Words cannot even begin to describe the disgust and outrage I feel faced when such a blatantly hypocritical, backwards twisting of the concept of civil rights.

Enough to make anyone feel sick... (Including a former Republican...such as myself.)

Let the crazies be disobedient. Then we can throw them in jail and take away their voting rights.

This family wouldn't know civil rights if it bit them where their brains are (in their ass)

Civil Rights? Civil Disobedience? What are they going to do? Sit-in at their insurance company and demand to be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition? March and sing "We shall overcome the extended coverage for our children?"

Oh boy.... where to start. I'm going to guess without Tom's fundraising Gunner "Nelson" DeLay would be at the back of this esteemed class lining up for the 3rd District seat. Sadly, he will likely be a frontrunner. The rights of the white man (like me) have been pushed upon for too long. Let's start a movement. I think Gunner's best movements have all been in the washroom, sadly.

Gunner and Hammer, violent names that are perfect for white sheet and cone hat advocates. We know whose side they're on when it comes to REAL civil rights.

Just like uninsured drivers create financial hazard and higher insurance rates for the rest of us, medically uninsured Americans, who can't possibly pay the cost of their care -even after they lose their life savings and their homes in the process of trying- are a big part of what drive up the cost of both our actual care and our insurance now. Thank God that's about to change.

Republicans are using the threat of “socialism” and “Marxism” as if it were something evil. Allow me to remind everyone that socialism/Marxism parallels our Constitution in that it promises equality for all. We currently function under a capitalist society, which is why Big Pharm, Big Agra, and other huge corporations dictate our lives. THEY make all the money because we allow them to exploit us. Isn’t it time WE THE PEOPLE stood up???

"Bring it back in line with the Constitutional framework?!!" Where were these people when the Patriot Act was passed and Bush/Cheney tossed the Costitution on the fire?

I am so happy this Health Reform has passed! Nothing is perfect. Everything has a time element where it may need fixed. That is OKAY! Do not panic people! We eventually fix our new cars, our houses, our sick bodies, and our outdated laws. They say medicare/social security is broken. If so, let's fix it. At least look at the time element that I mentioned. It did work for some time. We would never say, "Don't get a kidney or heart transplant because it will eventually be broken." If it saved a life for even a short period of time, it was worth it; noone would dispute that? If we can have mandatory car insurance, why not make health insurance mandatory so that we do not end up paying for someone else's hospital bill because they had no health insurance or money to pay for it! So if my taxes go up or my health insurance bill right now will go up, so what! -- I have contributed to a much better country -- The USA and leader of our free world!

Get back to what constitution? Ben Franklin wanted the constitution to turn over every twenty years so that it could better keep up with the times. They left several parts of it ambiguous on purpose so it could transcend time.

Every other developed nation has health care. We are ranked below Cuba.

BTW to change anything in a democracy you have to use the bureaucratic processes not civil disobedience and violence.

Hmmm.. Rachel... I live In Conway, Ar. I have posted this editorial (below) (last night, actually) in the local newspapers online. (and at thier FB profile pages, etc.)

I wonder if my speaking truth to stale ideology and fear-mongering tactics has the local politicos scared? I damn sure hope so!

"People should not be afraid of thier government, it is Government that should be afraid of it's people."

I will not give up the fight! Love you Rachel!! (You are one of my inspirations!) (mua!)

I was an Obama supporter early on. After he took office, my admiration and support for him faltered. I still have my criticisms of Obama, but again, he is still rather new also. We'll see if he lives up to his promises. I will be watching, as you should as well, and I will be holding him accountable, as you should too. He is not *my* President, he is *our* President.

I was opposed to this legislation because I am in favor of single-payer. Being realistic, I abandoned that hope of that happening *right now* because in todays political climate, it simply isn't realistic. (Sorry Dennis K.!) (Maybe in 50 years?)

I was still opposed to this bill though, because of all it's shortcomings and some mandates it has, until I realized; after over a year of debate (in reality, over a century) and nearly nothing but opposition from the right (yes there was a lot of good amendments added by members of the right, but mostly it was just opposition/sabotage.) I realized that, flawed as this bill may be, it is sadly about the best thing that could get passed. Considering the lack of cooperation of the right, all the fear-mongering, lies, hatefullness, name-calling and deliberate half-truths being told to derail *any* attempt at *any* reform at all.

That is the sad fact. Our political discourse and climate is such that to pass *any* legislation today at all; is nearly historic. (Again, sadly)

So at the last moment... within the last few weeks actually, I got behind this bill. Not for its shortcomings or its flaws, not for the Democratic Party, not for Nancy pelosi or Harry Reid or Barack Obama's legacy; but because I see this bill for what it *is*....
The framework for building true reform in the future. This is merely an important baby step... Nothing more, nothing less.

This bill has provisions that will go into effect *this year* that will effect all of us *positively* though, so it *isn't* a bad bill, actually. Considering the right's "no bill at all" approach, especially! Could it have been better? Yes! Can we *all* hopefully, on both sides, work together now to make it better? Absolutely.

I want to take a moment to link you to a website that will show you the benefits in this bill that NOW, everyone in the nation will begin enjoying, as well as some websites that will inform you on what is actually in this bill - both now and in the future.

