# I am Pitting the stupid question: Do you want to cancel Medicare? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 28, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079 "2009-08-28T20:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/241 "2009-09-02T16:15:29Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > From what I’ve seen, the recent downturn in support could just as easily by evidence that people are frightened and confused by a massive misinformation campaign. When I put on the TV, I don’t see a lot of objective informative information that could actually help people to come to an intelligent position. > > The American people are capable of intelligently weighing the positions and forming intelligent opinions. Statements like “keep government away from my Medicare” are evidence that some aren’t doing that. IMHO the reason they aren’t doing that is because they are being fed bullshit rather than anything resembling facts. What the media feeds people is really of no concern to you. There are enough media outlets out there that people have choices of where to get whatever news they need. People are Dumb sometime? If the government promised transparency had actually occurred maybe we wouldn’t be in this predicament? Yes, the bill has been posted. What does it mean? Why do they let everyone but themselves explain it? (hint: Because they’d rather throw out some red herrings to garner support because they may not even know.) People are also lazy. Ask them to read a 1000 page bill to determine whether or not they agree with it is like asking your kid if he did. Pundits on both sides are desperately trying to find some commonality for a President that doesn’t have an idea of what he can accomplish. Yet, even the pundit’s don’t know. It’s ok to say “hey I don’t know” a majority of you guys should try it sometime. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/242 "2009-09-02T16:31:19Z")
I shouldn’t be concerned when I see the media feeding people a load of bullshit? I’ll decide what is and isn’t of concern to me, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/243 "2009-09-02T17:09:38Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > It’s ok to say “hey I don’t know” a majority of you guys should try it sometime. What are you talking about? Most of us _have_ read the salient portions of the bill, if only to see for ourselves whether it really says anything about death panels or mandatory abortion. The people who should be saying “I don’t know” are the right-wing pundits who are _making things up_- and they should be doing it _before_ they make things up, instead of waiting for someone to call them on the bull they’re slinging and then admitting that they don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/244 "2009-09-02T17:34:48Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What are you talking about? Most of us _have_ read the salient portions of the bill, if only to see for ourselves whether it really says anything about death panels or mandatory abortion. > > The people who should be saying “I don’t know” are the right-wing pundits who are _making things up_- and they should be doing it _before_ they make things up, instead of waiting for someone to call them on the bull they’re slinging and then admitting that they don’t know. Why should right-wing pundits read the bill? It’s not like they’re goal is to inform people about what’s actually in it, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/245 "2009-09-02T18:42:51Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > But I see you have 2 choices: > > 1. Report me for violating some rule > 2. go away and quit whining like a little girl Or: 4) Wait two days and the troll will disappear. (Someone else had already suggested a #3) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/246 "2009-09-02T18:45:30Z")
What?! Gone away? What about my women? He said he’d let Islamofascists rape my women because I oppose torture. My women have been waiting for _days._ ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/247 "2009-09-02T18:45:31Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > (Someone else had already suggested a #3) Profit? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/248 "2009-09-02T18:49:37Z")
Also, I just did a little math. If Medicare were to be canceled and the taxes returned, the government would have to spend $1.3 trillion… just to refund the taxes paid since 2000. The total taxes that would have to be returned, not including interest on the “debts” would be $2.7 trillion. Shit, universal health care looks like a bargain! ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/249 "2009-09-02T19:46:49Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I shouldn’t be concerned when I see the media feeding people a load of bullshit? > > I’ll decide what is and isn’t of concern to me, thank you very much. Other people making a choice really is, of NO concern to you. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/250 "2009-09-02T19:55:58Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Other people making a choice really is, of NO concern to you. And you say you’re a conservative? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/251 "2009-09-02T19:58:13Z")
Aww goldurn contrary, as they say in Lubbock! People making choices is not simply important or even crucial, its the whole damned ball game! We had one just recently, the Obama Patriots trounced the Artful Dodgers. Lots and lots of other people’s choices. Oodles of it. Great hulking gobs of other people’s choices. I was quite concerned. Are you making a bid to establish the credibility of the Surrealist Party? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/252 "2009-09-02T20:50:24Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Why should right-wing pundits read the bill? It’s not like they’re goal is to inform people about what’s actually in it, after all. Regardless of their _goal_, they have a responsibility to tell the truth. > [@](#): > > What?! Gone away? What about my women? He said he’d let Islamofascists rape my women because I oppose torture. My women have been waiting for days. I’ve got a novelty dishdasha and headscarf lying around somewhere, and I’m vaguely Arabic-looking. I’ll be right up. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/253 "2009-09-02T20:55:05Z")
“Girls! I found someone for that snoo-snoo!” ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/254 "2009-09-02T20:55:53Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Other people making a choice really is, of NO concern to you. 😕 I’m concerned about the media feeding people bullshit. I said nothing about other people making choices. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/255 "2009-09-02T20:59:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Regardless of their _goal_, they have a responsibility to tell the truth… I was being sarcastic, if it wasn’t clear. (And before somebody jumps on me about it, yes I did spell “their” wrong. Sorry about that.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/256 "2009-09-02T21:02:58Z")
Oh, duh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079.md?page=12)