So we don't care what happens to anyone else, right? I buy my own health insurance on the open market and the idea of an elderly person with multiple health problems being able to buy affordable health insurance with good coverage on the open market is laughable. This is nothing but a money grab for private insurers - and Mr. Ryan gets lots of money from them.

Chris, Ryan's plan allows seniors who wish to remain with the traditional MC product. The reality is that the program is headed for insolvency. The irony is that Republicans are calling for means testing the program by requiring wealthy seniors to pay more while poor seniors would receive larger subsidies. The Democrats are left defending giving "fat cat wealthy seniors" benefits they don't need, short changing the poor and precipitating the collapse of the entire program. Well done.

Does that mean you will be voting for the guy who wants to fundamentally transform America? The one who rammed Obamacare down everyone's throats without out a vote using senate procedural tricks and bribes (see cornhusker kickback)? That doesn't sound very moderate to me.

No she wants to vote for the guy who said if unemployment is over 8% he will be a one term president. Melissa - wake up, honey, and smell the coffee! Things aren't getting better. Granted he had some work to do when he started but he also said that he would reform Medicare (hasn't) and social security (hasn't). Meanwhile, he is brewing beer in the White House instead of doing his job, meeting with the jobs commission and everything else. He is a professional campaigner full of empty promises. At least Romney and Ryan are bringing ideas to the table instead of pointing fingers in blame.

He wants to vote for the guy who put in place a health care plan conceived and highly promoted by Republicans until a Democratic president put it in place. You are all such a bunch of hypocrites!

Would I pay a bit more in taxes so little Sally and Timmy can go see a doctor when the get sick instead of having to go to an emergency room (which, don't kid yourself, we're already paying for)? You bet your ass! "I am my brothers keeper".... ever heard of it?? It's the disgusting greed of the 1% that is continuing to collapse our economy so by all means, let them buy the White House in November, what's the worst that could happen? DUH!!! And Laurie (no last name), YOU WAKE UP! They're ALL professional campaigners!! Is this your first election season???

Melissa, go ahead and pay a little more. Or better yet, donate to someone in need. Or even better, actually be your brother's keeper and seek out those that are less fortunate and impact their lives directly. Why wait for a federal buracracy to do it for you?

Glinda, please explain?

MZ, are you on social security or medicare? If you are (or when you are eligible), I sure hope you are not accepting these benefits by the way you rant against government programs. It reminds me of the sign some Tea Partier was holding up during a rally that said "Keep your government hands off my medicare!"

Chris M. - I agree with you. When I'm 65, I sure don't want to be worrying if my voucher is going to cover my health insurance that I hope to find out on the open market. However, the CBO estimates that it would cost the average senior $6,200 under this "voucher" plan.

I am on neither SS nor Medicare. The Vegas odds makers (I just checked) say that neither program will be solvent when I reach retirement.

Do keep in mind that these "benefits" are taken from me against my will with the threat of fines or imprisonment. If there was the ability to opt out, I would jump on it. For some reason I think I can do a better job managing my own money than Washington can. Call me crazy!

All kinds of taxes are taken from us against our will, too. While you may be smart enough to know how to invest your money for retirement, not everyone is (or has the means to). If you don't believe in any safety nets at all, and you just want everyone to fend for themselves, then we have a society like some countries in South America. The minority with the money, and the majority being the poor. That's when you'll need to build electric fences around your house and hire your own security to take you to the store. But, at least you won't have to pay into any social programs against your will!

All kinds of taxes are taken from us against our will. See Dan, we agree on something. The problem with SS is that it is no longer a "safety net" it has become many peoples sole source of retirement income. The government incentivizes people to not save for a rainy day, to not be prepared, to not try to be self-reliant.

You lose your job, don't worry about not having saved a rainy day fund, you can get unemployment forever (99+weeks). Time to retire and you haven't saved or invested, no worries, the government will send you a check.

I will concede that there are those that have struggles through no fault of their own and need a hand up. Will you concede that it is becoming the American way to milk the system for all it's worth? Will you concede that these programs have morphed into something that they weren't intended to be? Are things so bad that over 100 million people really need government assistance? If they are, aren’t we already well on our way to becoming South Africa with the current systems in place?

When do we reach the tipping point?

I heard somewhere that a public official elected to a very high office has spent millions hiding his past associations, school records (grades, admittance, papers, etc...), and passport information. "This is just another example of his disrespect for the American public to have the whole story, to be able to make informed decisions. And, that is the lest that we deserve."

Rumor has it that the middle class hasn't done very well in the past 3.5 years and that the gap between the rich and poor has significantly increased.

How can anyone say Romney has been withholding information? that is the story of Muslim Obama's life. He could have solved a lot of his problems by coming forward with his 'real' birth certificate. You know he is an avowed Muslim, and also coming out for Gay Marriage... Come on America, wake up and see what his happening under his Socialist watch...

Hopefully, Patch will remove all the racist statements you have been making. They really are despicable.