(This site below actually covers *every* district in the *entire* nation, so you may simply look up your district, and you will see the benefits in *that* district as a PDF document.)
-or- "What's in it for me?"

You can share this link with anyone, as it covers the nation and is an official U.S. government website. (so please do share with everyone, your conservative friends, especially!)

I am convinced that now that this is passed, everyone will find it popular...that may take some time for those who get their political news from Faux News(?) Channel commentary, or rigid ideology but the proof is in the pudding as they say. We shall see.

This bill is historic in the reforms it has brought about, regardless of your ideology.

I will say "You're welcome" to all of those who oppose this bill, regardless. You'll understand *why* later.

Thanks for listening and I hope you find the websites below, helpful!

How will *my* district benefit from Health Care Reform? (from the Department of Energy and Commerce website.):

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1924:benefits-of-health-care-reform-district-by-district-impact&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55

After the Senate 'reconciles' the bills and Obama signs it into law, what happens *immediately*? (this year, 2010):

1. Adult children may remain as dependents on their parents’ policy until their 27th birthday.
2. Children under age 19 may not be excluded for pre-existing conditions.
3. No more lifetime or annual caps on coverage.
4. Free preventative care for all.
5. Adults with pre-existing conditions may buy into a national high-risk pool until the exchanges come online. While these will not be cheap, they’re still better than total exclusion and get some benefit from a wider pool of insureds.
6. Small businesses will be entitled to a tax credit for 2009 and 2010, which could be as much as 50% of what they pay for employees’ health insurance.
7. The “donut hole” closes for Medicare patients, making prescription medications more affordable for seniors.
8. Requirement that all insurers must post their balance sheets on the Internet and fully disclose administrative costs, executive compensation packages, and benefit payments.
9. Authorizes early funding of community health centers in all 50 states (Bernie Sanders’ amendment). Community health centers provide primary, dental and vision services to people in the community, based on a sliding scale for payment according to ability to pay.
10. AND no more rescissions. Effective immediately, you can't lose your insurance because you get sick.

What about the Mandates? Illegals? Abortion? (and other questions answered...)

From CBS news:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000846-503544.html

Knowledge is power. I urge you to read up on this. It is happening now, whether you were an active part of mthe process or not and regardless if you are informed or not. So...best to be informed, right? (even better to be active in being part of our Democratic process!)

:)

This is why no one takes the teabaggers seriously.

Gunner, Hammer-delay is the operative word here. Once you get over not getting your way-read the Bible where it says "Blessed are the poor" or maybe "simply love one another" or maybe read the preamble to the Constitution for something more current.

"We the people of the United States , in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare for ourselves and our posterity and so on".....if you know how to read as well as you know how to load your gun, then maybe you can take stock of what this country IS all about......not self promotion or self agrandisement(sp).Figures you are Republican and cannot wait to start more violence.....I am sick of all that trash. You want to dump trash-go to the transfer station in your local town and dump away. Leave the rest of us to our security and healthier lives....we don't need or want your kind of arrogance nor your kind of trash dumped on us. You are as far from American/Ethical/Moral as one can possibly get.

Sounds like the White Nationalist platform to me.

@Richard V: thanks for a thoughtful and rational post.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

jojerome, you win. have to make breakfast. cannot read all this, but dang, yes, indeedy. i can see it now... 'we demand to have our coverage dropped, now that we're sixty two and need a doctor more often than ever'

Let's see what happens when the Republican constituents start getting healthcare and weeding out the lies that were spewed for an entire year. Personally I don't think the Dems have to worry in November

So, are the Republicans suggesting that Article I Section 8 of the US Constitution is unconstitutional, or are they reading a different constitution?

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

I don't think it could be clearer than that.

Them socialists is takin' away our God-given right to get sick! "Sick at last, sick at last, thank God almighty I'm sick at last!"

What we all continually forget is that reality is in the eyes of the beholder. The more we see rational, positive outcomes from the actual legislation... the more those who are unable to comprehend for themselves will be told it is bad... and the more they will believe what they are told no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. We MUST keep telling folks "this is a good start, this is a good start"....We can not just pat each other on the back for a job well done and simply go back to life as usual.

I wonder if people who are calling this a marxist/ socialist agenda can even define those terms!?!

Their fears of "socialism" ring hollow and foolish with both Obama and the Democratic party. There is nothing socialist about this bill in the least. For one thing, mandating that everybody purchase private insurance is the opposite of Marxist socialism and, is in fact, corporate cronyism. And without a public option it becomes the opposite of socialism. It becomes a corporate giveaway to the fat-cats on wall street and it hurts working class Americans. Otherwise this bill is just normal regulation of an otherwise capitalist marketplace. In practice it is no different then the FDA regulating food safety.

The Republicans are displaying their political amateurishness by making these ridiculous claims. Objectively the farthest left Democrat is still center right, and neither of the parties have the political cajones to gamble their tentative political capital on doing the right thing rather then the most expedient thing or the most lucrative thing for their political careers. They may have made their corporate donors happy with this bill but only one party stayed true to their base in this fight. Don't be surprised if the democrat's base stays home this November if we don't get a public option passed very quickly.

No they can't--I've seen it personally over and over again. All these people, the Tea Baggers, Sheet Party, whatever you want to call them, are simply ramped up racists who can't comprehend that a Black man is in the White House. It is that simple.