1. Cheryl Cote | 11.08.09

Congressmen Cao,
I am saddened by our choice to vote for such a sham as this healthcare reform bill. I am a nurse in Colorado who has supported your election financially and will withdraw my monies because you have abandoned your priniciples by standing at the side of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Both of them are NOT trustworthy and have been deceitful in their actions and words. I only hope that you see that you have contributed to my great, great grandchildren having to pay for this monsterous costing bill adding to our deficit!!
Sweet words spoken by deceptive lips will wound those who trusted. Perhaps you could do yourself a favor and search the records for ANY truth to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. They are NOT interested in helping poor minorities they are about POWER and MONEY!!!
If they and you had listened to the American people you would have heard LOUD and CLEAR that they are not interested in changing our healthcare in this country. They are happy with it. They want to see better cost containment and less “red tape.” That will NOT happen now that the Obama Administration has got their hands into the medical field. Government ONLY brings more dependency, regulation, and “red tape.”
President Obama can make you all kinds of promises and then NEVER take your phone call at the White House ever again. He has done it with several Congressmen. He is NOT interested in what is best for America. He has no respect for the Constitution or Bill of Rights. He is about socialism and taking this country to the cliffs. Where will those who are in need of refuge going to go when America is no longer a FREE country???
God help us, Cheryl Cote

2. Sonny | 11.08.09

Please remember this Democrat in Republican clothing at election time. He may have his District sewed up but Republicans don’t have to associate with him. It sounds like he and Obama made a deal for his constituents in Louisiana. Just another socialist.

3. Richard | 11.09.09

Funny, when you talk about refuge I notice that Canada, the U.K., France, Germany and other so-called “socialist” countries have no shortage of people seeking refuge within their borders. I also notice that none of the citizens of these “socialist” countries as we are led to believe they are are breaking down the doors to move to the U.S. We need some serious calm reason in this debate. I’m not happy with many elements of this bill but I’m more unhappy with the debate over the bill and the lack of truth on BOTH sides (see, I’ve got caps lock, too). When our nation faced a real and true threat from socialism run rampant, a president now reviled by many today said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” And he was right then and his words ring as true today as ever. America is not a nation that can be its best and brightest when fear reigns. Ronald Reagan knew it when he talked about the shining city on a hill and not a dug-in cave fortress in the side of the hill. At all of the worst turns in our history, we have been gripped by the fear that left us to our baser selves. America is not about an appeal to the “base” in the worst sense of that word. America is about a sense that we can be better than we ever thought we could by reaching out–not pulling back.

And I agree most wholeheartedly with “God help us.”

Richard

4. Jack | 11.09.09

Does any one know what the difference between Socialism and Communism is? I don’t think I am getting the truthful answer from paranoid people.

5. Mike | 11.09.09

You just gotta love the posts of outraged republicans who can’t think for themselves and happily parrot talking points no matter how silly:
* Cheryl, who claims to be funding other folks’ representatives (yet is unknown to the FEC- there are no records of donations to Cao’s campaign by any Cote), who forgets that government long ago took interest in providing for public welfare.
* Sonny, who doesn’t seem to understand that representatives are there to, yes- represent (it means “act in the best interest of”, in case you didn’t get it), their constituents, and doesn’t get that that’s an anti-federalist act, not a socialist one. A socialist act would be ignoring your constituents’ needs, in favor of the needs of the rest of the union. If he’s being truthful about helping the poor and uninsured in his district, he did his job.

6. Mike | 11.09.09

Jack- that’s easy. Let’s use what republicans call “rational” reasoning:
Communism = bad.
Socialism = bad.
Therefore, Communism = Socialism. See- there is no difference.

What matters is that we shout down anything we don’t like, and call it something else we don’t like. There’s no time to be concerned with facts and history- our nation is in danger of being destroyed by Obama!

7. Richard | 11.10.09

Jack,

Communism and socialism both trace roots to the late 1800s. Communism is, of course, pulled from the writings of Karl Marx. Socialism was popular in some circles in the U.S. with Eugene Debs being a perennial presidential candidate–and sometimes prisoner. In the 1930s, both were considered chic in some circles with many intellectuals supporting the communist supported side in the Spanish Civil War while the Nazis in Germany supported the side that eventually won under Franco. Some reading is probably in order as you’ll see all of these have a more subtle nature to them as they evolve and are put into practice in various places. I’m not sure that Communist Soviet society was truly the one Marx envisioned. So, does that make it still communist? Hard to say. And I’m sure Eugene Debs and other early socialists would look at Nazi Germany and not consider that socialist. And you’ll find many shared similarities between them with lots of state control and communism having more outright state ownership and centralized control that is hands on. It’s actually a fascinating area to study and see how these ‘isms spread and changed and morphed. The one guarantee I can make for you is that most of the people calling anything in today’s world one or the other have no idea what they are talking about.

