Another Legacy Of Conservative Revolution

[true_blue_bill]

Ya, they are real interested in protecting us. Pure evil is what they are

 

http://www.barnesjewish.org/groups/default.asp?NavID=3618

Cancer Survivors Press Congress for Research Funding

 

By Adam Sichko, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 20, 2006

WASHINGTON - At age 76, with a metal brace on one knee and a cane in his hand, Arthur Grist knows he's probably not cut out for all the walking he did Wednesday on the National Mall.

 

But he believes any soreness he may feel today is better than the nausea he endured during radiation treatments for prostate cancer. Grist is a retired public health professor from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He was in Washington to lobby Congress to reverse proposed funding cuts for cancer research.

 

"You're cutting money out of cancer research? Are you kidding me?" Grist said. "They need to get their act together and put that money back in."

 

Grist joined nearly 10,000 cancer survivors and cancer research advocates Wednesday who met with legislators and rallied outside the U.S. Capitol. Delegations from every state pushed three initiatives:

 

To increase research funding. President George W. Bush proposed a $40 million cut in the budget for the National Cancer Institute. The House agreed to that cut, while the Senate proposed a $9 million increase to the current $4.793 billion budget. The institute says it needs almost $300 million more to maintain services.

 

To renew an early detection program and add $47 million to its budget. The program provides screening and treatment for breast and cervical cancers to low-income, uninsured women, but the American Cancer Society says it only reaches one in five eligible women. The extra funding would help at least 130,000 more women.

 

To persuade members of Congress to sign a Cancer Promise, in which they support increasing research funding and making cancer-related issues a priority.

 

The National Mall was a sea of purple T-shirts throughout the one-day event. At night, about 20,000 luminarias encircled a pool in front of the Capitol.

 

"Cancer can no longer be fought in the laboratories and at the bedsides, as it was years ago," said Maryann Coletti, an oncology nurse at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis' Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "We have to fight it in the halls of Congress and in our statehouses."

 

A resolution supporting the goal of eliminating cancer-related deaths by 2015 passed the House unanimously Tuesday night.

 

Jenny Steinmann, a Florissant resident and cancer survivor, emerged optimistic from her meetings with three Missouri members of Congress.

 

"I did everything I wanted to do and said everything I wanted to say," said Steinmann, a junior at Creighton University. "The ball's in their court."

 

Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., spoke optimistically about the detection program but sounded less certain about increasing research funding, said Tom Smith of Jerseyville, Ill.

 

Smith said it was "hard to gauge" how effective the brief meeting was. "I hope we'll be OK."

 

"We'll survive," he added later.

[ATBNG]

Ya, they are real interested in protecting us. Pure evil is what they are

 

Cancer is a devastating illness, but suggesting that the federal government is "pure evil" for proposing a 1% cut in its research funding is hyperbolic nonsense.

 

You can't have government pay for everything, unless you want to live out Marx's vision.

[true_blue_bill]

Cancer is a devastating illness, but suggesting that the federal government is "pure evil" for proposing a 1% cut in its research funding is hyperbolic nonsense.

 

You can't have government pay for everything, unless you want to live out Marx's vision.

824930[/snapback]

A few points on your post AT, First off I was not criticizing 'the government' I was criticizing the Conservatives who run it. The Conservatives are the ones I was calling 'pure evil.'

 

Secondly, only a retard could equate funding cancer research with Marxism. The government has a job to protect us. How much are we spending [wasting] in Iraq these days? $8 billion a month? The cancer reasearch institutes are asking for $300,000 million a year is all. What they get now is so small that that would represent a massive increase in funding. Oh, and many more Americans die from cancer than terrorism.

 

Why the Democrats have not made this a centerpiece of their party platform is beyond me.

[Bungee Jumper]

The government has a job to protect us.

824994[/snapback]

 

There's the crux of your idiocy right there.

[true_blue_bill]

There's the crux of your idiocy right there. 

825016[/snapback]

Next time don't bother

[Bungee Jumper]

Next time don't bother

825031[/snapback]

 

Why don't you, instead, explain WHY the government's job is to take care of us.

 

Start with a Constitutional basis...

[true_blue_bill]

Why don't you, instead, explain WHY the government's job is to take care of us.

 

Start with a Constitutional basis... 

