Aside from lower premiums, what is your expectation of coverage or benefits?

In other words: what health benefits do you not have now that you would expect to be covered under a government mandated plan?

...Also, let me put to you another simple question: Have you as an individual paid too high a price for these gains? Plausible self-seekers and theoretical die-hards will tell you of the loss of individual liberty. Answer this question also out of the facts of your own life. Have you lost any of your rights or liberty or constitutional freedom of action and choice? Turn to the Bill of Rights of the Constitution, which I have solemnly sworn to maintain and under which your freedom rests secure. Read each provision of that Bill of Rights and ask yourself whether you personally have suffered the impairment of a single jot of these great assurances. I have no question in my mind as to what your answer will be. The record is written in the experiences of your own personal lives.
In other words, it is not the overwhelming majority of the farmers or manufacturers or workers who deny the substantial gains of the past year. The most vociferous of the doubting Thomases may be divided roughly into two groups: First, those who seek special political privilege and, second, those who seek special financial privilege. About a year ago I used as an illustration the 90% of the cotton manufacturers of the United States who wanted to do the right thing by their employees and by the public but were prevented from doing so by the 10% who undercut them by unfair practices and un-American standards. It is well for us to remember that humanity is a long way from being perfect and that a selfish minority in every walk of life -- farming, business, finance and even Government service itself -- will always continue to think of themselves first and their fellow-being second.

In the working out of a great national program which seeks the primary good of the greater number, it is true that the toes of some people are being stepped on and are going to be stepped on. But these toes belong to the comparative few who seek to retain or to gain position or riches or both by some short cut which is harmful to the greater good. In the execution of the powers conferred on it by Congress, the Administration needs and will tirelessly seek the best ability that the country affords. Public service offers better rewards in the opportunity for service than ever before in our history -- not great salaries, but enough to live on. In the building of this service there are coming to us men and women with ability and courage from every part of the Union. The days of the seeking of mere party advantage through the misuse of public power are drawing to a close. We are increasingly demanding and getting devotion to the public service on the part of every member of the Administration, high and low...

7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.


9 What profit hath he that worketh in that for which he laboreth?


10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.


11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time. Also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.


12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life,


13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor: it is the gift of God.

My senator - Richard Burr - has become quite outspoken on the budget cuts that he feels will hurt HBCU's in my state of North Carolina. He has expressed skepticism that President Obama's administration will continue to be committed to strenghthening the HBCU's because of the budget cuts set to move forward.

Well, for one - since when has Senator Burr ever cared about the HBCU's? Not until he realized that there are 11 in our state alone or just because he's all about making sure that the these schools get their fare share? Hint: it's not the latter.

 You see - the funds allocated to the HBCU's were always a temporary fix - rolled out under the Bush administration and due to expire under President Obama. President Obama has always stated that he is comitted to the vision and mission of ensuring that "the doors of opportunity and higher education remain open to all students." To speak to the contrary is misleading.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-frustrated-over-obama-plan-to-cut-funds-for-black-colleges-2009-05-14.html

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/723459

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/

Save the DNC Party Builder Site
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=65245014632

Well, here we go.  Can someone please tell me WHAT in the world is the matter with some of these republicans?  President Obama is not a puppeteer, desiring to have only those around him that "think" just like him.  What he believes in is intelligent, honest, civil debate with views from ALL sides, not just one side.

Judd now has abruptly withdrawn his nomination as Commerce Secretary for one reason alone: he  can not think outside the box.  His loss.

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29166218

"Fox News' Van Susteren ignored Graham's economic recovery falsehoods"

"Summary: Fox News' Greta Van Susteren allowed Sen. Lindsey Graham to advance the myth that the economic recovery legislation would "reward ACORN." In fact, neither the House version nor the proposed Senate version mentions ACORN. The false claim is based on a misrepresentation of a provision that would appropriate $4.19 billion for neighborhood stabilization activities, but which would be distributed through competitive processes; ACORN has denied that it is eligible, or plans to apply, for those funds"

 http://mediamatters.org/items/200902060001?lid=882426&rid=21369111

Democrats take control of Obama's ‘Web.org’
DNC aims to nourish Internet-based organization that helped elect him
By Tom Curry
National affairs writer
msnbc.com
updated 10:40 p.m. CT, Sat., Feb. 7, 2009
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29069515

RENTON, Wash. - The gathering Friday night in Daryl Berry’s house in this suburban city 20 miles south of Seattle was both a dozen people sitting around talking in a den and a history-making political event.

The talkfest, one of some 3,000 taking place this weekend at houses, churches and coffee shops across the country, marked the first time that the Democratic National Committee has summoned the supporters of President Barack Obama using the Web-based tactics that got him elected.

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complete copyrighted story at above link