LEATHERBACK TURTLES IN JEOPARDY
President Arias forgets to be GREEN!

The Leatherback Trust
161 Merion Ave
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
June 27, 2009
NEWS RELEASE

President of Costa Rica Proposes First Elimination of a National Park, Parque Nacional Marino las Baulas
In a bold and unprecedented move President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica has proposed the elimination of the park that protects the last major nesting area for leatherback turtles in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
If approved, his proposed law will guarantee elimination of this leatherback population. The leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle and has been swimming in the oceans for 110 million years. Over the last 20 years it has declined in the Pacific Ocean by over 90% from 90,000 adult females to less than 5,000. Less than 1,000 remain in the Eastern Pacific and most of then nest on Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas and Playa Langosta in Parque Nacional Las Baulas . Contact- in US 609-440-5158, James R. Spotila, President

Dear MR. President

Please dont apologize ,if anyone has the right to say what they want to say, its you SR. .I think you have earn the right to speak your mind.
Our country was built on the freedom of speech . I think the people have forgot. this amendment.
Als
o if the 911 caller did not mention two black men with back packs
who did ? Was it the police ?
Also keep the pressure on with the health care issue, because i dont have any. Ive worked over thirty years of my life and its a shame, now
not have a job or health care .

PInky and the Brain Had there time with the country, and now with
Sara Palin ,its almost like pinky and the brain and friends..
I think if the people would just wake up and see ,Its only been
six month ,Give Doug williams and Joe Gibbs a chance .
SBC.

It's time for CNN to UNLOAD Lou Dobbs! I have never been a fan of his Bluster, he is not the brightest bulb in the box, and his latest comments about President Obama's birth certificate have turned myself and my entire family conmpletely OFF! From now on it's MSNBC for me!

Rich:
The next time you have a congressman on please ask them how they like their health plan.
Why can"t the rest of us have the same plan. Oh! I forgot that it would be a public health plan and we can't have that.

Virginia Foxx's comment is irresponsible and she should not allowed to hold any leadership position. As of for the president to apologize...I DONT THINK SO. I hope and pray he does not apologize to Sergeant Crowley . An apology would consider to be an insult and a slap on the face of American minorities.

Hey Rick!
I'm a Democrat but I'm not sold on the public option yet myself. I understand that it is a huge experiment on our healthcare system. However, since when do we as Americans are afraid of experimentation? We experimented when we send astronauts to the moon, we experimented when we spent billions for the transportation highway projects, we experimented everytime we build new military weapons, and so on and so forth. Have we lost our courage as Americans? Have we lost our MOJO? We're spending trillions of dollars for the war that George Bush started with borrowed money from the Chinese, but we are too weak – spined to reform our healthcare system that is continually shedding people and only benefiting few.

The racist in this case is the one who falsified the report to cause this racial incident

Rick. enough is enough! The old political gaurd is done. America is headed in a new derection.The old White Racisit, like Lou,Beck Hannity.and! O'Reily.yes! thats right White's can be racisit's.Thier's, are the clan that dresse'd like Indian's and kill'd the innocent in order to claim them savages.So they could be hunted like animals. Now these white old"decendents of slave owning politician's are a bunch of scard old men that dont want to let go of the grip they have around America's throat. It's time to amend a "NEW" constiution. That work's for this new day and age.

I am still baffled about the Gates/Crowley incident. Can you tell me the explanation that Sgt Crowley has about his written report. It clearly states that he had been told about 2 black men with backpacks were seen. Who provided him this information? The 911 tape did not and the female caller has been very adamant that she never spoke to him. Furthermore, based upon his report, he definately had a predisposition that day. Hopefully, this is why he suggested the beer., huh?

cops are in control so they need to exercise control...they should be the voice of reason not of power and control
They need more humanities scholling!!!!!!

please remind your guest that the lady that made the phone call, to the police. inthe Prof Gates case, was not his neighbor but a person who worked in the neighborhood. what made her think she knew who lived in the area?

Hi Rick. When I went to Boston as a graduate student at Brandeis University, the first thing that I was told by my black peers was not to get caught in South Boston after dark under any circumstances for fear of racism. I was shocked and I can only guess at the number of other black students who received that warning. South Boston is known for racism by blacks in the area. Coming from NC, I do not have any history of the reason. I had never associated Irish Catholics with racism.

Please ask Sen Barrasso: Does the GOP consider $$ more important than people's lives? Or just more important than poor prople's lives?

Foxsgramma, Cheyenne, WY

By the way, I held a senior executive position until October '08 when I was downsized. My COBRA premium for the standard policy I maintained through my company for myself & wife, (no kids), was $1155.00/month. All I can say is that thanks to the Obama administration, my premium has been reduced to $404.50/month allowing me to maintain insurance for my wife and me. At least in this respect, the Obama administration is working for me.

