Biden Blew Ahead While Palin Lacked in Performance
Posted by michellemoquin on October 3rd, 2008
I watched the VP debate last night and as much as I was anticipating (and I admit it, ‘hoping’) Palin to be a flop, she wasn’t as bad as I expected, but you can’t say she was all that good either. More than anything, I just didn’t buy what she was saying. With the winking and her cliché driven caption like comments, it was hard to take her seriously. Did she really say anything worthy of repeating? No. I kept putting my fingers up mimicking her ‘blah blah blah’. I never quite felt like she was answering the questions, even the ones she wasn’t dodging. I guess that cram session in AZ didn’t help much….it certainly didn’t win her a spot in the west wing.
And to me her chipper attitude was only a mask for the truth that lies beneath….just not sure what truth that is. And, I’m not sure that I want to see it. She seems like the kind of person that you would not want to get on her bad side…the kind of person that could get wicked on you pretty quickly. I know this sounds really bad but she feels very unauthentic to me – her ‘down-home’ remarks, her funny facial expressions, her lack of compassion, even the way she was holding her baby in the end….it all felt very unnatural, very mimicked, and rehearsed. I’m usually charmed by down-to-earth quirkiness, but in spite of her trying to ‘relate’, there was no connection there….no words that told me she really cared. She left me with an empty feeling. — I know that sounds cold but, what can I say. Just my opinion. Still…my gut instinct: ‘I don’t trust this woman.’ Not uncommon to hear in the world of politics. But politics aside, I wouldn’t trust her as a friend either.
Biden, on the other hand, was calm, cool, informative, and confident. He countered Palin point by point and articulated himself clearly and passionately. He demonstrated knowledge by answering the questions, ah…not avoiding them like his opponent. To me he came off ‘real’. He seems to genuinely care. He took several good punches at McCain and still kept his cool while doing it. Biden is a pro. To me, he did a superb job and clearly won the debate.
Still…I have to admit, a few times I wished it was Hillary up there debating against Sarah ‘aw shucks’ Palin. :)
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michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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October 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
Hi Mischa, clearly Biden won, he answered the actual questions, meanwhile SP was winking (I was hoping it was a hair in her eye) and folksying all over the place making me wonder – is there someone out there who is charmed by this pretentious doggone down home behavior? I laughed out loud at your quip about her turning on you as a friend, oh baby, you know it, she’d be on your carotid in a NY second if you crossed her. The stunner: bc she didn’t F it up as horribly as the Katie Couric interview, she was touted as ‘coming across strong’ – I almost jumped out of my chair – what?? We all know she was doodling – ‘Joe and Sarah BFF’s’
Also, Mischa, you know I am no fan of Michael Moore’s but curiousity got the best of me, loved his rant, signed in and sent his letter, the letter on my site and well, in the end I think they’ll do 3 distributions (oh with ‘oversights’ of course) of 300+billions so we’ll be into the trillion range but it’ll sound palatable with all it’s ‘restrictions’ yeah, uh-huh…
Back to SP, I wondered if she was privy to Gwen’s questions, anonz would know and I’m sure he’ll give his two soon, would love to hear the insider view on this one, sweet pea, or are you still tweaked at me…? I hope not, but if you are – just say so.
Viv, still waiting – be fair – I deserve an answer, no?
Click on Zen Lill for a brill video of Robert Di Niro re: Obama, voter fraud and bailout letters to congress. Covered it all in todays entry…
Doug, I am all caught up on your blog for now, thanks for continuing to write, it’s good info for people to catch up on past/current, I just cannot comment there, ‘Zen Lill’ must be black listed?!
Ciao, have a great day, I will, it’s is 85F/29.5C in So Cal today – lovely…hi ho hi ho off to the gym and work I go : )
Luv, peace and Obama for President, Zen Lill
PS Space girls, I wish I could see what your seeing, but then – hmmm, I may not want to return, right? Thanks for the shuttle narrative, love it.
