Joe_Cavalry All Day Every Day

I am a former soldier, but let's just say for a second that I wasn't. Let's say I have been working for a company for the past 12 years and got laid off because of this recession we are in. Now I'm not working, but should I get the "free money" you refer to or should I go without because of the turn our economy has taken? I'm sure you are aware of the current unemployment rates. There are thousands of people who are not working from no fault of their own. Or should it just be the homeless that are denied. Exactly who are you referring to that you don't want to have healthcare sir?

I can say from experience that as a former soldier, I had government run health care, and all of my expenses were paid for. I had free medical care, free medicine, free surgeries, free dental, free vision, even breast implants if I wanted. The government run health care that I had was great. They did not do unnecessary tests, they found the cause of the illness and treated it. I did not go to the doctor every time I had a runny nose, and if I did have to have a surgery or other major medical procedure, yes I would need to be scheduled in, but after now being in the civilian world, I find that I still have to schedule to have major medical procedures done, but at a much larger cost to me (with private insurance). Since I am a veteran, I have access to the VA, where I still receive government run health care, which is a benefit to me because it saves me a lot of money. I wonder if anyone has thought about their post retirement age, when medicare (if it is still around) will be something you need to utilize? Isn't that government run? After you retire, unless you are one of the lucky that has for your entire life budgeted your money to save enough to live on after you are unable to work, and still afford private health care, how do you propose to manage? It will be government run.

I am a woman who happens to be straight. I fully support gay rights and gay marriage, after all, the pursuit of happiness is for all, not just straights. While being married would afford me more benefits, discounts on car insurance, lower tax bracket, I want to get married because I am in love with the man of my dreams. I want a wedding (whether in a church or on the beach) and I want my wedding certificate, just as I would want my birth certificate, or my library card. I don't want to be married for the benefits, and I doubt that is what the gay community is after, I believe they are after EQUAL rights, If the benefits of marriage are afforded to me, they should be afforded to anyone who is married, Gay and Straight alike.