that way because of the greed of the insurance companies. When I was growing up my parents would take me to the Doctors…..no insurance…and pay a small office charge. The Doctor did not have to go through some insane insurance mumbo jumbo…..He treated me…he got paid….end of story!! Also…..the problem in America….and the world today is we think we deserve things….that life should be fair!!!! Show me where it says that in the Bible….because it just isn’t true. We are called to love and to reach the lost for Christs sake and to help the poor and needy…..not look to a worldly system to meet our every need.
It may sound a bit harsh…but, we need to wake up….we are a spoiled nation…we take it and our Lord for granted.
Who will I vote for…never a women, never a person who goes against my Lord and never a person who lies. So…in fact I have no idea… who is left???
God help us.
anne jackson says:
life on earth isn’t fair, but we should fight for those who get the raw end of the deal – both abroad, but in our own back yard.
angie says:
Yes, WE should fight for them, not our goverment.
There was a time when churches and neighbors took care of each other. That is no longer the case because we expect the goverment to do everything for us.
And, as for the insurance companies, they are the MOST REGULATATED industry we have and we see what that has gotten us. Most of us have a HMO or PPO Senator Ted Kennedy began our moderan version of those and as we all know there is a problem. That being said, I’d take that over waiting months to recieve treatment in Canada or England!
Shaun Groves says:
The tally now is:
Health Insurance/Health Care
Welfare reform
Tax reform
Immigration
Gay marriage
Education
Abortion
Poverty
War
These are the reasons commentors so far are voting or at least thinking about voting. Any more to add?
anne jackson says:
people have to wait in america. i was having issues with my asthma meds not working over the summer and had to wait 6 weeks to get in to have a lung function test done. before we move i wanted to get a good work up done since i haven’t had one in…ever…and was scheduled 2.5 months out. it’s not a perfect system anywhere.
i just like to breathe.
as do the other zillion people who have asthma.
George says:
For the most part I really have low expectations on our government. I don’t know if the time it would take to find the actual history of any canidate’s voting and actions (as oppossed to their mostly false and overstated promises) will pay off in any reward of actual improvenment if I vote them in.
In the fantasy world what I wish would happen is this:
The privatization of vertually everything.
Taxes only being used for things that everyone universally and immediately benifits from and which we cannot live without. Defense, highway maintainance, fire, police, ect. We all in some way use these things and should pay for them.
No subsidies for anyone ever. Private generousity can handle those suffering as the givers see fit. The arts can be supported by people who love art. Businesses can learn how to be successful on their own. Taking money by force from one person and giving it to another against their will is stealing no matter who does it.
A justice system that forces criminals to do something to make restitution to the actual victums of their crimes rather than sitting in a cell and paying some imaginary debt to society.
Getting out of the social fabric of the country as much as possible. Marraige has nothing to do with government it is a covenant between two people that does not need to be endorsed by anyone to be marraige.. I don’t deserve a tax break or anything else for being married and I will never say that two men are married no matter what the laws are.
Well there’s a few things that I don’t really expect to come to pass, but I am willing to vote for people that will move that direction and prove that they have in the past.
Shaun Groves says:
Ah, finally a libertarian pipes up. Thanks, George, for bringing a little more diversity. Now, we need a democrat. Anne, you’re close enough, at least on the health care issue. There. We have all parties represented, kinda. Doh, green! Any Nader fans out there? What do you want from the next president?
Redneck Neighbor says:
I’m all for total world domination.
Shawn Bashor says:
I don’t vote…therefore I don’t complain about individuals.
Brian Mueller says:
To answer Shaun’s question:
I want someone to appoint some Supreme Court jsutices who don’t think the laws of Britain, France, and Iran have anything to do with our constitution, and who doesn’t think abortion does either.
I want to replace the income tax with a national sales tax, and disband the IRS.
I want someone who can communicate effectively and lead the nation in a better direction.
I want someone who doesn’t want to demonize anyone but is unafraid of enforcing our laws on immigration.
I want someone who will reform our prisons.
I want someone who supports the arts, as this is my profession, and I think all kids benefit from an arts education.
I want someone who can effectively make the case for the war on terror, and prosecute it successfully.
I guess I just want to vote for Mike Huckabee, because I think he’ll do all of that stuff, or as much as congress will let him.
Trevor says:
Honestly I’m not looking for certain agendas to be meet.
We are always going to have wars and rumors of wars and the poor and the sick and spiritually depraved.
We’ve had good Presidents and bad Presidents and it all returns.
Rather I want a President who is authentic. Who is able to genuinely connect with American citizens and foreign diplomats. I want a President who calls people to the highest standard of living and holds those who supress others from living the same way accountable. I want a President who can manage through the political b.s. and accomplish something…anything.
Now I have certain philosophical ideas and ideals so I don’t want to come across as someone saying, “I don’t care about politics”, because I honestly do. I’m just tired by our political system which stands stagment and fails to move forward in any direction.
Who represents that? I don’t know.
Joel says:
I’m not soliciting, but most of the things people are listing match the talking points of Ron Paul. I like this guy a lot, and think he would do well as president. Google or Youtube! I don’t have to sell the guy. He sells himself when he speaks. Seriously, I think Christians can rally around Ron.
P.S. – my first post!
Jim Coates says:
Hey Shaun,
You know what I want from a candidate? Someone who will who will openly and honestly confront us believers.
Someone who will say “I know I’m the leader of the free-world and all, but I’m still just one person. You can’t expect me to right the world while you sit back and watch”.
I am not talking about protesting and such… far from it, but rather I’m commenting about Christians (myself included) who have expected the president to “fix” things while we sit by and do nothing.
Its much the same as the parents who believe it is the schools responsibility to shape their kids up.
Like your post on “churching” on your Cul de Sac with your neighbors, I think as believers there are FAR more reasonable things we can do to impact the health, social, financial, moral etc markets of our nation without just expecting one person to do it for us by force or by famine.
Imagine what it would be like if we actually cooked dinner for a homeless person instead of just complaining that the government hasn’t?
Just some thoughts.