I live by my compassionate conservative principles (small government, big charities) by giving my extra money to private entities. How many liberals live by THEIR principles (big government) by giving their EXTRA money to the I.R.S.?

If we let this bill pass, abortion rates will sky rocket. Children with defects will not be born or have any chance at life. The elderly will not get the care they deserve. Do we really want to let the government decide who has what opprotunities in life? You want to afford health care, let the corporations of America continue to offer health benefits as part of the competition for good employees. Let us stop paying the bill for illegals. You want to get rid of the deficit. Stop spending money! When my bank account runs dry, money doesn't just magically keep appearing. I thought the people in control would have realized that by now. Besides, what happened to all those Dems who said they were going to move out of the country if Bush was re-elected? I guess they moved back.

You want to talk about falling in line. What happened after Oprah announced she would vote for our current President? Bush might not have been a great President, but at least he know what he stood for!

Check this out. Physicians prescribe a $500 hypertension drug that works for 90% of cases, ignoring the $35 drug that is just as effective for 85%. They are making those 85% pay $140,000 for next year's model of a $10,000 car – Paying 14 times the price for a car that has power locks instead of manual. Who would do that?

There is a lot of scare talk about “rationing” healthcare in today’s upside down system. How about making it “rational” first?

I'm a Ron Paul conservative if I'm a conservative at all. I don't really like the term "conservative" for the same reasons that Hayek wrote "why I'm not a conservative".

And again, with Bush and the gang passing Medicare Part D, it's hard to know where fiscal conservatism can actually exist and survive while IN POWER. It's great to be all "YEAH, SMALL GOVERNMENT!!!" when your team is the opposition. But the past 8 years proves that most politicians only want government smaller when their opponents are running it.

Google "classical liberal".

I'm a Ron Paul conservative if I'm a conservative at all. I don't really like the term "conservative" for the same reasons that Hayek wrote "why I'm not a conservative".

And again, with Bush and the gang passing Medicare Part D, it's hard to know where fiscal conservatism can actually exist and survive while IN POWER. It's great to be all "YEAH, SMALL GOVERNMENT!!!" when your team is the opposition. But the past 8 years proves that most politicians only want government smaller when their opponents are running it.

Google "classical liberal".

Well said Marge, the BLUE DOGS are in the pocket of the health insurance industry. Some of the righties are calling you naive, i guess they all got cured of naivety six months ago when the lost the election. For eight years all we saw was wasteful spending, and sweet heart deals to corporate cronies who in turn gave the money back to them as campaign contribution. Now you've a guy who understands the sufferings of the commons and is basically trying to make sure at least we're all have a fair shot at a decent life, but the BLUE DOGS are doing everything possible to make his job difficult. Hang in there Marge

Will is clearly a demorat. Our prisons are full of them

Dude who you are kidding, the last time I check the brain trust for conservatives are Glenn Beck and Rush Oxycontin. The Republican Party has a vertical organizational structure, command comes from the top and everybody falls in line.

Wilcox, apparently the Supremes have ruled that the "Commerce Clause" allows Washington to ignore the rest of the Constitution and do whatever they want. With a couple more justices like Sotomayor, we can use the Constitution for lining bird cages.

Jane, I believe "bending the cost curve" means "capping how much doctors may charge for their services".

Obama has already done this for bankers, and intends to do the same for every industry (except for lawyers, of course).

This is why Obama has begun vilifying physicians by suggesting they routinely rip out kids' tonsils because they can charge more than just giving them a pill.

So demonizing doctors, paying them like indentured servants and piling on a larger work load should definitely improve care and encourage more young people to go deep into debt and work all those years to become a doc.

Voila! ObamaCare.

Linda, you're the thoughtful one among the bunch. My friends from the right don't debate issues. They look for words and stories to distract and confuse the public. According to CBO the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq war, and the 2004 republican medical bill alone accounts for more than 50% of the current national debt. Now they want to take us for a sucker again with tax cuts to individuals and companies. My friends 100% tax cuts will not save you from industry collision to maintain profit nor filing for bankruptcy because of high medical bills. The only beneficiaries of the current republican bill are the rich, and guess what they don't need no help. Secondly, how is it different from what we have now, basic economics will tell when the market is dominated by a few big companies they can easily collide to screw the consumer. If the healthcare for congress and the military is socialized healthcare, then that is exactly what i want. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Hey Marge. Perhaps you loonie Obama sycophants could answer:

10 Questions for Supporters of 'ObamaCare' By Dennis Prager

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/28/10_questions_for_supporters_of_obamacare_97651.html

My favorite:

"9. Given how weak the U.S. economy is, given how weak the U.S. dollar is, and given how much in debt the U.S. is in, why would anyone seek to have the U.S. spend another trillion dollars? Even if all the other questions here had legitimate answers, wouldn't the state of the U.S. economy alone argue against national health care at this time?"