As a historically productive member of society & heavy taxpayer, I truly believe the lack of practical health care is the single-biggest obstacle to the entrepreneureal foundations the country was built upon.

crowley's version of what happened in cambridge has no credibility since he has been caught in a lie. ms. whalen's said she never said she saw 2 black men with backpacks. interesting how crowley put words in her mouth so he doesn't look racist.

Rick, my husband is military retired. We had excellent health coverage thru the military hospitals and if they were unavailable, we they gave us insurance "Champus" now called Tricare. We are now on Medicare and our second insurance is Tricare for Life. Those are government run programs and we have absolutely no problem.

Rick I'm a Viet Nam vet. and a retired sheetmetal worker. I go to the VA medical center in Oklahoma City. I have had Colin cancer re moved And a open heart surgery (5 buypass). I couldn't ask for better treatment. Please don't tell ME that they don't have a good system. That was 15 months ago for heart surgery. I'm doing GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!

Pres. obama stood shoulder to shoulder with loyalty and empathy for a FRIEND. As a regular citizen that's the kind of friends I want to surround myself with. Wouldn't you? BTW I am a "white" senior citizen. I am comforted by the fact that our pres. stood up for his friend without having to spend countless hours, days forming a response to the media. His response was swift, direct, and pointedly defending his friend, as it should have been.

For the congressman that thinks Medicare is doing fine, just had my second physical under Medicare and they do not pay. Guess since we have no other option we just die away and get out of the way. That seems to be the president's wish.
Also get off Pres. Bush, in his last two years the Democrats held the purse strings. The Pres. can only suggest programs that require money it is the congress that must pass this.

Rick – I'm a Republican in Florida that has stopped voting that way – for among other reasons – health care. I started noticing Dems under Clinton paying attention to what I experienced as a huge problem. I'm self employed, self insured with small group and it is a farce. Long waits for care, $20,000 deductible and it still costs almost $1000 per month to cover may family.

The culprits are big pharma and most health insurance companies – but even more the conservative Repbs that put party ahead of country, citizens and life. The lies they are spreading – with insurance funding – is wrong.

THE REAL QUESTION IS WHY OUR GOVERNMENT IS ENVOLVED IN HEALTHCARE AT ALL. NOTHING IN THE CONSTITUTION ALLOWS THEM TO BE IN THIS ROLE.

As I watch the Health Care discussion from here in Canada, I can understand why there might be concern with a gov't-run system. Why doesn't the media travel to some of the countries with universal health care and check out how it's working and how citizens feel bout their system?
For myself, I can walk into a Dr.'s appntmnt, go for tests and live to criticize how our system works – while I recover successfully and at no out of pocket cost.

How can be believe anything this administration or the democrats say when out president misleads us intentionally.
In his recent staged town hall meeting he said that his health care program was offering health care similar to that which he received as a Senator. Nothing is further from the truth.
And, CNN and the mainstream media continues to be the official news agency for President Obama and the democratic agenda.
Will you ever consider objectively analyzing what the democratic party is doing to this country and its concentration of power in the government?
And, the health care fiasco is just another part of the government control takeover.
America is not socialist and will not support the extreme left of the democratic party.

You people against health care insurance reform are the problem. You don't seem to be dealing from a full deck . . . Study the issue. Understand it. Try to. Oh, and if you really can't figure it out – remember one thing – America is a center LEFT country. Those that don't think so are part of an ever shrinking minority. That's a good thing.

Are you kidding me???? A single paying health care Government
Run would destroy our Healthcare as we know it. Look at Mass.
Mitt Romney is trying this. They have raised TAXES, plus it is costing
1/3 more than the rest of the country. In Hawaii they tried this as
well. It FAILED after 7 months they stopped it!!! We WOULD BE
RATIONED if the Government took over. We would overload the
system as well!!! Most important there would be NO MONEY to
continue research and technogoly on upgrading our lives. We would
be refused certain treatments FACE IT!!! It is happening in Canada
and Britian...Why do you think they are coming to America for
immediate treatment. They wait up until 9 months just to see a
specialist Dr. that is CRAZY!!!! If you people want socialism move
TO EUROPE!!!! Plus you think FRAUD is bad now with Tork
Reform malpractice is costing 70 BILLION a year it would be
worse GOVERNMENT RUN!!!! Get real, WISE UP!!!! If you want to
commit Healthcare suicide be my guess NOT ME!!! I will fight this
along with the MAJORITY...We have plenty of reason's to stop this
MADNESS!!!! Later

I keep hearing the same question asked; do you like your healthcare? The answer for 70% of us is yes. Instead ask the question, do you like your Insurance Company that administrates your healthcare. Some may say this demonizes the insurance companies.
What am I saying? Don’t confuse healthcare with insurance companies.

