gdp's Comments

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Ken Schram: Taxes, fees needed to quell suffering | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 22:32:23 +0000

Which part of WE DONT HAVE MORE MONEY is unclear? The government HAS TO FIND A WAY TO LIVE WITHIN ITS MEANS! First step, NO GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IF YOU ARE NOT A LEGAL RESIDENT, no government paid translators, etc. NO art projects at the bus stops. No off-ramps/on-ramps for buses only. No out of country trips or new furntiture or raises for politicians. This isn't rocket science. THERE ARE RESPONSIBLE CUTS THAT COULD BE MADE. More taxes and fees will only equal more of us teetering on the line getting pushed over and onto government services.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Who gets paid if U.S. defaults? | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Nationa

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:14:20 +0000

Active duty military should be paid as part of the priority one group. Any non-US citizens should be removed from Medicaid and any other free government services. This would save a LOT. Politicians including the white house should NOT be in the priority one group. Why should they and people here illegally (and getting Medicaid) be part of the priority one group while the servicemen and women dying for this country go without pay? Rediculous!

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Debate over paid sick leave rages in Seattle | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO N

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:19:43 +0000

There are many families who could go back to one parent staying at home with the kids if the families were willing to live like they used to in those days you refer to--a small house, only one car, no cell phones, no cable tv, no electronic games, only eat out to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, pack a lunch to take to work for the working spouse, maybe one small family tv with rabbit ears or no tv, maybe drive to a nearby state park and camp out for your extravagant family vacation. . . . Truth is, American families for the most part have both parents working to afford optional luxeries, not food. (Obviously, some American families really do have both parents working just to afford food and the very basic necessities, so this isn't about them.)

KOMO - Seattle, WA : US appeals court upholds Obama health care law | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:44:39 +0000

Wondering if any of you folks who think National Healthcare in the US would be so great have actually ever lived in a country that has it?? My friends in England carry private insurance to take care of pressing medical needs on top of funding national healthcare--because a hip replacement on national healthcare there takes six months. The first question my aunt's doctor in New Zealand asked her when he suspected a serious condition was if she could "go private" (could pay out of pocket, in this case $5,000 for tests), otherwise it would be seven months to see a specialist. (She came here, where she still had insurance through some work she'd just done in the states and saw a series of specialists in two weeks and got everything taken care of.) Meanwhile, women in Canada with high risk pregnancies continue to head across the border into the US where they and their premie babies can get care--not enough premie facilities in Canada under national healthcare, meaning in Canada if your baby is born early and there isn't an incubator available the baby dies. National healthcare in the US will not mean everybody gets awesome care "for free." It will mean nobody gets halfway decent care except the rich who can always "go private." Meanwhile, many businesses have already said once national healthcare starts they will DROP the private insurance for their employees, so many who think it will be business as usual and that they won't be affected will soon get an unpleasant surprise. And guess what? If doctors can't make a profit because of low government compensation (which is already happening with medicare and medicaid, except that the rest of us pay more to make up for the shortfall), medicine isn't going to be a very attractive career and the number and quality of doctors available will plumet. Not to mention that with national healthcare, the government's interests and the patients are not the same--the patient wants to live, the government wants to cut costs, you do the math.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Spending cuts not expected to dent $1.5 trillion deficit | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking N

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:52:20 +0000

LOL, what a joke. Um its not the teachers that get the money, its the Union thugs. Then those crooks send a chunk of it back to the campaigns funds of Democrats (I believe it was 200 million in the last election) who then again give an even bigger chunk back to the unions and on and on. Money laundering at its best and theft of not just the initial money from the private sector, but the interest on those loans the Libs are piling up will destroy America. Which is of course the main objective for both the unions and the Socialist currently in power in D.C..