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
There was no action, answer, or feeling that I got from her that exemplified to me that she has any capacity to become President. Nor did she exemplify that she knew what the job of VP entailed. She did show that she would be a yes person to McCant. Just what he would want. The one thing that got me was the comment when Gwen Ifill asked what the position of the Vice President actually is, and they started responses with Palin. She explained that she would follow that of our founding fathers had in mind for the position, albeit vague, and would be present to make decisions and vote with the congress in a bipartisan manner. She went on to say that she thought that the position merited more power to the office and she would work to gain that, as well. Another Cheney…That’s all we need is more power mongering, paraphrasing of the Constitution and corruption.
Biden, then corrected her in that according to the Constitution the rules are spelled out quite clearly and to be followed accordingly. The ONLY vote that the VP is there to do is for a tie breaker in the Congress. Otherwise, they sit there, listen and leave. There is NO other power to the VP. I’ve ben a fan of Biden for some time now. He has shown great character in his position on the Judiciary Committee over the years. That was where I learned of him and his ideals. I thought Biden showed himself to be a perfect candidate for VP.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
I had to change my blog entry as there was a ghost in the machine for that article I wanted to state. So, I discuss a bit of the bailout, again, in hopes to show that this will not work. The numbers cannot add up!!! You can click on my name to go to my blog.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 am
Are You Being Overcharged for Medical Care?
Sid Kirchheimer
Three-quarters of hospital bills have overcharges, and the average overcharge is about $1,000, according to People’s Medical Society, a nonprofit medical consumer rights organization. Doctors, too, are handing inflated bills to patients. Good news: It’s simple to fight back.
If your health insurance completely covers hospital and doctor visits, these steps might not be necessary, though making the extra effort to eliminate overcharges can help bring down medical costs for everyone. Also, be aware that your insurance coverage might not be as comprehensive as you think — call your insurance carrier or review the exclusions section of your policy.
DOCTORS’ BILLS
To avoid paying more than you should…
Negotiate. If you have no health insurance, ask your doctor for a discount. Only 13% of patients ever make this request, but when they do, the majority secure a lower price, according to a survey of 2,118 adults conducted by Harris Interactive.
Ask the doctor in person. Requests made by phone or to an office assistant rarely work.
Keep in mind that insurance companies typically pay doctors one-half to two-thirds of the billed amount. If you will be paying out-of-pocket, you can offer to pay somewhere in that range when negotiating a price.
Get blood tests done at a lab. When your doctor does a blood test, he/she charges you for the office visit… plus an added fee for drawing your blood… plus the amount a lab charges to run the test.
Ask the doctor to waive his fees, or go directly to a lab to have the test done and pay only for the test (ask the doctor to supply any necessary paperwork).
Look in your local yellow pages under “Laboratories — Clinical, Medical, Diagnostic” or “Laboratories — Testing” for labs in your area.
Don’t pay for the follow-up visit. When you see a doctor about a health problem, you often have to see him again a few weeks later to confirm that the treatment was successful. Chances are, your doctor will look you over for a few seconds during this follow-up, pronounce you well — then bill you another $50 to $100 for the second appointment.
During your initial appointment, tell the doctor that you’re paying out-of-pocket and ask if he’ll waive or reduce the charge for the follow-up visit, assuming that it takes only a moment. Many doctors will agree to this, particularly for regular patients.
Confirm that tests are necessary. Doctors often order unnecessary medical tests out of fear that not conducting these tests might open the door for negligence lawsuits later. Unless your health insurance is picking up the entire bill, question whether recommended tests — including MRIs, CAT scans and X-rays — really are necessary. Ask what these tests will determine.
HOSPITAL OVERCHARGES
Here’s how to spot overbilling on hospital bills…
Ask for a daily itemized bill. When you check into the hospital, tell the staff member who takes down your insurance information that you want an itemized bill brought to your bed every day. Hospitals are required to provide this upon request.
When you receive these daily bills, review each listing (or ask a family member to do so for you). Were you billed for two doctor visits yesterday even though you saw a doctor only once? Were you billed for tests that you don’t recall getting? Are there vague entries, such as “miscellaneous costs” or “lab fees?” Are there listings you can’t understand? Tell the nurse you would like to speak with the hospital’s patient advocate, then ask the advocate to explain any charge that isn’t clear. You might be appalled by what you’re told.