825035[/snapback]

You can't be this stupid? Your position is so radical, so ridicilous it does not deserve a reply, but I'll give you one anyway. The government, if it has a job at all, is to protect us. Have you ever read the preamble to the Constitution you moron? And I'll take it further, even if it didn't say it was there to protect us, it should anyway. The common good it furthered by the government protecting us in all sorts of ways. If you like anarchy go try Iraq. I really wishj the Conservatives would just do us all a favor and campaign on eliminating government altogether. It would save us all a lot of trouble

[Bungee Jumper]

You can't be this stupid? Your position is so radical, so ridicilous it does not deserve a reply, but I'll give you one anyway. The government, if it has a job at all, is to protect us. Have you ever read the preamble to the Constitution you moron? And I'll take it further, even if it didn't say it was there to protect us, it should anyway. The common good it furthered by the government protecting us in all sorts of ways. If you like anarchy go try Iraq. I really wishj the Conservatives would just do us all a favor and campaign on eliminating government altogether. It would save us all a lot of trouble

825089[/snapback]

 

 

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and protect us from anything bad, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

 

My God, you...you're right!

[true_blue_bill]

My God, you...you're right! 

825153[/snapback]

Ya, it's unconstitutional to pay for constitution research! Great point!

[meazza]

Ya, it's unconstitutional to pay for constitution research! Great point!

825161[/snapback]

 

Another retard in the making?

[true_blue_bill]

Another retard in the making?

825178[/snapback]

Are ya?

[meazza]

Are ya?

825188[/snapback]

 

Good comeback Now let me go back to writing rants about why the government should protect me...

[true_blue_bill]

Good comeback    Now let me go back to writing rants about why the government should protect me...

825195[/snapback]

maybe you could sue the government for funding cancer research! Wasting your tax dollars like that, horrible!

[Bungee Jumper]

Ya, it's unconstitutional to pay for constitution research! Great point!

825161[/snapback]

 

For "constitution" research? (I know, it was just a typo...still funny.)

 

My point being, though, that if you mistakenly believe that government's job is to "protect us"...it's a very slippery slope. Protect us from what, precisely? Or, more to the point, what isn't the government supposed to "protect" us from? And where is our responsibility to protect ourselves? There is a reason the Preamble to the Constitution is written in general terms of the common good, and not in broad terms of "protection".

 

But regardless...reducing the NCI's budget by 1% is a travesty, you're right. It should be 10%. Along with every single other government budget item. If cancer research is going to be adversely affected by a 1% decrease in the NCI's budget, the problem is that NCI is wasting too much damn money. You must be kidding if you believe the NCI can't make up a $40M cut out of a five billion dollar budget.

 

 

And before you get stupid: I say the same thing routinely about other government programs. Particularly Defense and HUD. So don't go looking for some "pet program" you might think I might find painful to cut to give the money to NCI. I want 'em all cut.

[meazza]

maybe you could sue the government for funding cancer research! Wasting your tax dollars like that, horrible!

825199[/snapback]

 

Not really. I donate money from my own pocket for cancer research, given that I lost a member of my family to it, but it goes beyond that. Something someone retarded like you could probably never understand.

[true_blue_bill]

For "constitution" research?    (I know, it was just a typo...still funny.)

 

My point being, though, that if you mistakenly believe that government's job is to "protect us"...it's a very slippery slope.  Protect us from what, precisely?  Or, more to the point, what isn't the government supposed to "protect" us from?  And where is our responsibility to protect ourselves?  There is a reason the Preamble to the Constitution is written in general terms of the common good, and not in broad terms of "protection".

 

But regardless...reducing the NCI's budget by 1% is a travesty, you're right.  It should be 10%.  Along with every single other government budget item.  If cancer research is going to be adversely affected by a 1% decrease in the NCI's budget, the problem is that NCI is wasting too much damn money.  You must be kidding if you believe the NCI can't make up a $40M cut out of a five billion dollar budget. 

And before you get stupid: I say the same thing routinely about other government programs.  Particularly Defense and HUD.  So don't go looking for some "pet program" you might think I might find painful to cut to give the money to NCI.  I want 'em all cut.

825202[/snapback]

 

Sure they are wasting money, they are government after all, what has the government ever done right! [sarcasim] Why stop at 10%? Why not abolish it altogether? Do you want to get rid of NASA?

