BJean

ariscus, thanks for bringing my words back to light for all to see. I appreciate it. They are brilliant enough to show again, I agree. :-) And as for your friend's words, who's surprised that he doesn't want to be a doctor with the health care system that we've had. Doctors haven't been given a fair shake by the insurance companies either. They have their decisions monitored by insurance companies, who have wedged themselves between the patient and doctor. They have a tremendous amount of paperwork that they have to deal with because of insurance companies. And as my doctor said... several years ago, the U.S. is no longer able to recruit the best and brightest young Americans to become doctors. Now we have thousands of doctors who have been schooled in foreign countries, who have English as a second language and there wasn't been any promise of it turning around during the Bush administration. In fact, year by year it got worse! You hear what you want to hear. We all do of course, but you really need to stop jumping to conclusions when you read something bad. Stop assuming that it is because of this president that bad things have happened. We haven't been recruiting the best and brightest for medicine long before President Obama was elected and took office. You all are trying to re-write history but too many of us know the truth. We freakin' had to live through that crap that your guy brought down on our shoulders.

ariscus: said when speaking of what George W. Bush did for him: "Protected me and my country from additional terrorist attacks." Yeah, you personally didn't die in a terrorist attack. And Dubya personally saw to that. Brilliant! Because if you think that invading Iraq saved you from terrorist attacks, you're wrong again. The terrorists have become stronger and better funded because of that war. That invasion - shock and awe - as Georgie called it, was a huge mistake and of course, we will pay the price for it. In fact, the humongous debt we have is due in large part to that war. Now what is more important to you, no new taxes or paying off the debt we already have for a war we should never have waged? That your hero, Geo Bush, got us into. And you say that you pay 50% in income tax on a combined salary of $200,000? Dude, you're doing something really wrong. Or perhaps when I scanned your post I didn't understand what you were saying. As for comparing me with Cleo'smom, what a compliment!! Thank you so much. I don't deserve it, but if I in any way can be compared to her, I am humbled and feel a strong sense of pride at the suggestion. And I'm sure that you and patty have such a similar mutual admiration thing going on, eh?

ariscus: "You said the young mean spirited part and she said the wouldn't help my neighbor, part. " Clarify please. I don't know what you're referring to and if you're going to quote me, please quote ME and don't quote someone else and attribute it to me.

I haven't watched Rachel Maddow since the vote but I wouldn't be surprised if she is calling for Limbaugh to put his money where his mouth is and get the heck out of Dodge.

Pure and simple ka-ka-doody. Nice piece of propaganda but sorry, it just doesn't wash. Stand out of the way and let the people who CAN fix America, get the job done. We've had plenty of your kind of thinking and we all know where it brought us. This so reminiscent of when the Republicans had the white house under Reagen and Clinton took office. Just get the hell out of the way and wait your turn to screw it up again, please!

Good grief!!! I cannot believe that someone is still trying to make federal funding for abortion an issue relating to the health care bill. Well I guess I shouldn't be shocked. These are the same people who ranted and raved about the war in Iraq having merit long after we knew, for sure, that the WMD stuff was a load of garbage! As for your insurance company refusing to pay for an abortion, just remember that the folks who run the insurance companies are the same wealthy dudes who have convinced ignorant Americans that there is something in the bill that provides federal funding for abortions. And for them, it really is NOT about the abortion issue. It is REALLY about their greed for the almighty dollar. Not paying for a medical procedure, whatever it is, only makes them richer.

phil, cleo's and Leisha, all making excellent points, as usual. Of course the tea baggers aren't actually bringing up the race card when they do all they can to insult the president and his administration. If they did, they would be seen for what they really are and they can't have that, now can they. Right wing extremists have been a part of America since day one. They've really come out of the woodwork and become even more militant and obnoxious since the Fox network and others have encouraged the kind of thinking that they possess. Now they are even more dangerous and have recruited people who might normally just quietly wait out their opportunity to vote. People like that seem to feel there's safety in numbers. The more they recruit and the more garbage that Limbaugh, Beck and others spew, the stronger they feel they are. I, for one, am sick of it. And I hope that they remember that they aren't the only ones who have a right to bear arms. Because if anything happens to the president, at their hands, Americans are not going to put up with it.