Remember AIG that took a bailout and then partied in Vegas. This may shock you but, all Insurance Company’s party like that all the time. The reason they spend so much money throwing these lavish parties is to motivate the sales force.

Here is what the really question should be. Could we offer exactly the same healthcare for every American without it costing a penny more than what we spend now by eliminating the Health Insurance Company’s?

Please don’t throw the American People under the bus. Say YES to “public option!”

Many insurance policies cover abortion procedures, therefore, people who pay for insurance policies are and have been subsidizing abortions for years.

Notice the second officer, Barrett on Larry King, deliberately did not include an apology to Professor Gates or to the African American community, for the racial slurs he repeatedly used in his emails. This omission of an apology to the African American community and Professor Gates shows the level of disdain and hatred he has towards the African Americans. This kind of deep level of hatred and racism should not be unleashed into the community, with a gun and a badge, in the guise of a police officer. He was suspended with pay; he should have been terminated WITHOUT PAY, and by now terminated.

Heather

Rick,

I'm not sure all of what can be included under the term "racial profiling," but if racial profiling includes speaking to or treating someone differently because of their race, apart from traffic stops then I guess police officers often use racial profiling.

Officers often use an abrupt or confrontational tone towards African Americans that they might not normally use toward Caucasians. They might be more cordial and conversational to one person and be aburpt and condescending to another. They might issue or bark commands rather than give explanations, which a black person on the receiving end could interpret as either rude, as anyone else might ,or racist. It would be hard to tell if an officer was just being rude or racist, but the end result might be the same.

Sgt. Crowley, for example might have commanded Gates to "step outside," in an abrupt tone instead of giving a quick explanation of why he was asking Gates to step outside, (he said he was concerned that robbers might still be in his house). If Crowley couldn't convey either through words or demeanor that he was concerned for Gates' safety, as a law citizen who might have had burglars in his home, this might have come across to Gates as if he was being treated as a suspect, the officer wanted to arrest, rather than the law abiding citizen he was, that the officer wanted to keep from harm. this could have angered prof Gates, especially after he showed his ID to the officer and the officer continued to address or treat him in a confrontational way.

This kind of bias might happen on a subconscious level than an officer might know or be willing to admit. It's good that we are moving forward, but I think we need to acknowledge that these subtities in how we approach, interact and treat each according to our races exists. Some whites citizens racially profile then, too. A white woman might clutch her purse or a white person might cross the street, change direction or alarm their cars, when they see a black person walking or passing by. This is why there always seem to be a divide along racial lines. We can't change what we're not willing to acknowledge.

Heather

Mr. Sanchez the police did act stupidly. The president have a right to tell the truth on a person weather he is black or white. It does not mean he is choosing sides. He just told the truth on the Police. The black cops can lie just like white cops. I know for a fact that police lie on their police report many times. You said you needed to hear both sides of the situation with Mr. Gates and the Policeman. Why you do not feel the same way about Mr. Michael Jackson. You just put anything anyone say about Mr. Jackson out there and you do not know if it is true or not. Just like the police is probally lying the doctors that say Mr. Jackson ask them about this medicine everyone is talking about is probally lying to. Mr. Jackson is Dead and can not speak for himself so this is all hear say. And stop child abusing Mr. Jackson's children in the media you all need to be put in jail for child abuse. you are not concern about his children when you show all those horrible things about him and his father and family. And stop showing the trial like it is still going on. God has given Mr. Michael Jackson his Glory and you will never be able to tarnish and hurt him again. And his name is Mr. Michael Jackson not Jacko. I see why Mr. Jackson kept mask on his children, because of vultures like the media putting them on tv and magazine with awful headlines about who is their daddy is, his daughter told you who her daddy was and that is all that is needed.

When Mr. Michael Jackson Children grow up and get married and have children they will keep their children in mask to. They will dislike the media and have no faith in them. They will remember how awful you treated their family and how you disrespected their father at his death. Showing that picture of his hair on fire was cruel and showing him dead on the front of that newspaper was very cruel to his family!

You people can be so dumb.You don't get insurance at work. so you go crying to the insurance companies you cant afford yah remember the theater you bought last year yah turns out your buying crap you don't need. You should make a crap allowance for the junk . thus you'll cut back and you can afford insurance. And don't go its not your fault you got lung cancer you smoked you knew it would kill you. it tasted terrible at first but you had too look cool and smoke and now your whining about your own faults. and are government is gonna go bankrupt because of people like . And don't whalin on the i got kids thing. Every mistake is your fault your in denial.

