US News
McCain woos conservatives as Romney drops out (2nd Roundup)
Feb 8, 2008, 0:36 GMT
Washington - Republican candidate Mitt Romney halted his White House bid Thursday, clearing the way for front-runner John McCain's quest to lock up the centre-right party's presidential nomination.
McCain, a US senator who strongly backed the US troop buildup in Iraq, replied with a plea to the Republican right to set aside doubts about his conservative credentials and unite behind his campaign.
Romney's withdrawal will reduce Republican infighting in the run- up to the November 4 election to replace President George W Bush. By contrast, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a tight race for the centre-left Democratic nomination.
Romney, a millionaire businessman who partly paid for his own campaign, has been McCain's main competitor, drawing socially conservative voters who are suspicious of the Arizona senator's independent streak and his centrist public image.
'I feel I now have to stand aside - for our party and for our country,' Romney, 60, told a national meeting of conservative activists in Washington, drawing howls of disappointment.
Third-place former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a Baptist pastor attractive to the religious right, refused to bow out of the Republican race.
'This is a two-man race for the nomination, and I am committed to marching on,' he said on his website.
McCain touted himself Thursday as a proud conservative who has taken stands against abortion, gun control and government subsidies. Now 71, if elected he would be the oldest newly elected US president.
But McCain drew jeers when he recalled his support last year of a failed immigration reform that opponents viewed as amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States.
'Many of you have disagreed strongly with some positions I have taken in recent years. I understand that. I might not agree with it, but I respect it,' he said.
He staunchly defended the war in Iraq and alluded to his service as young Navy pilot during the war in Vietnam, where he was shot down, captured and tortured.
'There is no other candidate for this office who appreciates more than I do just how awful war is,' he said, insisting that US failure in Iraq was not an option.
Romney, who could have become the first Mormon president, withdrew just two days after falling far behind McCain in the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses for the Republican nomination.
McCain has won 689 delegates to the party's September nominating convention since state-by-state preference contests began in January, compared to 133 delegates for Romney, according to a New York Times count.
'Frankly, I'd make it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win' by staying in the race, Romney said.
He was the latest dropout in the Republican field, following former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and actor and former senator Fred Thompson to the sidelines.
Romney's supporters at the Washington conservative conference were disappointed.
'A vote for John McCain is a vote for the Democratic Party. He is the antithesis of the Reagan revolution, and the party would be set back 40 or 60 years,' said Daniel Lipian, 24, a student at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
McCain said he telephoned Romney Thursday to discuss the way ahead.
'We agreed to sit down together, and we agreed on the importance to unite our party,' he said.
The Bush administration avoided detailed comment on the Republican contest. 'We have felt that all of the Republican candidates are on the right side of issues,' White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
www.cio.com/article/19679/Bush_s_Proposal_for_Electronic_Medical_Records_Po ses_Privacy_Risks/1
Look again, Tonny.
noharness gives is an article about the privacy risks of a Bush sponsored central medical information data base. This would not save the average tax payer one dollar. If there were any savings, it is for the corporations, who would pocket it and not pass it along. This also does not address the millions of americans without any form of health care whatsoever. It is also another form of data mining motherload for domestic surveillance.
Look again yourself, no-awareness. Read the fricking stuff and understand it before linking to it. But that might be hard for you to do, seeing as how you are preoccupied with your OK grip.
Now here is another link demonstrating that 100.000 lives could be saved in the USA EVERY YEAR,disastrous social health care,the most expensive in the world bur poorly performing,is responsible for that .Contrary to the usual spin from neocons this is based on statistics,comparing the privatized health care in the USA with the situation in Europe .Michael Moore already gave enough examples how the mechanism of privatized health care is only existing to fill the ban accounts of the insurance tycoons.There is simply not one shred of evidence that republicans care about americans after they are born:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/07/AR200801070294 3.html
Quoting the Washington Post article:
'...it would have seen about 101,000 fewer deaths per year from conditions such as hypertension, appendicitis, tuberculosis, and colon and cervical cancers.'
Hypertension is almost never diagnosed until it makes a person sick enough that they go see a doctor. By then, it is often too late. This particular problem has much more to do with diet and exercise than it does our medical system.
Appendicitis? I don't know where this one comes from. Acute appendicitis is most often taken care of in an emergency room and emergency treatment is NEVER refused to anyone in the US unless a particular emergency room is already overloaded. This problem usually arises with very little warning and takes only hours to become acute.
Tuberculosis? We had this whipped until the borders were thrown open in the 80's.
Colon cancer? No one volunteers for a colonoscopy. By they time they do the cancers they might have are often well advanced.
Cervical cancer? Pretty much as the same as the above. Women HATE going to a gynecologist, even when their insurance covers all those examinations with little or no out of pocket expense. It is not a matter of access.
Having said all of this, I will agree with the Washington Post article on one point. It really is stupid of the Goopers not to encourage federal health agencies to enter negotiations with drug companies. The way the system is set up now, we Americans are subsidizing the citizens of other countries, Canada leaps to mind immediately, by paying more for the same drugs. That's some rather sneaky foreign aid and we need to put a stop to it.
noharness says: 'The way the system is set up now, we Americans are subsidizing the citizens of other countries, Canada leaps to mind immediately, by paying more for the same drugs.'
