Is Mitt so Wrong? - Videos

This debate is worth having.  Mitt was done a favor.

Quote of the Day - Cleveland.com Commenter on the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

With all the right wing conspiracy theories floating around the internet and airwaves, no wonder some people are tricked into believing there is some sort of secret fund that will solve all their financial problems.

A comment on the story about the hoax that some saps are falling for that they too can get some Obamacash to pay their bills.


Hmm, right wing conspiracy.

Some headlines:


Number of people claiming federal disability insurance payments is now HIGHER than New York City's entire population of 8.25 million

USDA uses Spanish soap operas to push food stamps among non-citizens, citizens [AUDIO]

’WELFARE QUEENS‘ WHO JUST WANT THEIR ’OBAMA BUCKS’

Graves Says Obama Is Gutting Welfare Reform

Yes, it sounds like a right wing conspiracy to me too.  After all, we are not creating a environment that people are living off the government more and more everyday.

Cry Me a River – Michigan Teacher Upset She Can’t Retire at 47 with Full Benefits

Yes, you read that correctly.  Terri List, a teacher in Michigan, is upset that with the new law in place she can't retire at the age of 47 with full health benefits.  She is so upset that is ready to advise her students not to become a teacher in the state of Michigan.  You see they have to start putting in 5% of their annual income (her current salary range is between $70-80K per year).  She is being asked to contribute approx. $3750 per year over her career so that she will get full health benefits for life.  Something that very few people receive anymore.  Only the chosen few.  

She can actually retire in two years at the age of 47 and get $60K per year in retirement pay.  She would also be free to get herself another job that gives health benefits if she doesn't want to pay for them herself.  Which at $60K she should be able to afford.  In order for her to qualify for free health benefits for life she will have to stay at her current job until the age of 60.  Her pay scale would be expected to reach $90K per year by that point.  Which of course will also increase her yearly retirement pay, it increases at 3% per year.  Which would give her an additional $39,000 per year.  

“By the time I’m 60, I would have put in 43 years of service, earning a salary at the top of the pay scale. How does that save the district money? You could hire two people for the cost of one and encourage young people to join the profession. Right now, I would not recommend to my pupils to become a teacher in Michigan.”

Boy, they start them young in Michigan.  She starting teaching at the age of 17?  I sincerely hope Ms. List isn't a math teacher.  

“Wow. They have reached the politicians’ level of entitlement, she thinks she is entitled to retire at 47? Holy smokes. I don’t know what more to say to that. A government employee thinking that 47 is a reasonable expectation to retire shows just how deep inside their own bubble they live, insulated from the real world.”

Leon Drolet, Chairman of Michigan Taxpayers Alliance.

And Speaking of a Sense of Entitlement - Drunk Driver Sues for Medical Expenses

Chelsea Hess, a 22-year-old from South Carolina, is suing the county and a local sports bar to cover her medical expenses after a car accident left her paralyzed.  Ms. Hess was 20 at the time of the accident.  After spending several hours in bar drinking and playing pool she got into her car to drive home without putting on her seat belt.  

Ms. Hess and her attorney have decided that this is the responsibility of the bar, the bartender, and the county.  Apparently, she bares no responsibility at all.  The court documents show that she feels that she should have been carded and refused service of the alcohol, the bartender should have also known that she may have been drinking before reaching the sports bar, and then of course, they should have also realized that she was unable to drive due to her drinking.  

'The bartender failed to attempt to ascertain whether or not plaintiff was already impaired by alcohol consumption when she purchased the alcoholic beverage and made sale to plaintiff even though she was unable to legally purchase the alcoholic beverage, and notwithstanding the possibility that she was already impaired by alcohol consumption,

She then follows all this up with county being responsible for the road saying it has not been properly maintained.  

'suddenly dropped off into a large unmaintained area on the shoulder of Alljoj Road, which caused plaintiff to lose control of her vehicle and causing her to roll the vehicle off the side of the road.'

So let me get this straight, a woman who is legally an adult bares no responsibility for going into the bar and ordering the drinks even though it was illegal.  It is all the bartender's fault, even when apparently they are admitting that she had been drinking before even reaching that bar.   Then she gets into her car knowing that she had been drinking and ends up driving on the shoulder of the roadway, then loses control of her car.  She crashes and because she wasn't wearing a seat belt she was ejected from the car and her injuries have left her paralyzed for life.  But that is the fault of the county.  It has nothing to do with her own reckless behavior.  It couldn't possibly be that her own bad choices caused this tragic accident.  

Yes, it is sad that she will spend the rest of her life in wheelchair.  That must be a difficult thing for a young person to face.  But, that doesn't change the fact that she made some very poor choices that evening.  The county didn't force her to drive her car, she did that all on her own.  The bartender didn't force her to drink any of those drinks, her own arm lifted the drink to her mouth.  While I agree that bars should be vigilant about making sure that who they are serving is of age, it isn't the sole responsibility of the bartender.  

It seems that young woman didn't learn a great deal from almost dying.  She made choices, very bad choices.  She has to learn to live with consequences of those choices and stop putting the blame on others.  Her life is not over.  She can do many great things with her life while in that wheelchair.  It is high time that she accept her fate, take responsibility for her actions, and get on with her life.  

Boy, do we need tort reform.