the current republican party

There is a difference between holding a particular tax or spending or health-care view and asserting that an American who supports another approach or is a member of a different political party is an advocate of an 'ism' of hate that encompasses gulags and concentration camps.

One framework of thought defines rival ideas; the other, enemies." As a result, "citizens of various philosophical persuasions are reflecting increased disrespect for fellow citizens and thus for modern-day democratic governance. This view is pushed by the current Republican Party.

And more bizarre, significant public figures have toyed with hints of history-blind radicalism -- the notion of 'secession. This is Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry's effort to ride to reelection by invoking a concept thatwas discredited in 1865.

healthcare reform vs. our republican senators

To our Senators---Right now, insurance companies deny coverage by claiming pre-existing conditions and other excuses to deny coverage therefore they have taken control of our health care away from our Doctors and are effectively denying treatments.

We didn't read that in your canned response. So, you just lost out support by talking around the real problem with healthcare in our country. Thank you

why iraq?

read today: Anyone who believes that the US attacked Iraq to take out a tyrant that we had for years armed, supported and funded is clearly mad, for just like we overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 to impose upon the Iranian people a murderous dictator like the Shah, we did the same thing in Iraq for no other reason than to line the pockets of US oil executives (i.e. G.W. Bush and his cronies).

Sure we provided record profits for the US arms dealers and mercenary contractors like Blackwater and other tax dollar thieves like Haliburton(Cheney's company), and killed over one hundred thousand Iraqi civilians, but in the end what we did makes what Saddam did pale in comparison.

why we didn't get Bin Laden???

"Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of U.S. troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when American military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force, a Senate report says."

Maybe they NEEDED Bin Laden alive, when you are down to one boogeyman and you are in the middle of two no-bid, big-profit wars, BOTH based on fear of that one boogeyman, you don't want to kill your boogeyman.

At least until that last no-bid billion has been wrung from the American taxpayer.

republican gut players get us false wars

President George W. Bush once boasted, "I'm not a textbook player, I'm a gut player." The new tenant of the Oval Office takes a strikingly different approach. President Obama is almost defiantly deliberative, methodical and measured, even when critics accuse him of dithering. When describing his executive style, he goes into Spock mode, saying, "You've got to make decisions based on information and not emotions."
It's that Bush's gut that got us into that false war in Iraq.

republican lies

The republican birther movement claims that Obama was born outside the United States and is ineligible to be president. The Constitution states that a person must be a "natural-born citizen" to be eligible for the presidency. Birthers contend that Obama's birth certificate is a fake, and many say he was actually born in Kenya, his father's homeland.

Obama's Hawaii birth certificate along with birth notices from the two Honolulu newspapers were brought forward even before he took office. State officials in Hawaii have repeatedly confirmed that Obama was born in Honolulu.

right wing-nuts not good for our country

In modern memory, Capitol Hill has never been so polarized. With conservatives refusing to reach across the aisle, it will be hard to get even the most modest health-insurance reform through the U.S. Senate, where a 41-vote minority can block legislation. Without bipartisanship, forget about reducing the deficit or doing anything meaningful on the environment, immigration, or tax reform.

The Republican right is hellbent to crush the last scattered remnants of the old moderate GOP establishment--or any Republican who will work with the opposition. The talk-show shouters are cheering on the final purge, demanding purity.

By definition, populist movements run on a fervor that confuses honorable compromise with appeasement. Everything is reduced to us and them. This is particularly destructive when it occurs within parties.

During the Reagan-Bush administration, the Bushes of Texas (but really Connecticut) were never all that comfortable with the Reagans of Hollywood. But they worked at getting along. The easier course is to rant and rail on The O'Reilly Factor. That will get you a big cable-TV audience.

But it risks turning off the larger public to politics altogether. And that can't be good for the country.

republicans are no, no, no on everything

As of last Monday, the Senate majority had filed 58 cloture motions requiring 32 recorded votes. One of the more outrageous cases involved an extension in unemployment benefits, a no-brainer in light of the dismal economy. The bill ultimately cleared the Senate this month by 98 to 0.

The vote came only after the Republicans launched three filibusters against the bill and tried to lard it with unrelated amendments, delaying passage by nearly a month. And you wonder why it's so hard to pass health care?

How special interests are destroying good healthcare reform

One operative tried to enlist trade groups in Maine to oppose government-run health coverage. Another helped a member of a Las Vegas conservative group appear on local talk radio to criticize the proposal. A third persuaded a Louisiana activist to post an opinion piece on a conservative blog.

These below-the-radar activities were the handiwork of a law firm in Charlotte, N.C., that operates a secretive group called Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare. The organization's sponsors remain a mystery — its Web site offers no clues, and the law firm won't say.

Hassan's motive is clear to me

We, the Army and taxpayers, paid for his medical education. Now he doesn't want to fullfill his part of the bargain.

Why you ask? Here is the reason>>> "In the Koran, you’re not supposed to have alliances with Jews or Christian or others, and if you are killed in the military fighting against Muslims, you will go to hell.” so said a Muslim.

If that is true, every devout Muslim should be riffed from military service, for his or her protection AND OURS.

What Healthcare Ins. Cos. are costing us

ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY EXECS (2006, 2007, or 2008 figures):
• Ronald A. Williams, Chair/ CEO, Aetna Inc., $23,045,834; $24.3 million in 2008
• H. Edward Hanway, Chair/ CEO, Cigna Corp, $30.16 million
• David B. Snow, Jr, Chair/ CEO, Medco Health, $21.76 million
• Michael B. MCallister, CEO, Humana Inc, $20.06 million
• Stephen J. Hemsley, CEO, UnitedHealth Group, $13,164,529
• Angela F. Braly, President/ CEO, Wellpoint, $9,094,771; $9.8 million in 2008
• Dale B. Wolf, CEO, Coventry Health Care, $20.86 million
• Jay M. Gellert, President/ CEO, Health Net, $16.65 million
• William C. Van Faasen, Chairman, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, $3 million plus $16.4 million in retirement benefits
• Charlie Baker, President/ CEO, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, $1.5 million
• James Roosevelt, Jr., CEO, Tufts Associated Health Plans, $1.3 million
• Raymond McCaskey, CEO, Health Care Service Corp (Blue Cross Blue Shield), $10.3 million
• Daniel P. McCartney, CEO, Healthcare Services Group, Inc, $ 1,061,513
• Daniel Loepp, CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, $1,657,555
• Todd S. Farha, CEO, WellCare Health Plans, $5,270,825
• Michael F. Neidorff, CEO, Centene Corp, $8,750,751
• Daniel Loepp, CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, $1,657,555