 

Really, cutting funding is killing people. We need to get funding to our brightest indivduals so they can help. Hell, you seem to like the internet, that came about because of government funded programs. Look how much that helped everyone and expanded the economy. The sooner we find a cure for cancer the better. Again, I wish the Conservatives, the 'free market utopians' would campaign on what you propose.

 

And I'm not against the free market, but I know that government does work and should be funded

[true_blue_bill]

Not really.  I donate money from my own pocket for cancer research, given that I lost a member of my family to it, but it goes beyond that.  Something someone retarded like you could probably never understand.

825205[/snapback]

LOL, so you have a family member who died from cancer and you still want cancer research funding cut? And that makes ME the retard????

 

MORON!

[meazza]

LOL, so you have a family member who died from cancer and you still want cancer research funding cut? And that makes ME the retard????

 

MORON!

825243[/snapback]

 

No, like I said I donate out of my own pocket and would rather it be privately funded.

[true_blue_bill]

No, like I said I donate out of my own pocket and would rather it be privately funded.

825252[/snapback]

Privately funded=underfunded

 

Imagine if we privately funded the Iraq War?

[meazza]

Privately funded=underfunded

 

Imagine if we privately funded the Iraq War?

825258[/snapback]

 

Wow, you seriously are a retard.

[KD in CA]

LOL, so you have a family member who died from cancer and you still want cancer research funding cut? And that makes ME the retard????

 

MORON!

825243[/snapback]

 

 

Right, because it's the government's fault that they didn't spend even more billions on the disease that killed my family member.

 

By the way, what is the government going to do about protecting me from stubbing my toe?

 

 

 

This is the best part about national elections --- watching frothing left wing lunatics driven into a frenzy about what they perceive as some life or death struggle at the ballot box.

[true_blue_bill]

Wow, you seriously are a retard.

825271[/snapback]

If you say so

[meazza]

If you say so

825278[/snapback]

 

But in all seriousness I don't know if the government will have any money left over after Holcomb's eugenics program and Bungee Jumpers trial for comments made against the American people.

[Bungee Jumper]

Imagine if we privately funded the Iraq War?

825258[/snapback]

 

We'd accomplish twice as much for half the money?

[Bungee Jumper]

But in all seriousness I don't know if the government will have any money left over after Holcomb's eugenics program and Bungee Jumpers trial for comments made against the American people.

825296[/snapback]

 

We can just manage the budget using HA's math: "accidentally" give everyone too much money, then redefine the error as "regression toward the mean", and since "regression" is actually a decrease (sic), we'd be saving money...

[meazza]

We can just manage the budget using HA's math: "accidentally" give everyone too much money, then redefine the error as "regression toward the mean", and since "regression" is actually a decrease (sic), we'd be saving money...

825419[/snapback]

 

Brilliant.

[X. Benedict]

We'd accomplish twice as much for half the money? 

825414[/snapback]

 

We could have an IPO.

[Chilly]

true_blue - you're right, government's job is to protect us, insofar as our rights are not being violated.

 

Show me where my "right to cancer research funding" is being violated.

[true_blue_bill]

true_blue - you're right, government's job is to protect us, insofar as our rights are not being violated. 

 

Show me where my "right to cancer research funding" is being violated.

825630[/snapback]

I can't, I just think it's evil that they are not funding it at a higher level. If this was a weapon system they were developing--like the B-1 bomber that is alrready being phased out--they would spend billions and billions. Protecting us from diseases should be no different than protecting us from terrorism. They can and will make advances in fighting all sorts of diseases, but they need funding to do it.

 

And really, I blame the Dems, too. Why in the hell haven't they grabbed a bull horn and made this a serious issue. Sure the 'let private charity' fund it crowd would not be moved, but normal people would be.

[Chilly]

I can't, I just think it's evil that they are not funding it at a higher level. If this was a weapon system they were developing--like the B-1 bomber that is alrready being phased out--they would spend billions and billions. Protecting us from diseases  should be no different than protecting us from terrorism. They can and will make advances in fighting all sorts of diseases, but they need funding to do it.

 

Well, there is a difference - protecting the country from perceived natl security threats can be made as a direct argument to protecting rights.

 

Disease research? Not so much.