P.S. What I want for Americans is a good universal health care plan that doesn't exclude hard-working, law abiding citizens from having access to the best health care in the world. You know, the thing that so many Americans can't get from the system we have now. Yes! Government run health care, that's right! The demon government in charge of a system that will not discriminate or disenfranchise anyone, just the thing that our country promises. It is the very least we can provide for our people and it actually amounts to the most important thing that we should provide.

Utter complete bull$shite. Greed is what is running them into the ground. And trying to ruin this country too. Most progressives aren't interested in a "nanny" state. But I wouldn't expect you to understand what they do want. I'm sure you don't have time in your mental thought processes to give anything but your own opinions any mental time. This peeing contest is silly. You aren't open to considering an alternative way of solving America's problems and we had 8 years of the way you want things to roll. Those 8 years are proof positive that what you champion doesn't work. So let's give up the silliness, shall we?

Still no real answers, airscus? Just silly sarcasm, eh? Or are you trying to say that this new health care bill is the end of capitalism? Nothing would surprise me. The way some of you think is truly mind boggling.

phil we might as well use humor to deal with the situation. Logic and knowledge doesn't seem to enter the minds of the right wing fanatics. They're too hell-bent (yes, hell-bent) on being obtuse and ugly. Hell-bent, first cousin of the Bent-ley. Har. Lame I know, but anyway, whatever...

patty: "No they wont. They'll be blaming thier folks for allowing the government to have such control of their lives and blaming them for the tremendous debt that they had to inherit. Just like we blame all of those in the past for the sham called Social security and the bill we have to keep paying and all the other government programs that are in bankruptcy." Ha, ha, ha, patty you crack me up. You silly, silly girl.

patty: "I know that the president has made a promise to not allow any funding for abortions in the HC bill that was passed yesterday, but he is a liar and can not be trusted with his promises. They are just talk to me. He talks to get his way. If ONE abortion is paid for with tax dollars someway somehow through trickery and deceitfulness, I believe the people will be in an uproar and there will be division that will be too thick to cut with a knife." It is comments like this that are too outrageous to be believed!!! If I hadn't read so many of your posts I wouldn't believe that you really mean it. Come on girl, settle down. Don't make problems for yourself that don't exist. You've got your gut in a knot over something that is a flat out lie. And I'm not talking about the president's lie because he hasn't lied. I'm talking about the lie I quoted of yours, above. If you want a good example of a president who lies, go back over all the lies that led up to our invasion of Iraq. Now that should get your stomach in a knot - especially considering that it looks like that band of thieves won't ever have to answer for it in court. And you have this president to thank for that.

That's great news rodriguez! My little girl had to be fed every 2 hours for 5 months. I was nearly at the end of my rope before she would take a bottle. About the time I thought I couldn't put one foot in front of the other, she grew and started accepting a bottle and allowing her daddy to feed her. So I sure know the bone tired exhaustion that you're probably feeling. The good part is that they grow pretty fast and things get better soon. I'm very happy that things are turning out so well with your new baby girl! Congratulations.

Thanks Cleo's you spared me the effort. I notice that ariscus has still not answered the questions. I asked them because I'm trying to figure out why anyone but people who gain from the insurance company's profits, would support them in this debate.

Let's say your information is totally on the up and up, ariscus. Just for discussion purposes of course. How in the world have the insurance companies been able to afford all the billions they've spent to defeat this bill - both in lobbyists fees and congressional bribes as well as the ads the run ad naseum on television? And why bother if their profits are so insignificant? Why not focus on providing a different kind of insurance?

katlaws... a political prisoner case? Steven Segal? Tell us more!! Chuck Norris is a gun totin' redneck. He has always portrayed such single-dimension characters and when you see him in person, you realize that he probably wasn't acting. I know. I know. How do I really feel about him...

I can never think of Rumsfeld's name. And I can't forget Carl Rove's no matter how hard I try. Such a motley crew. Cleo's do you ever go to movies? You should see "Green Zone" with Matt Damon. It is touted as being a typical Matt Damon spy thriller but it isn't. And it is very well done. And whether it is precisely true is pretty unimportant. It does paint a very plausible picture of what we think went on behind the scenes. And it will make you want to clamp the handcuffs on the bad guys.