Hey, old people! Democrats want you to die. They don't want to try to cure your illness, just make you comfortable while you die. Die. Die. Die. You are a burden to society.

And since many of the elderly voted for Obama, they should get exactly what they voted for.

My question is exactly where in our Constitution the flippin Federal Government thinks they find the authority for all this BS socialism they're pushing on us?

Right on Margie! The Republicans just came out with their own bill based on tax breaks to purchase your own health care. That will put market forces to work and drive down costs. But it's not massive government control over our lives so naturally the Democrats will never give it a look. The American people should get behind the GOP Plan. It ain't perfect, but it ain't socialism.

I read about "bending the cost curve" about a hundred time in this interview. It must be the cliche of the week. What the hell does it mean? Is there a simple way to say it in English?

At last, Bipartisan support in the Congress and it's focused on repairing the damage done by BHO's lack of real leadership!

Marge-
Get a grip and call Rahm, he recruited most of them

'Blue dogs' must be as worried about Obama targeting them in primaries. Why worry about Obama's popularity? What's the great threat....voters who may or may not buy their excuses for caving, or Obama, who plays Chicago thug politics?

I live by my compassionate conservative principles (small government, big charities) by giving my extra money to private entities.

How many liberals live by THEIR principles (big government) by giving their EXTRA money to the I.R.S.?

I might take this more seriously if all of congress, the executive and judicial branch pledged that they and their families would have the exact same coverage that they want to mandate for me.

You libs better give this whole healthcare, government take over a little more thought. Just remember, even though you are madly in love with UHHHHHbama right now and would gladly sacrifice your children to him...he won't always be around. Are you going to be as happy when the next pres or the one after that, or the one after that has all this power you want to grant the white house now? You better think about that! Once the power is given it is almost impossible to take back and you may not like the person with all that power in a few years!

John Hockenberry:"..it would appear that one might conclude that there’s a consensus in America that the Democrats’ vision is what should proceed in the government here, and for you and some conservative Democrats to stand in the way of that suggests that you’re standing in the way of a national consensus. How is that not the case?"

Mr. Hockenberry, over 80 % of Americans are happy with their healthcare, this from recent polls. and a solid majority of Americans don't want the government involved in their healthcare decisions. What consensus are you talking about?? and your thought of "..what's another trillion and a half dollars of debt.. we can work on cutting costs later"? are you serious? do you really think the government is good at cutting costs after the implementation of a huge program? it doesn't work like that. the cost projections are usually MUCH lower than the actual costs.

If Congress were building an airplane, would anybody fly on it?

We've had too much "bipartisanship" in this country for too long. I say we do away with the opposition party... lock out the Republicans and Blue Dogs... i don't know... say, 1 year, so we can clean up this mess and make America exactly the way it should be... no more greedy people.

This obviously falls under the right to privacy that is clearly spelled out in the Constitution. You know, right there where it talks about abortion and a woman's right to choose. We have the right to make our own health care choices and we will resist this fascist attempt to take over our economy.

I'm rolling in my grave. Someone call Samuel Adams. It is time to have a Nationwide Tea party and return to the principles of the Constitutions. Send the marxists packing.

No one is arguing that the US health care system is perfect. Of course we want to fix it, but a significant majority of Americans reject nationalized health care. The government already does health care - Medicare, Medicaid and VA- and how is that working out for everyone?

Who in their right mind would turn over our health care choices to these idiots? Stay out of our bedrooms. Obama has shown that he doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. If we are going to make these changes let's get some adults in the room.

I have no idea how old you are. But, I am a grown-up and I buy my own Health Insurance, housing, food, gas. My parents did that for me when I was very young and they told me where to go and how much I could have because it was their money. Someday when you are a grown-up you will learn that paying your own way is rewarding, cause then you get to make the rules. Unless the government comes and steals your money to pay for people that don't know how to be grown-ups.

in fact, the 46 million uninsured Americans. WHAT A CROCK.