Wrong, again. You are not subsidizing the cost of drugs in Canada. Canada has it's own pharmacutical production. You americans pay more because your corporations are based on the capitalistic ethic of 'charge what the market will bear.' In simple words that you can understand, noharness, that means gouge and screw them until they scream and then raise the cost again. Get a grip on yourself man and get it straight for once.
'Tuberculosis? We had this whipped until the borders were thrown open in the 80's.'
That's it nohairness, blame the immigrants. Just throw around that republican attitude that it is everybody else's fault for everything.
I assume that you are from Canada. Don't sweat Noharness. He is just a sycophantic Bush butt busser. He can't even get the time of day straight. He can't even get his own story straight. Witness this: He claims to be a liberal, but on a website he says this; 'Oh, and you can't exactly count me as a typical 'liberal', my dear conservative commentators. I'm a member of the Republican National Committee.'
He also has some other issues: 'Some call me Lucifer, bringer of light.' Then there is a cite where he describes in lurid detail how to overcome his shortcomings by using a suspect method to enlarge your private parts. When you said this: 'Get a grip on yourself man and get it straight for once.' I laughed my head off. That's exactly what he's trying to do. That's why he has trouble getting it straight on his posts, he's preoccupied getting something else straight. He must have really hairy palms.
Anyone for federally operated health care, should first take a look at the CURRENT federally operated health care systems. let's start:
Veterens Administration - a hodgepodge of both over and underburdened goods and services, made impossibly complex due to government regulations. If you want a picture of what your fed health would be, under Mrs. Crinton or Obama, take a close gander at this mess, two asprin and, by all means, call us in the morning.
Federal Employee Health Service - Second to none, as long as you are a congressman or senator. From there, the socialized care degenerates as your GS rating goes down. Overfunded and underburdened, both of these systems should be replaced with an insurance system and dismantled, saving americans billions every year.
Anytime someone wants federalized anything, I always route them to the CURRENT federal program for a little comparison. You cannot imagine the moon walk I get afterwards. Health care and education are my favorites. Lets look!
Anyone for federally operated health care, should first take a look at the CURRENT federally operated health care systems. let's start:
Veterans Administration - a hodgepodge of both over and under burdened goods and services, made impossibly complex due to government regulations. If you want a picture of what your fed health would be, under Mrs. Crinton or Obama, take a close gander at this mess, two aspirin and, by all means, call us in the morning.
Federal Employee Health Service - Second to none, as long as you are a congressman or senator. From there, the socialized care degenerates as your GS rating goes down. Over funded and under burdened, both of these systems should be replaced with an insurance system and dismantled, saving americans billions every year.
Honestly, if you just look at these monstrosities, it would frighten you to death. Hillary has her minions suppressing documents from the national archives covering her conversations on health care during Crinton 1's reign, so they won't be open to inspection by reporters until after she's elected. Some of the one's already released have her admitting they have no clue on how to go forward with such a plan.
and SPFool still says nothing.
...perhaps, as a miserable pudknocker living in Mom's basement and jerking yourself to the Sears Catalog, you just have trouble understanding it.
RE:'Wrong, again. You are not subsidizing the cost of drugs in Canada. Canada has it's own pharmacutical production. You americans pay more because your corporations are based on the capitalistic ethic of 'charge what the market will bear.' In simple words that you can understand, noharness, that means gouge and screw them until they scream and then raise the cost again. Get a grip on yourself man and get it straight for once.'
Simple Check. Canadian source: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/170/6/945?etoc
Snippet:'Despite the fault-seeking missions of US regulators (see page 946), the safety and quality of Canadian drugs cannot be the core of this issue. Because the most efficient way to produce drugs is in large facilities that serve multiple markets, many brand-name prescription drugs sold in Canada and the US are manufactured in the same plants. In 2002, drug 'manufacturers' in Canada imported approximately $3.9 billion worth of materials from the US. These included finished products that are simply packaged in Canada for sale through Canadian pharmacies. Thus, those in the US who order Canadian drugs are mainly reimporting American-made drugs with Canadian packaging.'
Upshot, we Americans are subsidizing Canadians medical needs by paying higher prices for the exact same drugs made in the exact same AMERICAN plants. The drugs are manufactured here in the US, not Canada.
'Sears catalog'. My god SP4 I know you have 'two degrees' and 'make over $100 grand a year' and then you tell everyone you are getting a tax rebate check, but are you really that old??? You must be around 70 years old, no wonder you are a miserable old neo-con sock puppet. Your lies do not help you with your points of view.
page: 1
tonny from belgiumFeb 8th, 2008 - 00:58:39
As usual rethoric replaces the realy important issues such as health care,a topic that leaves the population of the USA lagging behind in terms of protection against disease .More than 100.000 americans die every year only due poor health care standards.This seems to be a non issue in the republican campaign,only commited to protect what it calls the unborn life .Once you're born these guys loose interest in you.
In terms of international politics these guys fail to address the problems the USA is facing .WSpending almost half of the world's budget on weapons no durable solutions are thus achieved.The quagmire of Iraq and Afghanistan is only the beginning.The army is pinned down in wars that can not be won.Vietnam should have thaught that but nothing is learned from history ,the same errors will inevitably lead to the same mistakes.I hope the american electorate will find that diplomatic means should prevail and that the domestic problems such as poor education,health carre,gun control and fighting poverty in their own byard create more simpathy than torture and agression.Get rid of the warmongers once and for all.
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