Yeah, how'ya doin' rodrigquez? Well I hope!!

phil, you nut. You're 64. Your personal data sez so. You're already grown up. So move in next door to Rush and make him share some of his prescripts with you. But don't be surprised if it makes you a raving maniac. And don't expect your insurance company to pay for the drugs. And if they do cover your drugs, don't expect anything but lesser generic drug buzzes. A Bentley eh? I actually drive a Jaguar XK8. Eat your heart out. Seriously haven't had it long. It's not in the neighborhood of a Bentley but it's all mine and it's a blast! Of course when cute guys see my chubby butt climbing in and out of it, they might be put off a little, but if I get the sleeve and make my goal, I'm gonna be dangerous!

Thanks Colorado!

Hey k-man! Yes, the answer to both is yes. I probably have developed another hiatal hernia and the band may have slipped enough that there is no "sweet spot" to be had for me. I'm like Leigha. I would not be happy to just have the band removed. That's what my husband wishes I would do. Because the sleeve is so permanent and such a drastic measure. Which is why I got the band in the first place. I thought it was something that could quite easily be removed if I didn't make a success of it. Well that's not true. Removing one after 3.5 years is a pretty big deal. I know a lot of people have it done, but there are always adhesions after this long and that gets to be a sticky wicket - if you'll pardon the expression. So I'm still in the process of making the decision. I go for an upper G.I. soon and that will at least give me the physical reason why the band hasn't worked out well for me. Not only do I not want to gain back the weight I've kept off, but I still have 40 more lbs. to lose. My doc did say that the most successful sleeve conversion patients are the ones who were initially very successful with the band. Which I do find troublesome and that's why I am wanting to talk to people. I sure do not have one of the most succesfull band stories. Are you asking for a reason other than simple curiosity?

ariscus: "So everyone who works there should work for free? Or for minimum wage? Ah heck just let the government support them, thats why it's there right?" This kind of sarcasm is one reason why you're losing the battle. If you had seriously fair arguments in this debate, people would be willing to discuss it and give you some leeway. But everything has to be so far out in right field it is ridiculous. Insurance companies take home profits in the billions of dollars. While the people paying them that money get denied coverage or get kicked out when they have a catastrophic medical condition. How in the world can you possibly defend that kind of system? I believe in a capitalistic society as long as it doesn't create two distinct classes in that society - the obscenely wealthy and the obscenely poor. By the very nature of capitalism, greed has a way of becoming the norm and that is what has happened to us. Corporations became simply motivated by the "bottom line" and to hell with their workers, or in the case of insurance companies, to hell with the people they are supposed to be insuring. For capitalism to work, there must be some fairness in trade. If they are not going to govern themselves, then we want the government to step in and do it. As individuals we have absolutely no chance to do it on our own. The same thing happened with doctors and malpractice lawsuits. Yeah malpractice lawsuits got crazy but it was because of the incredibly unfair way that people were being treated when doctors did bad things that could have been avoided. They didn't police their own, they watched out for their own instead of the people they were supposed to be taking care of. The insurance companies brought this on themselves and you and others like you want to pat them on the head and tell then that they should keep up the good work of making all the profits that our capitalistic society can give them. And to hell with any and every body whose health suffers because of their "bottom line." It isn't right and the American people are not going to put up with it anymore. We need a good universal health care system. We need it and we deserve it. So if you think that you can keep the status quo forever when things have become so awful for so many people, you are wrong.

I'd like to post on Facebook: Those who wish to try Geroge W. Bush, Dick Cheney and others for war crimes, say AYE! But my conservative pals would ostracize me. In Texas, that would make me pretty much friendless.

Absolutely no offense taken! Glad you're free of LB issues. Unfortunately I am considering the sleeve. I have gone to the sleeve website but there's not a whole lot to read. Someone has already used my name there and I can't think of another one so I haven't logged on to ask questions. Duh. Surgery is a while off in the future. My doctor's office is having some of their patients call me so I can ask them about the things I'm worried about. Doctors don't seem to volunteer anything if it is something that might slow you down from allowing them to cut. Only semi-serious... I like my doctor a lot.