Holy cow...there really are people as shallow as Marge.

Why doesn't the White House provide adult supervision over Congress in reforming healthcare? obama is not a leader. He has never run anything in his life as an executive or a manager. He has no managerial skills. He is incapable of anything other than mesmerizing brain dead liberals. I hope for 2 things. I hope he was right, that failure to enact his socialized medicine scheme will detroy his presidency, and I also hope that the attempt to socialize our medical system fails. That's a win-win for America!

If you want Congress and the President to have the same healthcare they want to shove (rahm) down everyone else's throats, then please go to Rep. Flemings website to sign his petition to that end:
http://www.fleming.house.gov

Call us what ever your pea-brain thinks up. We will be here to save your sorry arse as well as providing tax revenue that goes to the social "entitlements" that probably support your worthless arse.

Government spending is out of control. Why is there such a rush to pass a Health Care bill that no one has read or truly knows the impact on the people? (Hurry and pass it before someone knows what's in it). Why are we providing health to illegal's aliens, doesn't seem right. We need less government,not more. Obama continues to talk from the ????. I am so disapointed in my government.

Sgurdog- We'll see who the idiots are....OOps, I think it's already happening. Poor liberals only get 6 months of positive polls and already you're sinking back into the sludge from which you rose.

Oh comon Marge, did you not read the article, Rep. Hockenberry said Medicare and Medicaid are already 30 Trillion in the hole, that's 30 TRILLION IN THE HOLE. Obama couldn't run a Ho House in Nevada and make a profit. Jesus, you just can't reason with a liberal.

The comments I've seen across the net are almost uniformly negative on the Health Care bill. Justifiably so! Mandated abortion, rationed care, exemption of our elitist Congress from their own wonderful program, this is a Democrat dream and a public nightmare. Have you seen the chart of how this system is supposed to work? It looks like a Rube Goldberg machine; but operates more like the ingenious device in Kafka's "Penal Colony" (which is probably an apt analogy for what it will do to our health care). Here is a great website to start getting involved if you don't want bureaucrats making your vital health care decisions (some "choice" huh!).

(This includes the "banned" health care chart!)
http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?u=20491&PID=215 ...

--- Eric

Pray the sake of all Americans and for the sake of this country that any form of "health care reform" fails.

Stupid republicans actually think that people will elect their sorry behinds after destroying the economy, Iraq and their own party? This ain't 1994! You Only keep proving just how unAmerican you are by going against healthcare for all Americans while you rub your greedy hands in anticipation of an electoral win, hahaha what a bunch of idiots

"But it does appear that Americans do want something to happen."

Not quite, John. Americans don't want a bill that would impact our lives so greatly rushed. There is NO need for the rush. Thank God for the Blue Dogs and Republicans who have been able to slow this down. A bill of this sort can be carefully, dare I say meticulously, worked out so it's a good bill, not just a change. Change isn't always for the better.

sorry dude.. "against anything that increase the role of government regulation and price controls"
YOU ARE A CONSERVATIVE - id like to be the first to welcome you. thanks for waking up and realizing you live in america the home of free people.

No Blue Dogs - No Democrat majority.

If it is so great why don't the congressmen have the same plan?

Nothing is a right if you have to force someone else to pay for it.

America, everyone keeps talking about throwing the Democraps out of office in 2010. Guess what? Obambi won't let it happen. He's going to offer amnesty before 2010 and allow millions of illegals to vote.

It seems that America is waking up. I have yet to see a issue that angered people as much as the healthcare debate. With every move that Obama makes he further exposes his true intentions. That is total government control of every aspect of your lives. He now owns the Banks and the Automobile Industry. Now he is aiming for the Health Industry. If you think it is bad now, wait until the government controls what you eat, what you drive, how much you make, the temperature of your house and on and on. If you place any value on freedom you will bombard your representatives with e-mails and phone calls.

"Because our current health care programs, the programs we already have and take for granted, vitally important programs like Medicare and Medicaid, guess what? Each one is already over $30 trillion in the hole. That’s the current problem we face."

Did you catch that in the interview. This is why we need "reform". Because the two Government Healthcare Programs we have are going broke. So the answer...put everyone under a government program. Make the pyramid bigger. Kind of like spending more money to get out of debt. Yes, I trust that, don't you?