Examples: Some hospitals have been known to call a box of tissues a $12 “mucus recovery system” and a bag of ice cubes a $30 “thermal therapy kit.”
Save the daily bills so you can reconcile them later with the final bill.
If the patient advocate won’t help remove the mistakes and reduce egregious overcharges from your bill, hire an independent medical billing advocate. He/she will examine your bill and fight to remove any overcharges, usually in exchange for a percentage — typically 35% — of the amount he saves you.
To find a medical billing advocate: Contact Medical Billing Advocates of America (540-387-5870)… American Medical Bill Review (530-221-4759)… or Edward R. Waxman & Associates (877-679-7224).
Bypass the hospital pharmacy. Hospitals dramatically overcharge for drugs. A patient might be billed $5 to $10 for a pill that retails for 10 cents elsewhere.
If you are taking medications on an ongoing basis and are not fully covered by insurance, bring your drugs with you to the hospital.
When you consult with your doctor prior to entering the hospital, find out which drugs you’re likely to be given during your stay. Ask the doctor to write you prescriptions so that you can buy these drugs at your local pharmacy in advance and avoid the hospital markup. Even if your doctor won’t do this, you can bring any nonprescription pills you’re told you’ll need, such as vitamins.
If you must get drugs through the hospital pharmacy and your insurance isn’t footing the bill, ask your doctor to specify generics whenever possible. When you get your itemized daily bill, double-check that you weren’t charged for brand-name drugs instead.
Watch for double billing. Hospitals often bill patients twice for certain things. If your bill lists sheets and pillows, ask the hospital’s patient advocate if these items are included in your daily room rate. If you’re billed for the scrubs, masks and gloves worn by surgical staff, find out if these were included in your bill for operating room time.
Also double-check the times on your operating room bill. Hospitals charge from $20 to $90 for every minute you’re in the operating room, so if the time you spent in surgery is padded even a little, it will add a lot to your bill. Your anesthesia records will say how long your operation really lasted.
Don’t pay for your last day. Hospital patients are charged the full day’s room rate for the day they check in — even if they arrive at 11:59 pm. In exchange, patients are not supposed to be charged for their last day, but hospitals often try to bill for the final day anyway. Sometimes these last-day room bills are simply removed when you complain, but there are hospitals that insist the last-day charge is legitimate for patients who aren’t discharged by a certain hour, often noon.
During your hospitalization, ask the hospital’s patient advocate whether you’ll be billed for your room on the final day of your stay. If the answer is, “Yes, if you’re not out by a certain hour,” ask your doctor on the next-to-last day of your stay to give you your final checkup and discharge the following morning, rather than waiting until the afternoon. If the doctor says this doesn’t fit his schedule, tell the patient advocate that you shouldn’t have to pay because the delay is the doctor’s fault.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:02 am
The scam goes on.
The personal, commercial, and investment institutions have cut each individual mortgage into several different “investment” opportunities that they could sell to whomever was looking for a real estate investment for their money. The result makes it very difficult for the government to buy up the mortgage paper and give the mortgager an option of a refinanced fixed mortgage.
The scam was to convert individual mortgages into discount notes. The discount note was divided into distinct parts in which an investor could invest in. The investor could buy the first half, middle, end, balloon, or any other combination of the discount note that represented the mortgager’s loan. The scam became brilliant when the scammers came up with new ways to break up that mortgager’s loan into even more investment options.
Yes, I was one of those inventors of those new “investment” options. The true beauty is that the government has to give money blindly to us in the hope of buying up the mortgager’s complete mortgage. Image trying to buy up all the pieces of paper that would be needed to own just one complete mortgage. The sum total of the value of some of those parts of an individual mortgage will add up to be more than the mortgage is worth. That is the classic definition of “bad paper.”
However angry you may be, you have to admire the genius of the concept. It’s a classic Ponzi scheme only the first in make real money. The government in this case has to come in to make sure that those who came in at the bottom get some of their money back.