The Insurance Companies are not going to go out of business, just because they have to be reasonable, and compete with a Public Not for Protf Option. If, the Public Option is so great that everyone chooses it.......what is the problem? The Insurance Companies might have to stop paying the ultra high salaries and bonuses they pay people to deny care; they may have to stop with the private jets, lavish parties, and constant lobying of Congress; but they will survive. Insurance Companies will develop new products, as supplements or whatever, just like they have for Medicare. They will lower their premiums, as they can definately aford to do, and make themselves competitive. Now the only concern is profit. If BCBS makes 100 million profit, then Aetna has to make more and so on and so on each year. This is a win win for Americans, if we are not too blind to see it; and don't let the big businesses control our govenrment. We will have the option of choosing, which we don't now. My options are controlled by my employer and my care is dictated by Aetna. More options create better products and better prices.

The insurance company who drop the insurance coverage on the lady who contracted breast cancer due to her failure to disclose a previous condition that she was being treated for acne are as good as putting a bullit to her head. I call that murder. How many other people have they killed?

Hi Everyone :

Some thing to think about :

CASH FOR CLUNKERS :
After selling the clunker to the dealer -have the dealer sell the cars to Cuba-Russia and get the money back for America instead of getting $200 for scrap metal...........

OUT Of MONEY
Have apartment renters pay some tax or fee to send their children to school and also pay for servives so we the hard working home owners dont have to pay everything.

MEDICAL & INSURANCE.
Have Corporations have doctors and nurses in house to give medical care to employees-will save time and money for everyone-in school nurses would be great too..

ER VISITS:
Have a pre ER Room to look at patients as a quick doctor visit instead of paying $1,000 – $4,000 for a visit – Maybe $100 to keep some one healthy..

I am so sick of being bombarded by (as I call them) "THE CHRISTIAN SWIFT BOAT COMMITTEES COALITION," especially in my own community and group of friends over the internet, who bombard me with emails! They believe CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC,and CSPAN, are all FAR LEFT WING STATIONS who don't tell the truth. In their eyes, FOX NEWS, RUSH LIMBAUGH, and LOU DOBBS are their Saviors paving the way to eternity, by stopping this SOCIALISM, and re- emailing the crap their Senators and Congressmen email them.

I'll stick to my own version of the truth, and not join any committee to be informed improperly. I'll hear it straight from the horses mouth, and not that of the Republican Thugs who will do and say anything to come back in good standing with their states and communities. Some are still told our President is a terrorist, and these people believe it!!

CALGON TAKE ME AWAY

I believe that when congress brings up a bill to be passed ,,,it should be handled as electing a president ,,or any state seat .Set up pole booths in several cities,,in each state ,,and let the people vote ,,instead of just the politicions in washington,,as it is now,,the congress repubs,,and dems alike vote among theirselves..to what they think is right for the people ,,instead of the people having a say,,

Just heard a woman on the radio talk about the health care meeting in Texas. It was not roudy. No microphones were provided either for the speaker or in the audience that's why folks were shouting! All ages were represented. He really exaggerated if he felt his life was in danger by this group! This should tell you something....the people do NOT want this bill to pass!

AS SOON AS YOU SHOWED ALL 3 OF THESE MEDICAL REFORM MEETINGS I KNEW THEY WERE A SETUP. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY MEANT TO SCARE PEOPLE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE.IN ANYTHING. HOWEVER, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THEIR PATTERB IN THE LAST EIGHT YRS.I'DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE AT THE RALLIES ARE REPUBLICAN'S. I'LL BET THEY ARE PAID ACTORS. IF CNN AND OTHER NEWS STATIONS KEEP SHOWING THESE CLIPS OVER AND OVER AGAIN THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.WHAT A SHAME THAT THIS COULD DERAIL THE MEDICAL BILL.IF YOU WANT TO MAKE NEWS UNCOVER YHIS PLOT.

There should be a public option! Everyone cannot afford or do not qualify for private insurance. Health care should be a basic human right and not a privilege!

I can think of no valid reason against health care insurance reform except questions on cost and approach. Slander, lies, distortion and scare tactics are neither of those. Simply "noise" intended to sway the less educated and less informed.

The irony is that these detractors hate the President so much (or prefer their GOP party to their country) that they are literally shooting themselves in the foot. And if they succeed, getting that foot taken care of will cost them a lot more . . . .