Right on, Joe. This country is right of center, and this twirp is a Marxist. He is failing, his poll numbers are in freefall, and we will recapture the freedoms that have made America the greatest country in the world. (Yes, greater than Cuba, China, Iran, and all the countries Obama seems to love.)

Hell, even the Chicoms have more sense when it comes to deficit spending than do the Leftists who are running this country. Tens of millions of folks are happy with their health care. The lib solution is to destroy what works to give us some half-baked solution to fix what doesn't. Trust me, there will be a political backlash that should ensure minority status for the Dems for years to come. That is if we still have free elections after ACORN is infused with billions of taxpayer dollars.

Why does everything always have to me "comprehensive" when it comes to fixing systems in this country.

If the goal is to bring health care costs down, there are many ways to do that without some major rebuild of our enormous healthcare system (some 6% of GDP). Fraud reduction, interstate insurance competition (like for car insurance and life insurance -both cheap), tort reform to lower malpractice insurance, and prevention programs to stop obesity and other preventable illnesses.

We don't have to turn into Sweden to lower the costs. With lower costs, more people can afford it so the rest of us won't need to cover them under a public plan. It doesn't need to be "comprehensive".

The claim of 46 million American's is grossly misleading. Of that number 10 million are illegal aliens who aren't supposed to be here to begin with. About eight million are under 25 and choose not to buy insurance because they feel they are young and healthy enough to not need to go to the doctor. Another 10 million are people who can afford to pay their medical bills out of pocket and choose not to buy insurance. So that leaves 18 million uninsured that want to have insurance, or roughly 6% of the population. Many of those 18 million are eligible for Medicare/caid or other programs at the State level but have not signed up for whatever reason. So in reality the number is less than 18 million people without insurance who want but can't get it. Why do the needs of 5% get to dictate the actions of 95%?

I tell my kids to learn every kind of self defense and to declare all levels of American government "bankrupt" and to not waste their money by giving it to anyone in government.

Think about the implications of that statement and draw your own conclusions.

The ruling political class have a great racket. You do the work, and they take your money, either directly by taxation or indirectly by inflating the money supply and thus devaluing the value of the dollar ---- paying off government bills with printing-press money ---- or its functional equivalent.

This game is over. It's time to make things very complicated for these predatory humanitarian thugs.

Yes, Marge they will be out in 2010 along with all the other Republicans and Democrats who vote in this Health bill.

Have you read it? It is going to lead to euthanasia for our senior citizens and will eventually lead to rationed care for people who have existing conditions. This includes the handicapped.

This is just the Marxist way of getting rid of all the dead weight who cannot work to earn taxes to pay for the further bloated Socialized government that you lefties love so much.

Yes, Marge they will be out in 2010 along with all the other Republicans and Democrats who vote in this Health bill.

Have you read it? It is going to lead to euthanasia for our senior citizens and will eventually lead to rationed care for people who have existing conditions. This includes the handicapped.

This is just the Marxist way of getting rid of all the dead weight who cannot work to earn taxes to pay for the further bloated Socialized government that you lefties love so much.

"why not pay a trillion and a half for health care and worry about reducing the costs later? "
What's another $1.5, JH? How could that hurt? Govt's great at fixing their programs done the road (like SS, Medicare)..If they can't do it now, let's just spend 1.5 TRIL and hope for the best!
Genius. Lib Media Minds at Work.

Marge:
So in other words, you are for a bill that doesn't cover everyone, that will lead the country into insolvency, that will saddle the country with debt that our GGGGGG grand children will not be able to pay off, that will create the largest socialist government programs outside of Red China, and against a bill that will cover everyone and will do so in a deficit neutral manner.
I just dont' get you socialists.

Our..."Medicare and Medicaid, guess what? Each one is already over $30 trillion in the hole." DO you realize that that is $3,000,000 for every man, woman and child in America?? Give us each $2,000,000 and call it even

Classic liberal ignorance. Conservatives vote for conservative democrats/republicans for a reason. Remember lib, 40% are conservatives, 40
% moderates, and the rest being the loony-left. We conservatives don't need politicians to tell us how to live. Hopefully one day you will grow a spine and reject big government in your life!

I believe all your comments are of no value. You're just denigrating each other, instead of looking at the health care legislature and debating whether any of it should pass or if the whole piece should be scrapped and a new bill written.
Where are the adults?

