Al Qaeda is watching, and drawing lessons

[longeyes]

War is Peace.

Liberty is Pathology.

Criticism is Mean.

 

[R.H. Lee]

I'm of the opinion that illegal 'immigration' is more destructive to this country than Islamic terrorism.

 

[RealGun]

I'm of the opinion that illegal 'immigration' is more destructive to this country than Islamic terrorism.

Illegal immigration seems minor compared to the growing number of people on welfare and the fact that they breed more of the same, even starting younger than in earlier times.

It's not really an issue of being unemployed. It is an issue of being unemployable...not just unproductive but counterproductive.

We also have people living longer beyond employment years, dramatically higher medical care costs, and more of them ultimately requiring publicly funded support.

Illegal immigration is a serious issue, but I don't have it at the top of my list. The obvious solutions in all cases are resisted. It's sort of like a deficit that we will figure out how to pay for later rather than confronting the real problem.

 

[longeyes]

To no small degree these are the same people.

 

[R.H. Lee]

We also have people living longer beyond employment years, dramatically higher medical care costs, and more of them ultimately requiring publicly funded support.

I'm not sure what your point here is. If you're complaining about American citizens who are old and no longer work, remember there is a contractual agreement between them and the government. It's called Medicare. Is that the 'publicly funded support' to which you refer? Remember, these folks paid into that system all of their working lives and there remains the reciprocal obligation on the part of government later on.

Illegal immigration is a serious issue, but I don't have it at the top of my list. The obvious solutions in all cases are resisted. It's sort of like a deficit that we will figure out how to pay for later rather than confronting the real problem.

The single issue of illegal immigration is extremely damaging to this country both economically and socially. Much more so than any terrorist event has been, or probably ever will be. Al Queda is a focal point for Americans because they were active in some high profile terrorist attacks. That's all. for whatever reason, they have been unable to carry out further attacks in this country. Illegal immigration continues, day in, day out. As a result, hospitals go out of business. Government increases in size and power to provide goods and services for non citizens, who have never 'contributed' to our society. It's a net loss.

I'm not really worried about 'Al Queda'. If you stop illegal immigration, you will also drastically cut down on the chances of another terrorist event here.

 

[RealGun]

I'm not sure what your point here is. If you're complaining about American citizens who are old and no longer work, remember there is a contractual agreement between them and the government. It's called Medicare. Is that the 'publicly funded support' to which you refer?

That's not it. If they dump their assets off to their families sooner than three years before requiring care, they qualify for Medicaid. There are lawyers that make a specialty of counseling wealthy people how to do this. I know because both my father and stepmother, each well off in their own right, are headed in this direction. I was in on two meetings with the attorneys.

Also be aware that my father has been on pension and social security for as many years as he worked. He is 92. My stepmother's former husband worked until he was 72, so she has a very high social security payment.

Both of them lived a lot longer than any average envisioned in the 1940s. They are prepared to take care of themselves, but the government is subsidizing their estates instead using loopholes in Medicaid. It's all legal, but no Medicaid official will discuss it. They audit three years prior to application, period. The lawyers refer to Medicaid as an entitlement for everyone. So why should anyone worry about saving for their own needs?

 

[R.H. Lee]

Medicaid is not necessarily a 'free ride'. Many states will place a claim against the estate to recover any and all benefits paid. The attorneys arranging Medicaid eligibility rarely mention this. Unless everything is done exactly right, the state will recover the benefits paid.

 

[RealGun]

You don't have that quite right. They don't pay any benefits unless the person has qualified. I believe there is only a recovery if the three year audit, possibly occurring later, turns up a problem. Setting it up is not technically easy. That's why the lawyers are specialists. You check for "estate planning assistance" and you will find one of these people.

 

[R.H. Lee]

I don't want to go off topic, Real Gun, and would have sent you a PM, but you've got PM's turned off. The 'personal residence' is an exempt asset and doesn't affect eligibility. Upon sale of the home, after the recipient's death, is when the state recovers the money. So unless all assets, even 'exempt' assets are transferred before the 3 year 'lookback' period begins, the state will file a claim.

Sorry for the hijack. Back to Al Queda.

 

[Faithless]

Welcome to the Kulturkamph.

 

[Marshall]

Bush was handed a golden opportunity to stop the insanity. Disappointment would be an understatement to describe how he's taken advantage of it.

Just curious to the clear cut resolve that's evidently so easily seen, care to share it all? Also, if you would address the downsides of your insight I would be interested in them as well.

 

[Cosmoline]

I really wonder why there haven't been more strikes on the US directly. I don't believe our intelligence services have become that much more adept at stopping the cells. I have to wonder if part of the reason lies in the way the US would react to another homeland attack. Sure, there would be blame on the administration. But more importantly there would be deep hatred and a desire for blood. 9/11 spawned the takeover of two Islamic nations, one very friendly to AQ and the other at least an enemy of AQ's enemies. Another 9/11 would potentially reinvigorate the war in Iraq and spawn more takeovers.

Whatever weakness the US has, we're not like most European nations. The terror attacks piss people off more than anything else. Sure there are blissninny fools who search their souls in the wake of such incidents. But most of us want payback--whether we admit it or not. THIS, more than anything else, may be what's protecting us. AQ fears the American people and what we might do to them and the world if pressed too far. If it comes to a choice between giving up to those people and nuking the entire Islamic world, I know what my answer would be. Kill them all.

 

[rick_reno]

That's not it. If they dump their assets off to their families sooner than three years before requiring care, they qualify for Medicaid. There are lawyers that make a specialty of counseling wealthy people how to do this. I know because both my father and stepmother, each well off in their own right, are headed in this direction. I was in on two meetings with the attorneys.

My neighbors parents did this, moved their $500,000 house, $200,000 motor home, etc. into his name. The "villiage" that Hillary has written about is now picking up the tab on these poor seniors. One of them is very expensive, requires in house care pretty much around the clock. It's a great system, if you know how to exploit it.