Only the truly dim-witted among us would not want to take corruption and inefficiency out of the system.

great shows RICK.I have a question: why can't the dems run ads informing those who are dirupting the town halls meetings about their (gop) congress men, senators,governors's own health insurance.Isn't it run by the government, and don't they have a better healthcare than them(the disrupters)and the average person.You 'll think these disrupters are smarter people to know that they are beeing manipulated like puppets.

thanks

A semi-public health option would be to issue grants to students in medical, technological, pharmacy and nursing schools and have them pay back with one year of service for every year of study that they receive aid. That would allow for a gradual structuring of the program to de-bug it and it would assure a limited size. Hosptitals currently receiving Federal Funds would be required to provide space and services and would be also be paid for the same at monitored rates. VA Hospitals could also provide facilities and services with some additional funding.

The public health option would benefit those who currently have health insurance through their jobs:

Private insurers would be careful about raising premiums and losing policy holders to the NEW competition. Business owners would not faced with premium increases like they have in the past, and they would be in a better position to raise wages.

-this is a correction from the previous post-

The public health option would benefit those who currently have health insurance through their jobs:

Private insurers would be careful about raising premiums and losing policy holders to the NEW competition. Business owners would not be faced with premium increases like they have in the past, and they would be in a better position to raise wages.

Can we please look into the money certain people in Congress are getting from these Health Insurance Companies to stall and block our Healthcare Plan? It's time to play by their rules. They've taken millions from the lobbyists to do this. They don't work for us. They work for Big Business.

I have a very bad opinion of where we are going with the health care issue. It is MUCH to expensive to say the least. Obama madness started with the porkulus bill that will cost us 3/4 of a trillion dollars. Now he wants a health care bill that will cost more than a trillion. All of this during a time when tax revenues are down by nearly 20 percent. It is absolute MADNESS. I cannot believe the American people are not RIOTING in the streets over all this. Add to all this the fact that Obama is appointing all these czars, one of whom is a communist (Van Jones). Another (Peter Singer) is supposedly in favor of aborting (murdering) babies up to two years of age. Another supposedly thinks it's a good idea to put sterilizing agents in drinking water. AMERICA! WHAT HAVE WE DONE?!?!? The czars, apparently, don't have a lot of power; but tha isn't the issue. The issue is the fact that our president CHOSE them. His poor judgement says something, I believe, about his philosophical leanings. We should be ALARMED!

Linda in Missouri,

The liberal press (NBC, CBS, and ABC) were so incredibly biased in favor of Obama during the election that it SICKENED me. That is why I have RECOILED against them. Bernard Goldberg has written a couple of interesting books that you ought to read. One is called "The Media Elite" and the latest one is called "Slobbering Love Affair". The latter is a very good report on the latest presidential election. Frankly, Linda, I believe that 90 percent of what is wrong in our nation today is attributable in large part to all the flaming, bleeding heart LIBERALS who embrace EVERYTHING-that is except common sense solutions that have served us well for more than 200 years. I posted earlier about our beloved messiah in the White House who chose an avowed communist as one of his czars. Another of his czars apparently favors the murder of children up until age two because of their lack of self awareness. I'm not worried about these czars; they, after all, have very little power. What I AM worried about is a president that would CHOOSE such lunatics to do anything! I wouldn't even want them walking my dog.

We should ALL be alarmed by Roy's comments. He may be an example of why education must be a larger priority in this country . . .

Some people will never see past color, party or their own strict and too limiting ideologies. To not do so will doom a society. That is what the conservative movement has become in our country. THAT is what we should be alarmed about.

Private insurance refused to continue my Daughter's physical rehabilitation following reconstructive shoulder surgery even though her physician, surgeon and rehab specialist wrote recomendations for additional services. A shirt-and-tie made that decision. Not the patient or a Doctor. That's private insurance for you.

Roy

Frankly Roy...its people like YOU that don't pay attention to what's going on in the world today, probably because you don't have a very long attention span. Listening to each other is your source of news information. Most of America has wised up to this type of behavior. Seems it's only gonna get worse unless we Vote Out ALL the hate and division!

You are all absolutely insane if you believe that private insurance is giving you the best value for your dollar. If think of them as some sort of charitable organization you really need help. Take a good look at who really sponsors all of the tv adds against another plan. Drill down and really find out who these people are. They are some of the richest, most powerful people in this country. Not people like you and me. Look though your anger and educate yourselves. Just this once!

Please look into the lies being spread on American TV about Canadian health care. 1/ care is excellent and immediate 2/ we choose our own doctors 3/ I don't think our taxes are higher than in the USA This from a disabled American who must live in Canada for the good and free health care

Rick, I just watched your interview of Rick Scott. I really wanted to hear what he had to say, but you kept interrupting him and he never did get to finish any of his sentences. Your badgering of him only reinforced his credibility.