If this euthanasia bill passes, I hope every one of these democrats gets tossed out of office and I will do everything to see to it. Money, time, whatever it takes they will be out of power for the next century.

Marge is right. Anyone who doesn't fall in line with The One and his minion Pelosi are evil right wingers in disguise and should be arrested. They belong in the concentration camps, oops, I mean voluntary community service camps with the rest of the evil fascists.

I say we take our time on this. Maybe a year.
Marxist Obama and the radical Libs in Congress are trying to rush this disaster through before anyone can see what it's all about. They know their time in power is limited. People always grow tired of their brand of Liberal Socialism.
NO to Obamacare.

But then the partisan Republicans run in with "we'll be back in 2010!!". Sorry guys. Medicare part D was the largest entitlement expansion since Lyndon Johnson. You guys rolled over on the bailouts as soon as some sugar came your way. You dumped on Ron Paul, the only guy in the whole government that saw our collapse coming, throughout the campaign.

The GOP has ZERO credibility as a free market supporter. ZERO. Earning it back is gonna take more than two years of opposition.

A curse on both their houses. What we need is simple.

#1. Liquidate congress.
#2. End all healthcare benefits for politicians after they leave office
#3. Maybe try strict term limits.

That's the MINOR reform we need. I'll leave the whole "obey the damn law of the land, you sorry criminal thieves" reformation for another time. Peace.

Marge, why do you refuse to work for your health care???

I'm a classical liberal / libertarian and 100% against any bill that increases the role of government regulation and price controls in the healthcare service industry. It will only drive prices up, moral hazard and over-consumption up and supply down, as government has been doing since the mid 60s.

The reform we need is a rollback of the government policies that have created much of our trouble. CATO has a very good outline of where things should go.

But when I hear the team-sports political horseplay on the "left" and the "right" it just makes me laugh. On one hand, you have uber-"liberal" democrats looking to murder their majority by driving out the "blue dogs". These people simply dislike democracy, which is probably why they want an unaccountable, Federal Reserve-style entity lording over our healthcare choices. How "progressive".

(cont)...

25% of the votes that were cast to pass the P.O.S. spending package were from CA & NY. The rest of the country knew better. Just greasing the skids for run-away inflation in a couple of years - like Carter. 2012 can't come fast enough. we have to get rid of this clown in the Oval Office.

Hockenberry didn't ask the right questions-he's a liberal left wing nut case that wants National Health Care!
Where is the tort reform-that would save trillions. Are Congress and ALL government employees (federal, state & local) part of the plan they so desperately want to force us into?
If you add 45 million people to this how does it impact the healthcare industry. Will we have to wait 6 mo's to see a physician because he'll have 20% more patients? Will doctors leave the field because the pay per hour will be greatly reduced? etc, etc Hummmmmm

get ready to die if this health care bill goes through

People aren't ready for obuma to change healthcare because they don't believe him. He says you can keep your private plan while obuma is pricing them out of it. Remember 5 days to look at a bill online? Stimulus bill had NO time online. Oh yah stimulus, where are al those promised jobs?
We'd of been better of with hillary than this clown. Business won't invest in the economy when they don't know what the rules are.

This so called overhaul of the health care system is not what we want in America. What is needed is a set of steps to make the system efficient, accessible, innovative and quality focused and rewarded...in the private sector. Reform Malpractice insurance via tort reform, integrate medical practices (primary care and behavioral health), compete for services and customers across state lines and stimulate research by the private secotr through tax incentives. Reform,, finally the tax system so that everyone has "skin" in the game and the system is flatter (rates). Transfer the maximum amount of federal inviolvement in health care to states and the private sector and finally increase use of health savings accounts with competetively established catastrophic health insurance, somewhat subsidized by the feds. Do that and the rest will take care of itself.

I cannot believe anyone can be as stupid as you are. If you want to see and hear a liar tune into Obama and listen to those lies.

Marge, I guess the Kool Aid Man recently busted through your wall because you've definitely been drinking some, with Obama flavoring. OH YEAH!

LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE SENATORS UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2010
BOXER, Barbara (CA) ENVIRONMENT
OPPONENT: Devore, Chuck (chuckdevore.com)
DODD, Christopher (CT) BANKING
OPPONENT: Simmons, Rob (joinrobsimmons.com)
FEINGOLD, Russell (WI) FOREIGN RELATIONS
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26
INOUYE, Daniel K. (HI) APPROPRIATIONS
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26
LEAHY, Patrick (VT) JUDICIARY & APPROPRIATIONS
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26
LINCOLN, Blanche L. (AR) FINANCE & ENERGY
OPPONENT: Hendren, Kim (Yuck, how about a younger GOP candidate?)
MIKULSKI, Barbara A. (MD) APPROPRIATIONS & JUSTICE
OPPONENT: Rutledge, James (47 yr. old; first time for political office)
MURRAY, Patty (WA) APPROPRIATIONS & VETERANS
OPPONENT: Salazar, Dr. Sean (Veteran; sean4senate.com)
REID, Harry (NV) SENATE LEADER
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26
SCHUMER, Charles E. (NY) BANKING & JUDICIARY
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26
WYDEN, Ron (OR) BUDGET & AGING
OPPONENT: not announced as of 7/26

I think two simple questions should be asked of people that think the current health care plan is good for them.
1. Have you spent the time to read the 1000+ pages in the bill?
2. Do you understand it?
I have read it and yes, it scares me to death..but I will first have to have goverment permission to die.

Marge, you are insane the majority of Americans didnt vote for health care reform they voted to end the war and close Gitmo. Obama isnt doing eithor and in 6 months has run a larger deficet then Bush did in 6 years of war. If your worried about personal freedom Bush took them under but used his war authorities as President to justify it. Obama no longer calls it a war but uses the same e-mail tapping and phone tapping systems haha he doesnt even try to claim it is to figh a war. So please don't think America is safer now and wants to get rid of the Blue Dogs they wanted to get out of Iraq cause it was costing to much now we in six months spen what we did in 6 years and you think the blue dogs arethe problem hahaha

If this healthcare bill passes, you only have to look to Europe and Canada to see what our future will be: rationing of services, long waiting lists, and high taxes to pay for it. NOTHING the government does is efficient or cost-effective. The government is an unfair competitor and will drive private insurance companies out of business. Wake up, America!

Marge,

Yes, good policy...don't try to re-elect incumbent democrats in these overwhelmingly conservative districts- that would be brilliant! Finding an electable democrat in Red State country is so easy, right? Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will last a long time in south dakota if she became fiscally liberal, won't she? Or Earl Pomeroy in ND, or any democrat in rural Tennessee, or a host of other dems in conservative districts...You think a Pelosi liberal gets elected in those districts? Pass the bong, Marge, pass the bong...we all need a little hit of what gives you such acute political horse-sense.

I don't think this country is ready for
Healthcare reform. We just spent 2 trillion on stimulis and bail outs. The global warming bills are huge. With that much debt and printing of more money it means incredible inflation and already other country's are keeping track of the US dollar's worth. It's like this. We consider buying in Mexico cheap. Now US will be considered cheap and we will have trouble affording things elsewhere and in the US. This is why I think it's not time for healthcare that means costs (the global warming one will raise costs too) and more taxes if we can't finance it. Healthcare is meant to cover "everyone" (remember care for all the children) which means including people who have never paid into the system e.g. illegal aliens. They are sending they're extra money back to Mexico isn't it time we have then take some of that money to pay in taxes for all the services they get: education (49% of LAUSD is children of illegals), medical care, etc.

The only way to save our country is to throw the LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, who are really SOCIALISTS out of office. And preferably since they are a bunch of LYING AMERICA-HATERS maybe out of the country. Let's be sure to write to the DNC and tell them to leave working Americans alone -- and stop asking for more taxes.

Does anyone really know what needs to be fixed in health care? Not really.
To here the President talk. You may need a pill instead of surgery. You may need to limit procedures to the elderly.--Because these costs are a drain on society. Could this be extended to an emergency room refusing surgery to a gang-banger with a gun shot room? allowing him to bleed out because of his drain on society..Perhaps we limit the number of children a women with no means of support can deliver...Perhaps a child born with severe defects is euthanised upon delivery...Perhaps those who are pre-disposed to genetic defects are sterilized...A little scary..But a government employee could make those decisions...

A 1000 page bill that is not read by those voting on it and shoved down the throats of the public should be considered mal-practice.