Imagine the genius of making it so that the government must give the money to the originators of the Ponzi scheme and allow them to give the marks a little of their money back. The government is being forced to do this in order to stop the destruction of the credibility of the investment firms that the people have to have confidence in to keep the banking system as the scammers have designed it to continue.
And we just keep getting richer. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Who’s blame is it? It was the people who elected officials who told them they were going to remove most of the rules of the game. Those same elected representatives removed or stymied the authorities that were charged with enforcing the remaining rules of the game. Even today the republicans are still claiming that the markets must be allowed to correct itself. It’s a case of morons on the take being elected by the stupid trying to be part of the take.
Anonz
October 4th, 2008 at 3:32 am
This is my second attempt at posting this.
I’m with you Anonz. Why feel sorry for the greedy bastards that supported the republicans to make a profit at their fellow citizens expense. This is about those who cared about only their desire to get rich, to own a bigger piece of the pie.
They support the republican trickle down theory because they expected to be high up in that trickle down chain. They were willing to allow a bigger piece for the billionaire so that they could get some for themselves to hell with the little guy at the bottom.
The market will drop like a rock today until the billionaires begin to divide up the cheap bargains. It is the greedy fucking preppies that you can blame for this debacle. It was a classic sting. History and the movie industry will have block busters telling this true story. It won’t be told until long after the guilty have happily passed away.
Bob
October 4th, 2008 at 3:48 am
In America the “average” american means the average white person in america. The average white person in America is so dumb that a person who is so obviously uninformed about the issues as Palin is could be elected to be vice president of the USA.
Lexie
October 4th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Michelle
In America when the media quotes the “people” saying that Palin speaks to the people, the rest of the world interprets that as America’s hicks saying that she speaks to them in their language.
Shelly
October 4th, 2008 at 7:43 am
We see america is still trying to lynch black men. They have managed to get revenge on O.J.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Ace Planner Alexandra Armstrong on the Money Mistakes Seniors Are Making Now
Alexandra Armstrong, CFP
Armstrong, Fleming & Moore, Inc.
A young person who squanders his/her nest egg may have decades to recover. But seniors cannot afford to make big financial errors.
Common financial mistakes — and how to avoid them…
Mistake: Taking Social Security too soon. Many people begin collecting Social Security when they turn 62. But the earlier you start taking benefits, the smaller your monthly check. It is usually better to postpone taking Social Security until you reach the full retirement age. That age varies — for instance, it’s 65 years and 10 months for those born in 1942.
Example: If you were born in 1950 and currently earn $70,000 annually, according to the Social Security calculator (www.ssa.gov), you would receive monthly benefits of about $1,307 starting in 2012, when you turn 62. If you wait until age 66 (your full retirement age) in 2016, you will get $1,780 a month. You’ll get $2,407 at age 70 in 2020.
Besides receiving smaller payments at 62, you run the risk of having your checks further reduced if you decide later to go back to work. That’s because if you’re under full retirement age and earn more than a certain threshold amount ($12,960 in 2007), you lose $1 of benefits for every $2 of earnings over this limit. But if you are above your full retirement age, your payments will not be cut — no matter how much you earn at a job.
If you wait to collect until you are age 70, you will receive the maximum monthly check. But you are taking a larger gamble on your longevity — that is, you may not live to age 70.
Calculated risk: If you wait until age 70 to start receiving Social Security payments, therefore getting the highest payments, and then live past 78, you will have received more total income from Social Security than if you had begun receiving checks at age 65 and 10 months. Nonetheless, my advice is generally to take the checks as soon as you reach full retirement age. If you don’t need the money, you can invest it for a rainy day.
Mistake: Failing to take required minimum distributions from retirement accounts. When you turn 70½, you must begin taking payouts from your traditional IRAs. If you fail to take withdrawals on time, the IRS can impose a 50% penalty. This means that if you are late to withdraw $10,000, the government will charge you $5,000. The rule is so tough because Washington doesn’t want money to stay tax sheltered indefinitely.
The IRS Web site (www.irs.gov) spells out correct withdrawal amounts. There, you can find your life expectancy according to IRS tables.