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Wash. Senate budget cuts teacher pay by 3 percent | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | K

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 06:13:09 +0000

Oh please, "the wealthy" pay a ton in taxes--a way higher percentage then most people. In fact, huge amounts of money are put into public education--you could send a kid to college for the money spent by taxpayers to send a kid to any grade K-12. Meanwhile, the education recieved is worse than ever. There are huge problems with public education (which is why home schooling continues to gain popularity), but the people paying the bills aren't the problem. I think a voucher system would help alot. Schools would then have to be competitive and would be motivated to retain the best teachers (not just those with most union senority) in order to attract students. Good schools would flourish and reward good teachers, sub-par schools would fail and be replaced. And maybe kids would actually graduate high school knowing how to read! ;)

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Report: UW\'s Locker to visit New England Patriots? | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News |

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:46:59 +0000

Man that would have to be a dream come true for Jake if that happened. Most top QB's prospects end up on bad teams because those are the teams with the top picks so landing on one of the best run teams in the league and getting a chance to work with a future Hall a Famer like Brady would be too much to hope for, for this guy. If that happens I wish him the best.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shutdown meeting at White House as time dwindles | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KO

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:05:53 +0000

Love how the first things to get "shut down" are soldier's pay and tax refunds. Never any mention of welfare checks to illegal aliens being slowed down, however. . . .

The Dayton Tribune : Twilight Eclipse proves once again vampires draw crowds

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 05:33:54 +0000

I agree, tons of action and if I may say so Edward is so HOT!

The Dayton Tribune : Golden Globe-nominated series will premiere on Si TV

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 02:18:26 +0000

I hadn't heard of it till just now and went to check it out on Hulu.com but all they had was some previews and not any episodes http://www.hulu.com/watch/3094/making-a-scene-pri...

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Watchdog: Obama foreclosure plan leaves many out | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and We

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 01:02:51 +0000

I am totally opposed to the idea of reducing the amount "troubled borrowers" owe on their homes unless the government is going to give the same amount of money off mortgages to all homeowners and reduce the amount responsible people owe on their homes too. (And really this would even be unfair to people who have already paid off their homes.) I am soooo tired of irresponsible behavior being the one that is rewarded!! There are two households within my extended family who have their houses "under water" (owe more than the house is worth) and would be considered "troubled borrowers"--in both cases, THE HOUSES ARE "UNDERWATER" BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL MORTGAGES/ BORROWING/ROLLING CREDIT CARD DEBT (for vacations, etc) ONTO THE HOUSE!! Reducing the amount they owe "on the house" would in reality be just writing off all the credit card debt/vacations/new cars and boat, etc that they irresponsibly piled onto their house mortgage. Why should I and other tax payers (and our children) be paying for irresponsible people's vacations and extravagances while we can't even afford to take a vacation because we're being responsible with our money, living within our means and trying to save a little in case of emergency (like the layoff that happened to our sole wage earner last year)??

Big Government : Committee Confirms: Comply With Pelosi-Care Or Go To Jail

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:19:55 +0000

That would be a good idea BetterPlan, but they foresaw this little back door ploy and have a section in it that says you can't get coverage for a pre-existing condition for at least 6 months if you try what you're suggesting. What this means is if you find you have a tumor that could kill you in 5 months.........................well you're dead. Rest assured the liberals trying to pound this down our throats are going to get your and my money come Hell or high water if they can make this into law.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Expert: Obesity epidemic will eat our kids alive | KOMO News - Breaking News, Spor

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:35:12 +0000

Anyone looked at the "Kid's Menu's" at restaurants lately? Fruits and vegetables are seldom an option. It's all carbs--pizza, macharroni and cheese, etc--and then often even comes with fries too! Some restaurants offer fruit or veg as a side option (hurray!), but usually I have to try to work a special deal to get cucumber slices or fruit instead of the fries. . . .

KOMO - Seattle, WA : \'I\'m going to die:\' Town to lose its only doctor | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:16:55 +0000

I used to handle physician billing and the patients are not paying the difference because IT IS ILLEGAL TO BILL PATIENTS THE BALANCE OF THE BILL AFTER MEDICARE OR MEDICAID PAYS. The clinic/doctor has to accept the government's small partial payment as payment in full and write off the balance. That is one reason the cost of health care is more expensive for the rest of us. The clinic/doctor/hospital recoups the medicare and medicaid losses by raising their overall prices, so when someone without government insurance goes in they are not only paying for themselves but also some toward the government created shortfall. This is the only way the clinic/doctor/hospital can stay solvent and treat people on Medicare and Medicaid. The system is failing in Ocean Shores because MOST of the patients are of the age that they are on Medicaid so there isn't anyone there to balance out the low Medicare payments. This IS relevant to the Health Care debate in that if all or most patients in the US had Medicare/Medicaid style government insurance the medical system as we know it would bankrupt and fail (unless other serious changes were made which the government can't afford), doctors would leave the profession due to lack of reimbursement (as happened in Ocean Shores) and clinics and hospitals would close or be strictly government run.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : ACORN: Foreclosures a big loss for neighbors, county, too | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Consum