 

And really, I blame the Dems, too. Why in the hell haven't they grabbed a bull horn and made this a serious issue. Sure the 'let private charity' fund it crowd would not be moved, but normal people would be.

826138[/snapback]

 

Most likely its the political reason - Dems don't want to be seen as trying to spent even more money. (course there are also others like whether the majority of the public agrees with it or not, etc)

[Wacka]

There is waste in every government program. When I was in grad school we had NIH funding. My advisor comes up to us and says "We have 2 weeks to spend 30K. " If we didn't spend it by the end of the budget year, we got that much cut for the next year. We really didn't waste it as we bought several pieces of apparatus we could use (but really didn't vitally need).

[Chilly]

There is waste in every government program. When I was in grad school we had NIH funding. My advisor comes up to us and says "We have 2 weeks to spend 30K. " If we didn't spend it by the end of the  budget year, we got that much cut for the next year. We really didn't waste it as we bought several pieces of apparatus we could use (but really didn't vitally need).

826338[/snapback]

 

So you're accusing the government of wasting money, but in the example you give, you admit you didn't waste the government money?

[Orton's Arm]

The government has a job to protect us.

There's the crux of your idiocy right there. 

Unless you're an anarchist, you too feel the government has a job to protect us. To protect us from criminals via a functional police force and criminal justice system. To protect us from foreign invasion through a strong military presence. Maybe even to protect us from traffic fatailities by maintaining a safe road system. In trying to make a fool of Bill, you only made yourself appear foolish.

 

There are legitimate ways of disagreeing with Bill's position. Calling him an idiot for the "government has a job to protect us" statement isn't one of them.

[Bungee Jumper]

Unless you're an anarchist, you too feel the government has a job to protect us. To protect us from criminals via a functional police force and criminal justice system. To protect us from foreign invasion through a strong military presence. Maybe even to protect us from traffic fatailities by maintaining a safe road system. In trying to make a fool of Bill, you only made yourself appear foolish.

826359[/snapback]

 

...protect us from over-breeding Morlocks.

 

You're a bigger idiot than he is. Why should I listen to you? Plus...you're once again "regressing toward the mean" (sic).

[Orton's Arm]

...protect us from over-breeding Morlocks. 

 

You're a bigger idiot than he is.  Why should I listen to you?  Plus...you're once again "regressing toward the mean" (sic).

826740[/snapback]

Why should you listen to me? Because just about every time we disagree on something, I'm right and you're wrong. That's why.

[Bungee Jumper]

Why should you listen to me? Because just about every time we disagree on something, I'm right and you're wrong. That's why.

826896[/snapback]

 

 

Yeah, sure. Let me know when that actually starts happening outside the confines of your imagination.

[Ramius]

Why should you listen to me? Because just about every time we disagree on something, I'm right and you're wrong. That's why.

826896[/snapback]

 

 

Seriously, who writes your jokes?

[RkFast]

If cutting cancer research by 1% makes the Republicans "pure evil", then whats that make the Democrats, who look to increase speding public tax dollars on abortions?

 

Oh...I forgot...everyone say it with me...

 

"BUT THATS DIFFERENT!!!!!!"

[Alaska Darin]

You can't be this stupid? Your position is so radical, so ridicilous it does not deserve a reply, but I'll give you one anyway. The government, if it has a job at all, is to protect us. Have you ever read the preamble to the Constitution you moron? And I'll take it further, even if it didn't say it was there to protect us, it should anyway. The common good it furthered by the government protecting us in all sorts of ways. If you like anarchy go try Iraq. I really wishj the Conservatives would just do us all a favor and campaign on eliminating government altogether. It would save us all a lot of trouble

825089[/snapback]

How much did you give to cancer research last year?

 

For that matter, how much did you pay in taxes?

[true_blue_bill]

How much did you give to cancer research last year? 

 

For that matter, how much did you pay in taxes?

827028[/snapback]

I didn't give a dime, I think my government should pay for it. That's one reason I'm voting Democrat. I think they will fully fund cancer research. That might save my life some time in the future, or yours, for that matter.

 

There is an old joke that a Conservative is a liberal who has gotten mubbed. I'm sure if you get cancer you will agree with my postion on cancer funding. If not, then you are simply a useful idiot of the right.