Example: If you are 70 in May, the IRS figures you will live another 27.4 years. The government wants to spread your withdrawals evenly over your lifespan. Say you have $100,000 in your IRA. You must divide that figure by 27.4. The result is $3,649.63 — the amount you must withdraw the first year. Consult the table each year because this withdrawal figure changes as you age.
If you forget to take a withdrawal the first year, correct the mistake and send a written notice to the IRS. The IRS is often lenient with someone who is struggling with the tables for the first time. The tax collectors may let you off with a warning about not making the same error next year.
Best: To avoid problems, contact the custodian of your IRA to have the withdrawal amount paid directly to your bank well before the end of the year — then check to make sure it happens.
Mistake: Paying off mortgages too soon. As they approach retirement, some people feel that they must pay off their mortgages. For peace of mind, this may be important. But if you plan to sell off other assets to accomplish this, you may do better by keeping the mortgage debt.
Example: You have a $100,000 mortgage with an interest rate of 5.75%. Because you can deduct the mortgage interest (even if you pay the alternative minimum tax), the after-tax cost of the mortgage if you are in the 25% tax bracket is about 4.3%. You could pay off the mortgage by selling $100,000 worth of investments to raise the cash.
Better: Instead of selling your assets to pay off the mortgage, keep the money invested in a portfolio that is expected to earn more than 5.75%. That way, you can use the earnings to cover the mortgage and still have some investment income left.
Mistake: Ignoring inflation. Many people figure that inflation won’t erode the value of their investments in a significant way. After all, the consumer price index (CPI) has historically risen at an average annual rate of only 3%, and a well-constructed investment portfolio should do much better than that over time. But over time, even small price increases whittle away at your purchasing power.
Example: Your investments earn 8% annually, while inflation runs at 3%. So, you will only have 5% left after inflation. And there is a chance that you can face above-average inflation rates. A sudden spurt in energy or health costs can wreck your budget. (Historically, people who live in big cities on the coasts have faced inflation rates that are much higher than the long-term averages.)
For protection, emphasize dividend-paying blue-chip stocks in your portfolio. These tend to appreciate over time, and many raise their dividends at annual rates that are well above the long-term average increases in the CPI. Don’t rely exclusively on income from fixed sources, such as bonds or pensions, which can be eaten away by inflation. If inflation is at 3% and you receive $50,000 a year from a pension or annuity, during your second year of retirement your purchasing power will have dropped to $48,500. The third year, the real value of the income will be $47,045.
Mistake: Paying bills by check. Many retirees insist on paying by check because they don’t trust electronic systems. But the more important danger is that you will forget to pay on time — incurring penalties. That can hurt your credit rating and increase borrowing costs. What to do…
Automate deposits. Have your Social Security checks automatically deposited into your checking account. If you are working, ask your employer to also make automatic deposits. This saves time and reduces errors. If the account is interest bearing, automatic deposits will boost your income, since payments will spend more time in your account and less time in the mail.
Automate payments. Pay as many bills as possible automatically. That way, you won’t miss payments — even if you take a trip overseas.
Examples: Many cable TV companies and Internet service providers allow you to charge your monthly bill automatically. Many banks and brokerages offer electronic systems that enable regular payments — such as utility bills — to be withdrawn automatically from your account. For extra efficiency, do all your business with one bank or brokerage. There is no reason to have six different accounts spread around town.
Mistake: Holding stock certificates personally. Many people insist on holding paper stock certificates in their bank safe-deposit boxes because they are afraid of losing the securities. When they need to make sales, these investors run to the bank vault, retrieve paper shares and mail them to their brokers. Investors who hold old-fashioned paper certificates must round up individual records of dividends and transactions for each stock or bond — a time-consuming and error-prone process. This is a throwback to the Great Depression, when many stock brokers went bankrupt, and investors found that their securities had vanished. But all reputable brokers are members of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and covered for up to $500,000 for stocks, bonds and other securities and up to $100,000 for cash. Most firms also have additional coverage.
It is now very efficient to have your broker hold the certificates. That way, you can sell shares immediately with a phone call or computer key stroke. At the end of the year, the broker will send you a record of all dividends and transactions. At tax time, you have one convenient record.