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:29:02 +0000

". . . (ACORN) wants local governments to set up 'foreclosure-free zones' to force banks into mediation." So, let me get this straight. The folks that a year or two ago went out with eyes bigger than their pocketbooks and made a high-risk gamble, getting a 2 year Arm instead of a 30 year fixed mortgage (which means they never could really afford the house to start with and never should have been in it at all), enter into an ill-advised shell game of "maybe I can swing this house." ARM ends, real payments come due, real payments can't be met, but. . . the bank, who owns the mortgage (and thus, yes, the house) should be unable to foreclose, unable to take possession of their property, and should instead be forced to provide the mortgage gamblers who never could afford the house a deal below what all the responsible homebuyers that went out and got a 30 year fixed have? Sooo... everyone who wants a house they can't afford, just go pick one out and since you're obviously entitled to it lets force the rightful owner to give it to you? Yeah, sounds like ACORN alright. Does this work in apartment buildings, and other rental properties, too? Can I go rent the penthouse suite (or your house) somewhere and then, oops can't afford it and then the apartment complex (or you) is not allowed to evict me and has to let me stay for half price? How about with cars? Go pick out a Lexus, default on the payments, and be allowed to keep the car and get forced renegotiation of my payments down to what a pinto would have cost? But hey, we love messing with "the Man," so lets put the shoe on the other foot. You get hired for a job, then your employer says "Sorry, I can actually only afford to pay you half the wage/salary I promised." You, however are by law not allowed to leave the job to seek fair employment, but forced into "mediation" to comply with whatever wage your employer feels HE can afford or would like to pay. . . . Are we all still cheering?? Should banks do their best to work with people on a case by case basis to avoid foreclosure? Yes, of course! Are some people in over their heads and can't really afford the house (and never really could) and probably are going to lose the house anyway? Unfortunately, Yes! Is it the government's (and our) job to reward them? Do we need to thus set up government controlled areas where owners of assets (the banks, or maybe even us) are not allowed to get full price for their (our) property but will be forced into "mediation" to give their (our) assets away at a lower price? Why not just expand these areas to be the entire country? Oh wait. . . that's starting to sound a bit like . . . dare we say? . . . socialism. Slippery slope, folks.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Sparks fly at Everett\'s health reform town hall | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | News

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:22:28 +0000

And Medicare, government run health care, is bankrupt. Isn't that interesting?

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Health reform stirs passions in Skagit Co. | %a%9%9%9%9KOMO News%a%9%9%9%9%9%9%9- Seattle, Washingto

Sun, 9 Aug 2009 23:51:24 +0000

Yes, I remember reading this story on this Komonews website regarding Canadian women with high risk pregnancies and in need of neonatal intensive care facilities being brought across the border due to inadequate care facilities in Canada . . . .

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Health reform stirs passions in Skagit Co. | %a%9%9%9%9KOMO News%a%9%9%9%9%9%9%9- Seattle, Washingto

Sun, 9 Aug 2009 23:48:10 +0000

Interestingly, my friends in Great Britain still carry private health insurance so they can be sure of getting timely treatment, which in some cases has worked fine under the government program and other times does not. It would have taken six month to get a hip replacement done if it hadn't been for the private insurance, for example.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Health reform stirs passions in Skagit Co. | %a%9%9%9%9KOMO News%a%9%9%9%9%9%9%9- Seattle, Washingto

Sun, 9 Aug 2009 23:42:04 +0000

Isn't Social Security/Medicare on the verge of bankruptsy?? Why should we think putting more people in the government's hands will end any different?

KOMO - Seattle, WA : When the county\'s valuation doesn\'t match the price you paid | KOMO News- Seattle, Washington| Con

Sat, 8 Aug 2009 19:23:19 +0000

The interesting thing to me is that at least some Real Estate Agents are slow to catch on that the county valuation and selling price should resemble each other. I know two agents, one trying to sell his own home and another trying to sell a clients home--and both agents feel completely justified and defiantly firm with the selling price of the houses listed at $90,000 above the county's appraisal (not surprisingly, neither house is selling). As a non-agent but someone who has bought a home, I have to wonder, why would anyone pay $90,000 more than the county valuation in this market??