8. Jake | 11.10.09

Hey guys, how bout you turn off fox news, it is not bettering your mental capacity. hahaha The democrat in republicans clothing… this is a big fat joke. Maybe if you rich **** would be willing to give up a couple dollars the poor of this country who aren’t as fortunate to be able to afford health care would be able to. I’m not afraid of socialists or communists, both of those mindsets place an emphasis on caring about the people in the community. Capitalism has been stomping on its poor since the start of this country it’s about time the poor was able to afford health care so not only the rich can have the right to DECENT health in this country.

Go listen to some funk, then maybe you’ll understand,
peace

9. George | 11.10.09

Hello all. I am a Canadian, living in Texas who has also lived in China and Vietnam (and traveled the world a few times). Having lived in all three health care systems and seen several others at work, I can tell you that if I get cancer or some serious disease, I will be moving my happy a$$ back to Canada forthwith. I find the idea of going bankrupt to service a healthcare bill to be repulsive and repugnant (having coverage is no guarantee of keeping it, check up on “recision”). America has a corporate HC system. The prime purpose of corporations is to make money. Why on earth would you trust your health to a system that views your health as a secondary objective to making money? I love you guys (seriously, you Americans are some good people ;), but you can be pretty darned “coocoo for coco puffs” at times. It would be the equivalent of taking candy from a stranger….BTW Canada doesn’t have a socialist healthcare system, we’re single payer baby. Publicly administered, privately delivered!

10. Shane | 11.10.09

Jake, you do realize the rich people in this country are the only ones really paying taxes. Meaning they are the only ones paying for the roads, healthcare bill that is still pending, welfare, and all other things you may be part of. Also, it is not the poor that provide jobs. It is the wealthy people that take the risk starting businesses that employ Americans. Also, they pay a tax called “self employment tax” that poor people don’t pay. The wealthy business owners also collect all the sales tax to keep the states running. So keep complaining, and hope your boss don’t see your rants. Otherwise he may find a person that actually appreciates the job that the wealthy business owner provides. Maybe we need to look at what the wealthy does provide. If you want to talk about being fair and “give up a couple dollars”. Then you pay your portion of the debt you owe this year. I believe it is close to the figure of $35,000 for this year. This does not include what it will be by the end of next year. Do this then you can talk all you want about “give up a couple dollars”. After all your not “afraid of socialists or communists”. So imagine tomorrow if you had to pay your fair share. Instead your fine with me doing it for you. PATHETIC!!!

11. S. Walker | 11.14.09

I live in Southeast Louisiana near New Orleans and of course have heard much about the disappointment of Joseph Cao’s health care vote.
The morning after the vote, he appeared briefly on channel 8, a local tv station to explain why he voted how he did, and in that explaination he said he could not determine whose numbers were correct, the Dem. or the Rep. or if the bill would be a good thing or not -so he voted for it.
The surprised expression on John Snell’s face, the tv anchor who Cao was sitting next to at the desk, was priceless and after a long pause he asked the Congressman, you’re saying, you didn’t know if passing the bill was a good thing or not, so you voted for it?
Cao replied simply, “yes”.

As you may already be aware, our former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson was sentenced today. The news of the investigaton concerning him broke a few days before Katrina slammmed us. But while under investigation he ran for re-election and still, Cao barely beat him.
Our former Democratic gov. “fast” Eddie Edwards is already in prison and hopefully that crook will remain in the clink till his dying day.
The extensive and on going, ever growing list of other noteworthy elected disappointments include the colorful Eddie Price, recently the former mayor of Mandeville, who’s also on his way, -many thanks to the Fed’s.
His drunk driving habits and exploits as the mayor are a humorous read of someone despicable and in office, google him when you have some time.
And to gain us some additional national shame this week, -Cao, to be added to the other sad listings for the giant billboards we should post along side the highways that enter our state, just past the blue ones that read, “Welcome to Louisiana”.

But we do have the Saints and hopefully, will soon be 9-0!
(a positive thought to end on).
-S.

12. mark | 11.15.09

shane, heres the thing, the wealthy business owners pay more taxes, absolutely, but they still manage to live comfortably and are able to afford decent healthcare. there are millions of americans who pay much less in taxes, and barely get by. so is it fair that the wealthier portion of the population should have to pay higher taxes while the lower class dont? i think so.