This Cooper guys seems to be one of the more level-headed voices I've heard on this "healthcare reform" stuff. I am a conservative, that agrees healthcare needs some work, but in no way do we need this complete overhaul that Obama appears to be pitching (that he hasn't even read). It'll cost trillions, and until he had Rahm bully the CBO, was being proven in his own house to be worse than what we have today, fiscally speaking.

If we really wanted unviersal healthcare, why in the WORLD would we green-light a system that will cost more and probably serve less people in the end? It's a huge disconnect in my mind. Unless the talking heads on the right are more correct than people give them credit for and it is primarily a leftist power grab being dressed up as a feel-good bill.

I supported Barack Obama in 2008, but the honeymoon is over!!! His first 6 mos. in office rival James Earl Carter and I can honestly acknowledge I made a mistake. He has already gone down as one of the worst presidents of all time and it is his 1st year. His cabinet and staff resemble the 3 stooges, starting with Joe Biden down to the imbecile Press Sec't Gibbs, who is in over his head like his boss. I apologize America for my participation in the Mistake of '08.

Tort Reform and take the illegals out. This should be for American citizens only. Thank God for the fiscally conservative politicians on both sides. This isn't what middle America wants. Cleaning up the financial messes behind the democrats is getting really old.

I'll believe Congress and the Prez really believe in healthcare reform when Congress and all federal employees will have the same healthcare plan they are devising for the rest of us.

We have to ensure that only American citizens are insured in whatever HC plan they come up with. Obama said 'no' when asked if illegals are covered. Yet the Heller Amendment was rejected last week. That amendment would have required proof of US citizenship prior to enrolling. Now anyone can enroll and WE pay for it! US taxpayers would subsidize a family of four making up to $88/year. We need to fight this and make sure illegals are deported - not given HC on the backs of the US taxpayers.

I want to see the congress commit themselves and their families to use the same health care plan they are trying to foist off on us. Now why do you suppose we're not seeing that, hmmm?

There's a bigger problem out there, now, for the Blue Dogs. They are being threatened with loss of being on "good committees."

At one point? I thought the donks would get sane, enough, that it was Pelosi who wouldn't make it in the majority chair, come October.

But Obama has an "instant gratification" need. And, he's willing to show not just his mask falling; but what the democraps stand for. With even the elderly now up in arms. (To say nothing of a Massachusetts poll showing 99% of all workers standing behind Sgt. Crowley.

If this is such a good plan, then the government officials who vote for this should have to forfeit their health plan when they are not re-elected.

Don't worry Marge. The way things are going lately, by next election not only will the country we be rid of the darn, dirty, Blue Dog Dems but also the 'truthful', and 'honest' liberals like Pelosi, Dodd and Barney Frank.

Might want to save your DNC donation money, ma'am.

Well, Marge, the thinking citizens of this country will, hopefully, fire most of the dems in 2010. Too bad we can't fire their boss, but we'd have to get rid of Biden, Pelosi and Byrd, first. Although that would leave Hillary... lord, this country's in a tough spot.

I wish our insipid marxist president, along with the incompetent vice president AND the hideously revolting speaker of the house would get in a big car and drive over a bridge...with Ted Kennedy behind the wheel.

CHANGE...it's ALL you'll be left with.

What I can't understand is how so many liberals want this Obamacare passed...please tell me why??? Costs are outrageous, healthcare will be rationed, you will have to let gov't tell you what procedures you can have, and to top it all off, illegal aliens will be getting the same coverage as average Americans!!! And Congress doesn't have to change their coverage!!! What is wrong with you liberals!!! Wake up from the Obama-trance!!!!!

Marge.........What is your objection to the bipartisan bill Congressman Cooper referred to? Isn't that what President Obama ran on, bipartisanship? The congressional leadership and the President have been everything but bipartisan.
You don't save something by destroying it! Just what have the blue dogs been lying about?

Sure, Marge. By throwing out the only sensible, if not resonsible wing of the Democrat Party, you'll render the party small and too liberal for its own good. Everyone knows this healthcare scheme is pure madness. Utopia is expensive.

John Hockenberry: I’m going to come at you pretty hard right at the top here. There’s a Democratic majority in the House, a Democratic majority in the Senate, Democrats have the White House, it would appear that one might conclude that there’s a consensus in America that the Democrats’ vision is what should proceed in the government here

Uh yeah John, one might conclude that....if they didn't read a single poll on issue - all of them clearly pointing to Americans not wanting Obamacare.