Linda in Missouri,

Frankly, it's people like you that are the reason our national debt is nearly 12 trillion dollars now. It's people like you who get so involved emotionally in Obama's flowery speeches, that you stopped THINKING. He is very articulate, I grant you. He got a lot of people choked up at his innauguration, I grant you. But we need more than fine oratory to straighten out the mess he's created. He has taken a defict that, yes, came from Bush and made it GODZILLA! I am a school teacher with the meager salary that goes with it; and I know that I cannot afford a 10 million dollar yacht. I wish the liberals is Congress had that much sense. Given what Obama is doing now, I don't blame people at the town hall meetings for being angry. I wouldn't blame them if they rioted in the streets!

Robert Holland,

I take it that you believe my comments were made out of ignorance. Well, Buddy, why don't you do some research yourself. Look up the names of Peter Singer, Van Jones, etc. See what Wikepedia, for example, says about them. Don't take my word for it. Blindness is no excuse for running into the wall if you refuse you open your eyes. As for my education, I don't normally like to brag about it, but I have 2 masters' degrees.

I would also like to add that some of your responses are so typical of the left. Anyone who disagrees with the insanity that is going on now, according to you, must be a closed minded racist. What a cheap shot! I guess if you don't have anything concrete and real to point to, that is what you do–call people names. Just TRY denying that our deficit has swelled to HUGE amounts under Obama. Just TRY to deny that tax revenues are going down at the same time. TRY to explain how we are going to pay off all these TRILLIONS of dollars with less tax revenue with which to do it. Are you waiting on Santa and his elves?: TRY telling me that inflation, interest rates, and YOUR taxes are not going to go UP. They HAVE TO! For Pete's sake, it is one of the basic laws of economics. Dry your eyes, compose yourselves, and turn down Obama's stirring oratory for just a while. Then...THINK!

Roy

You're gonna miss your bus. It's a two hour ride to the Town Hall Meeting.

RE: HEATH CARE/ INSURANCE REFORM

Health Care/ Insurance Reform is Healthy for the Country.
Educate yourself about the European Health Care System before you criticize it. What I need from A HC/IR: Low cost, Great Benefit, no discrimination because of pre-existing.
I lived in Germany for 8 years; they are thorough, caring on all levels. Who tells you that you need to wait long for service is a liar. The campaign that is going on is to scare the people from mentioning HCR, suppress the discussion and shut everybody up. Educate, educate, and educate yourself. Do not listen to Republicans, do not listen to democrat. Speak up for what you want from a HCR not what your party wants.

it may be time now for your mother to learn english. it's never too late.
let's all work to help everyone in the community and if that means better communication then i think speaking english is a good place to begin.

If more fat Americans would get off their lazy freakin rear ends, this whole health care situation wouldn't seem bad. People just want to be fat, smoke, drink and do what they will. Too many people think as long as there is a drug to fix the problem...why bother trying to get in shape and be healthy.

This whole issue of health care, is being muddled by someone. I for one cannot trust it as long as we do not hear the real issues of what it is for or what it will do. All I hear is rhetoric or someone talking like a salesperson trying to sell it. Then, there is the infantile antics of these people further clouding things by their actions at the meetings. Also for years the insurance companies have been dictating things as far as what prescriptions a patient can have. Either they are too expensive or you have to go through several other steps before you can jump to something better. Like years ago, they wanted me to go through a list of several different kinds of narcotics before going to a non narcotic pain blocker. I had to pay full price. It does not surprise me that people might becoming drug addicts, or the government is cutting deals that might bring in some kick back money. Also what about insurance companies over riding a Doctors orders and putting the public at risk due to someone not getting the amount of psychriatic medication to stay under control.

Rick
Are you saying that no Americans need prescription pain medicine, after 15 years working as an a/c man for the City of Dallas, I hurt my back during an accident. The insurance company would not pay for an operation and after paying for my pain medicine for 4 years they quit, and eventually quit even paying for a doctor to see me. If it was not for my wife's insurance I would be in a terrible fix. They did this even though I have a decision from the Texas Workers Compensation Commission saying that the insurance should pay for everything. Except in Texas you can't hire a lawyer to fight for you against the insurance company anymore. Now I don't have the money to pay the deductables for an operation and all I can do is take medicine and wait for Obama's plan.
Thanks Frank

I cannot help but notice that those who are disrupting town hall meeting look like they are all over age 65, so they already have national health insurance and do not care about the rest of the population who does not. They also probably call themselves Christians too. I am also on a national health insurance program like Congress, but I still care about others. And people wonder why I do not associate with religions.

