Conservative estimates state 20,000 Americans die annually due to lack of health care insurance, while others say as high as 45,000 die.

We went to war when 3,000 perished on 9/11, yet since 160,000 to 360,000 (depending on which estimate) Americans have died because they can't get health insurance, and our Congress takes bribes to protect insurers, rather than representing their constituents.

My son was temporarily laid off, and his benefits cut during that time. Although his wife was pregnant before the lay-off, his carrier (the same as before) won't cover her pregnancy, citing it as a "pre-existing" condition. She's developed eclampsia, and has already suffered one seizure. Another could kill her or cause irreparable brain damage. The doctor said he'd accept an installment plan, and insists a Ceasarian section is needed immediately (the baby is fine, and 30 weeks into gestation), but the hospital won't admit her without proof of insurance or an $8,000 cash deposit.

Those who cite the sanctity of life, are Pro-Life and abhor abortions should note our family is trying to SAVE the life of an un-born baby and the mother. Those who decry government interference in our personal medical decisions are the very same who wanted to intervene and keep Terry Schaivo alive, or allow her family (husband and parents) to decide for themselves. Those in Congress using a government-run, taxpayer-subsidized, "cadillac" health care plan they vilify, won't be seen purchasing private policies on the "free" market as they advocate, and will exempt themselves from any taxes on employer-sponsored benefits they'll impose on struggling families.

I'd bet if Congress had to live with the same health care plan they propose for everyone else, the rabid rhetoric, obfuscation, fear-mongering would cease, and we'd be getting a sane health care reform that's much-needed and long-overdue.

Global Warming is real, and it IS a conservative issue. Preserving our climate, environment and the bounty of nature is a conservative, religious, moral, national-security and economic imperative.

Consider the $700+ billion our nation spends on foreign oil, wrecking our economy, polluting the air, emitting greenhouse gases, and putting our nation in a vulnerable position (being tied to unfriendly regimes).

Finding renewable, clean sources of energy saves money, our environment, and keeps our sovereignty, as opposed to our domestic-foreign policy being dictated by oil and energy interests.

If the operatives, or others engaged in torturing detainees did not want reprisals for their conduct, they could and should have followed the military field manual, international laws-treaties, and our Constitution. Anything less is criminal and illegal, so their actions should and must be subject to scrutiny, and those who conceived the program, condoned-justified it, as well as those who carried out such reprehensible practices held accountable for violations of law like any other criminal.

Like Hitler, the ultimate responsiblity for such atrocities and abuses goes to the top: Cheney-Bush-Rumsfeld. Without them, such programs would never have begun, much less been implemented.

While it's commendable Cheney wants us to thank, rather than investigate those who carried out his orders, he and Rumsfeld both blamed Abu-Ghrahib atrocities on a "few bad apples," and allowed low-level grunts to suffer the consequences without so much as a whimper in their defense. Cheney, the ultimate Chicken-Hawk, sends his daughter out to defend his record, while asking the president he abundantly criticizes for secret service protection.

The stench of bad fish eminated from the head, not the tail.

John Bolton was a recess appointee of Bush's, as he could not be confirmed by the Senate (at that time heavily GOP). John Bolton's cowboy diplomacy, and talk about "strength" is about as useful as the faulty intelligence (provided by Curveball) upon which our invasion of Iraq was predicated, while credible evidence of impending attacks (before 9/11) were ignored. Bolton is another of the Chicken-Hawk, neo-cons who wanted wars and claim they made us safe, while destroying this nation.

Bolton, Wolfowitz, and some neo-con op-ed columnists were clammoring for our involvement in Iran. Based on their assessments, efficiency, and credibility with the war in Iraq, their advice on foreign policy is as welcome as that of Josef Menegele's on medical ethics.

Perhaps those "protestors" should be ID'd. Check their driver's licenses and I'd bet the majority are bussed in from other areas. They're paid by lobbyists, the industries seeking to thwart health care reform, or by the RNC to help Obama "fail" which is their only hope to re-gain power and seats in Congress. The more they can stall or thwart a reversal of the disastrous past, failed policies, the better their prospects are.

Follow the money! Rick Scott, head of Conservatives for Patient's Rights was CEO of Columbia-HCA, found guilty of and fined for Medicare fraud. Martin Feldstein (who wrote in the W.Post about how great our current system is) is on the board of Eli Lilly (the pharmaceutical company also guilty of fraud). Look at the expenditures of the RNC, and I'm sure there will be vast sums paid to these "protestors" for their services and expenses.

These folks have the same script, cite the same skewed facts, and are using the same tactics. It's obviously orchestrated, and not spontaneous. I'm not in favor of limiting free speech, but those who want the facts and information to get out, need to rebut these antics, identify the sponsors of the protestors, and expose the "leaders" of these groups.