Congressman Cooper is facing opposition in his home district for being the next-most liberal member of his state's entire delegation. To characterize Jim Cooper as a republican is to insult republicans and conservatives everywhere. He's to liberal to be a Republican, yet too conservative to be a true-blue Democrat. Sucks to be him.

"I think we need more adult supervision in Congress. We’re a group of 435 people, it’s very difficult to organize, and the White House has the bully pulpit so we welcome their supervision." This statement doesn't sit well on its face, but one either is in campaign-travel the country & world mode (with a drink a beer session here and there) or in leadership mode. Hard to give serious attention to both.

Marge hates the Blue Dogs? The only sane ones in the democrat party. I hope the loons do go on a Blue Dog attack. The Blue Dogs need to join fiscal conservatives in the Republican Party and make the GOP into what it used to be and should be now, a conservative party.

The only way to save this country is to throw DEMOCRATS, who are really communists out of office. And preferably since they are a bunch of liars maybe out of the country. Let's be sure to write to the RNC and tell them to impeach this neo-marxist radical, left wing extremist, black supremacist, racist, who is pretending to be president.

I love it. 1994-2006 Dems watched while RINOs like McCain and Specter weakened the party. This was partly due to the Karl Rove startegy of "any republican is good republican."

Now, Rahm "Josh Lymon" Emanuel did the same thing with dems with the same results so far! Can the name "DINO" be more than a few months away?

And the Democrats are the epitome of integrity, and represent all that is right with the world...

Riiiiight...LOL

Actually, Tennessee's old TennCare system is closer to what they want to do.

Too bad the media doesn't want to report on it. Big failure. Worse than Mass.

Didn't hear about TennCare? Then you're not being given the news you need to make a real decision. You need more news sources because the MSM will NOT report about TennCare.

You do that. What a tool, they were the only dems you could get elected in their districts because they are conservatives and most of the country is not anti-American, anti-capitalist liberals. They got elected being conservative because people reject your lib ideas, you cant win at the ballot box with the marxist garbage you people love. No matter, in 2010, most of them will be gone anyway but they won't be replaced by libs, that's for sure. We will make your marxist poser in the white house a lame duck for two years and then dump him like so much garbage too.

No sweat Margie, they'll be gone in 2010 along with a HUGE number of Democrats in both Houses. The liberals have screwed up so badly, led by thier total empty suit of a president, it will make the Democrat losses in 1994 look like a picnic.

When the government can run the VA (Veterans Administration) healthcare system, then... AND ONLY THEN should they consider doing anything.

Medicare & Medicaid are going bankrupt and the VA is run like a Cuban hospital.

And they want to expand this?

FIX IT FIRST! WHEN YOU PROVE YOU CAN DO THAT, THEN I'LL GIVE YOU THE TIME OF DAY!

If you throw the Blue Dogs out, the GOP will have the majority. Just look at the mess the feds have made with VA hospitals and medicare. You really want these same people running our health care. We need reform, but the Blue Dog options are a whole lot healthier and sustainable than the mess that The Speaker is trying to foist on us.

See Romney's disaster in Mass. for details on where this current proposal will take our nation. Longer waits to see your doctors and a bankrupt government. What a nice gift to our kids.

"But it does appear that Americans do want something to happen."

Hockenberry is not backed up by the polls. Most people are happy with their healthcare. Liberals, who believe healthcare is a right and who believe profits are wrong want "healthcare reform". This is a Trojan Horse for European style government runs systems.

Hey Marge, guess what? Those blue dogs were heavily recruited and urged to run by Rahm Emmanuel & his cronies with the end result being Republicans ousted out of office. Well, those chickens have come home to roost now haven't they? You have no one to blame but your own party. And they're the saviors of this country.

print more money! throw it at the problem! when that fails ...print more money.
hellofasolution.

What Marge does not see is that Blue dogs are blue dogs because they live in states that are more Red than Blue. Throw them out in 2010-12 and you will see a Republican majority back in congress and this whole mess stopped.

The only way to save this health care bill and get on with saving the country is to throw the BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS, who are really republicans out of office. And preferably since they are a bunch of liars maybe out of the country.

Let's be sure to write to the DNC and tell them none of the money you donate will go to the Down and Dirty Blue Dogs or you will not support the party with your money.