I have been a military helicopter pilot (21years), Commercial helicopter pilot (21 years). Flown well over 5000 landings and take offs at the various NYC heliports and transiting the airspace around Manhatten. The only near misses with other aircraft have been with airplanes not helicopters. The majority of airplanes I have observed flying in that airspace have not transmitted their wherabouts or intentions on the required radio frequencies. Many of them apparently do not listen as they do not respond if they are queried either. My suggestion to enhance air safety in that area would be to exclude airplanes from flying below 1100 feet, but rather be in positive control by Air Traffic Controllers above that altitude. The second option would be to require an FAA mandated training online training program be completed which acknowledges each pilot's awareness of the intracacies of operating within that highly congested area. No training, no entry ! The aircraft I fly has a TCAS which alerts us of the proximity of other aircraft which pose a threat of collision. Although this is an expensive piece of equipment, it is less expensive than the costs involved with a midair collision. Hopefully the NTSB and the FAA do not make any changes regarding this airspace without obtaining valuable experience based knowledge from the pilots that operate in this area on daily basis.

Rick,
in regards to your guy you had on Mr Esante I believe, that was addicted to Oxycontin. This is a sad situation and I do feel for the guy, however, every body is different in terms of addiction, and tolerance to these opiate type drugs. My personal experience is this. I have been on Oxycontin and Vicodin for almost a year now due to a severe back injury 2 Ruptured discs in my back Lumbar's 4 & 5. My pain level is between a 6-10 on any given day, but because I do not have health insurance I can not afford the $100,000.00 surgery to get the discs fused.

As far as the addiction symptons, I usually at the end of every month before going to my Pain Management MD I will go thru gradual withdrawals for 5 days and get clean again. Therefore I do not like some, just need stronger and stronger meds.

Regarding the transition to heroin, I have never participated in that drug nor will I ever. It is however the raw form of Opium the same drug that is in Codeine, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percodan, Morphine, Daludid & Opana. Listed in the order of potency. The reason these knuckleheads are going to Heroin is that it is much much less expensive than Pharmacuticles. Codeine is about .25 per pill Oxycontins are anywhere from $4 for the lowest strength to $12 for the highest strength, Opana's cost $20 and up, but a fix of heroin for a day is about $2. Street value of the prescription drugs I have listed above are 5 to 10 times the prices I listed here.

So with that, Hope this helps!!

Have a great rest of the day
HB

I want you to know america that there is enough room for both the government health care plan and the private plans .Enough already the rich greedy people and companys do not care about anyone but their fat pockets .They would be very happy if this is not pass so they can keep charging what they want .Quiet frankly the doctors insurance companys and the pharmacitical companys love it that they have america in an up roar .
I lived in this country for 20 years i have heard every president say they will bring health care reform .They never even tried ,the president is trying he might not have the perfect plan .Lets give him a chance to work out the kinks once the plan is passed .I am from an island we have healthcare no one complains you have have a choice you have the money to pay or you take what you get .
America wake up no one cares it all about the money its time to beat these people at their own game .I do not eat out i cook breakfast and dinner 7 days aweek ,my family do not drink soda but maybe once a month .We do not go to doctors i have been to the doctor once in about 17 years .No one in my household has put on anyweight in forever myself has gain no weight in over 20 years .I went to the dentist he told me he was going to give me 2 percriptions i told him dont bother writting them .
The people in this country are being taken advantage of in everyway ,the money it cost for doctors ,medication ,and illegal drugs can be put into prevention .America you have been brainwash its time to get outside the box open your eyes and your mind .Get info from outside this country .The doctors the insurance companys the pharmacitical companys are all one .They sure know how to push the panic button .Do you know you really do not need a flue shot or antibiotics .I get a cold i have a few shot of warm honey with lemon juice and a dash of salt i am good to go in 3 days .
Stop eating fast food ,stop eating out so frequently ,toss out the microwave ,try your best to quit stressing .I know it is hard but try .BY the way what kind of food are you eating if you have to take 7 vitamins a day .I guess the food has no nutritional value .Stop for afew minutes .You have coffee in the morning to wake you up ,you have an energy in the middle of the day ,you skip breakfast ,maybe you have fast food for lunch ,you pop a few vitamins later ,they you grab a microwave dinner you have a couple of beers of a drink to dewine and if that does not work you pop a couple of sleeping pills . no wonder you need healthcare .America do not need healthcare they need health awareness and prevention .By the way i forgot the stress and anxiety pills .

Roy,

I understand where your coming from with the opinion that we are spending to much money in our government. I agree with that 100%, But there are other areas to cut and save in. There are people DIEING every day because they can not afford insurance. I know what your going to say there are programs out there to help them, well as a person that has tried to get insurance for my wife or at least help. IT IS NOT THERE. I am a disabled vet I served 13 years before I was wounded an had to leave the army. I have a yearly income of $18,000 a year which dosent leave much to spend on insurance. So you ay there are programs out there that can help? WRONG!! there is not I make to much to qualify for them. My wife's only hope to get real medical attention is this health care program. Now I know its not perfect but its all we have. Please, Please, If you don't have an answer to fix the problem that this country is in then don't speak against the help that is being offered. Oh and stop being brain washed by Rush Limbaugh He was a great man at one time now he is just a ranting loon .

