Patience, my dear Oleeb. Truly, I will congratulate you on your ability to judge character far better than I, if you are, in fact correct. This will play its itself out in time.

They say politics make strange bedfellows, and Leiberman may get you the "nothing" you are hoping for, in lieu of this bill. It ain't over 'till it's over.

I do, however support big time, regulating the living crap out of the industry like a utility, forcing it to reform (no preexisting condition b.s., no dumping people because they get sick) severely reducing profits, and throw in across state line competition for good measure. The companies can stay and make a nice little living if they want, or close their doors...poor things.

But no one listens to me.

Single pay just isn't going to fly. You can stomp your feet and threaten to hold your breath until you turn blue, if you want, but it still isn't going to happen. Not today, anyway. Maybe some day.

Or we can keep on doing what we are doing and watch more and more people be victimized by the industry.

Or we can get on board with the crappy bill we have, which is at least a start, then commit to making it a little better every year. Seems to me that starting here is better than taking your marbles and going home. The political climate isn't going to get any better next year or the year after that.

And you know what else, the dems aren't blameless in this thing...consider tort reform? Hell NO! What's up with that? If you are going to screw with the insurance industry, and big Pharma, why does the Trial Lawyers Association get a pass? They can be as biggga buzzards as the insurance companies (sorry, Arthur!)

How do you look at yourself in the mirror without vomiting at the vileness you see in the reflection?

This refusal to allow federal funds for abortions is like saying we have the right to say our tax dollars can't be used for wars, or for funding for education or for whatever else we, personally, do not like. It is stupid and it stinks (she says sticking her tongue out like a three year old...)(and stomping her feet!) This is just childish, and I can't believe we have to tolerate it.

But let's say you are right. Who are these bold leaders you want? I sure haven't seen any lately.

The picture you paint just doesn't ring true to me. I have a hard time believing that he would, with malice of forethought, sell HIS children's and grandchildren's futures down the river.

If it turns out you are right, I will give you your due and admit I was wrong. But I don't think I am in denial, I am just being fair, and, I think, realistic. This country didn't get AFU in a year, it certainly isn't going to get fixed in one.

Even the most jaded could not have believed the roadblocks the repubs (or as I call them now, "the party of the insensitive) would be capable of throwing in front of him. By the same token, who would have believed that so many dems would be eunichs (I counted, what? Thirty something last night?)

There are many ways in which I have been disappointed by the slowness of change. But our government runs that way by design. Our forefathers wanted enormous change to be difficult, to keep us from capsizing due to jerky moves from one direction to the next. It's painfully, but necessarily slow.

And is complicated by greed and selfishness and laziness and a lack of morality and integrity that I don't think they envisioned, at least not at the levels we are seeing today.

I still believe this man has the capacity to be one of the best Presidents we have ever had. I believe that if this country has even a small chance at changing course and becoming the country I believe we can be, he is it. If we cannot do it under HIS leadership, I believe it cannot be done.

So, for now, I am going to believe it can happen. I am not prepared to succumb to the bitterness I think I will feel if he, no WE, are not successful.

Also, I think this President is prepared to lay the groundwork, but not see his vision complete, if that is what needs to be done. He is thinking long term, not just into the next election cycle.

We have become the "I want it all and I want it now" country. We have no patience. If (and perhaps even when) we do ultimately lose our dominance in the world, it will be because countries like India and China look much further into the future than we do. But, we have our video games where we can be and do anything we want, so what do we care about reality? We are pathetic, and we don't deserve to be the leaders of the free world.

Whew!

At the very least we deserve to know WHY he is not pushing for reform in the financial institutions in a big way. If there is a logical explanation, I'd be interested in knowing what it is. If there is not, then he needs to get moving. Even just knowing that reform is COMING would be enough. So far, it just looks like business as usual. And THAT is not what I voted for.

Yes, war is an awful thing. The casualties go far beyond the dead and physically wounded.

I'm hanging, TPC...some days better than others. Every bit of encouragement helps, so we need to lean on each other. Thanks for yours.

But don't be too hard on folks here. Many have put hours into calling, writing and generally bugging the bejeepers out of their reps. Mine is hopeless, and any time spent trying to convince him of anything is a waste of time, but I did it anyway, even though he is a repub and my begging him to rethink his vote accomplished nothing.

I appreciate your efforts, and I am sorry if I have contributed to your frustration.

I do agree that it will get worse before it gets better. I don't know that it will go all the way to civil war, but I am convinced it will take something awful to get most people to sit up and realize we are in deep trouble if we continue to increase the divide between the haves and the have nots.