I appreciate the debate the newscasters and journalist are having about the healthcare reform. The reform and discussion of how to get there, is long overdue. I have heard good reporting from a journalist traveling to town hall meetings, about the long road it takes for a drug to come to market and how most don’t after billions of dollars have been spent to comply with FDA phases. There is still so much not being said because in journalistic fairness, the journalists don’t treat patients. Did we forget who this is for? I have been a healthcare advocate for over twenty years. I have helped enroll patients in Medicare Part D and PPA (Partnership for Prescription Drug Assistance Program). To understand how we need to reform health care we have to have meetings with PhRMA, insurance companies, healthcare advocates and physicians. Our elected officials should be in the room to learn about the complexities caring for patients and providing prevention, quality care and full access to everyone. Those of us who care for patients, scratch our heads of all this “talk” and arguing over what we see as our next logical steps for reform.

Today’s headlines were about a conspiracy with the administration and PhRMA. That is ridiculous. When Medicare Part D was developed the great error was made to ever have a ‘doughnut hole’ that requires recipients to pay in full for their medications once their benefits are depleted. For PhRMA is easing that burden and is only correcting this error. I commend PhRMA for steeping up to the table.

We should be at the table with everyone. PhRMA, physicians, advocates and legislators must be at the table and we must get the insurance carriers there too. Where are the insurance companies? They interfere with the care of patients by wanting to exert power over the physician’s orders and are unreasonable to offer care to the most sick, the most in need of care and prohibit any preventative or catastrophic medicine. They practice medicine everyday without a license or any certification. What has been their contribution to this reform? Not only lives but thousands of jobs and livelihoods also depend on the outcome of the reform. The ability for physicians to give the best care and the opportunity to develop future innovative therapies that improve lives and cures diseases are also at stake. What is missing are the same people who enrolled Americans in Medicare Part D and PPA and will be the ones helping patients decide on the best plan for insurance coverage once reform passes are now silent because they have not been asked to come to the table.

Sitting in an office or newsroom does not put your pulse on the people’s experience of healthcare. We need healthcare that rewards patients for prevention programs and improvement in their health status. We need reform that covers everyone with insurance and offers programs and simple delivery tools for parents and children to promote wellness of mind and body. We need to give incentives for patients and physicians to work together to improve the patient’s health outcome and reduce the numbers receiving permanent disability. We need to use evidence-based data provided by patients from a free database system that registers patients’ medication and care experiences. These are just a few ways we can not only provide insurance but also improve our medication and health care delivery system and in turn reduce the waste and cost of care.

What has been missing from TV, radio, newspapers, Town hall meetings and important administration discussions are the advocates and allied professional who hear the patient’s voices daily. The issues of abortion, hurting the elderly or becoming a socialized nation are all diversions from the needs of the many without insurance and many with inadequate coverage and care. The voices of the patients are not being heard by the masses. It is their voices that we carry as advocates. It is time for them to be heard in real time, in real life.

i keep hearing in town hall meeting the illigal
this people don't meen illigal as hole but hispanic
just like you and me Rick
in am US Citizen by birth 3 generation
but is not born in any state

Rick:

Dr Woolhandler from Cambridge Univ, seems like the only one

in America that has a grip on healthcare, Make her the one to set

it up and it WILL "WORK", and forget about the health insurance

lobbyists and their crap, and "LISTEN TO HER"

Some will be dissapointed about the payola part , too bad .

By the way i,m from Canada, "AND", it works just fine .

Elmer .

Canada .

The debate on health care is very important to all Americans as many people become bankrupt when a serious illness or accident happens. I'm a native of MA and now reside in Canada. The system in Canada provides good care to everyone without delays or limitation. The stories that I have heard about the Canadian Health Care system on the US news are not accurate. I enjoy quality care from my family doctor as well as my specialist here in Toronto. Additionally, I have never seen a medical bill or invoice in the past 9 years. I acknowledge that I pay for this through my income taxation and the PST and GST on taxable goods and services. The provincial and federal government manage this very well. I have not experienced any disappointments as I did with the HMO's in MA.

I agree we need Public option althou I think if people would and I include myself would have more will power and find food thats healthy and learn nutrition we would not have all this suffering plus we could fight back on the greed and corruption in this awful health care system. You want to fight back and not get pushed under then fight back by learning to become healthy and prevent disease.

Public Option will save the lives of many Americans. We must decide which is the prime issue, profits or lives