Thank you. I have made the mistake of reading various threads today. Things seem to be getting increasingly rude, crude, and wholly out of control.

Your entry about five or six entries before this, was an oasis. It is good to read those words and remember that there ARE people in this fray who know they won't benefit, but care deeply.

There are also people like me, who are nowhere near as articulate nor well-read, who know that were help to come, it will likely be too late for me. And I care just as passionately so that others won't have to lose their homes or make the literally painful choices of NOT getting relief or help because they cannot afford it.

Anyway, as always, you stated the case succinctly and, HEY, without an epithet or an insult beyond the touch of sarcasm that comes with being fed up. Thanks.

All the time. It's how I make my living.

Perhaps why I am broke?

Thank you. It matters to know the end of the story, too. May he rest in peace...

"While I agree with what you're saying I do not put Bernbart in that category. If Bernbart were buying dentures, and the dentist told her that she'd have to settle for dentures consisting of 26, 18, 12 on down to nothing Bernbart wouldn't have any dentures, she'd have gumms. But she'd tell ever body that her gumms were dentures if they'd just believe their lying eyes."

Kitt

Okay. I'm tired. And maybe I have missed some of what's being said in here, but HUH????

Wow. Go away for two hours and you don't know what you return to. Is it worth anyone's trying to explain that to me, or is this just your basic troll attack?

"The question is will Obama have the guts to veto the legislation is it does not have a public option. Does he have the nerve to commit to a veto before the vote."

That's the thing. I do not trust that he will do that. I really don't. And NO ONE wants to be wrong more than I do. In the meantime I write my letters and make my phone calls. Earlier in the day I said I was done with that.

I recognize that I don't have the luxury of "being done with that." My voice may not matter even a little, but if I do NOT try, then I'm SIMPLY a windbag and nothing more. I can be a windbag AND be more at the same time.

One thing that reading the forums at Salon does for me is remind me that I have an obligation to TRY, if I am this angry and this passionate. Maybe not articulate, but there are worse in here and on the other side. So I'll use my weekend to do more than my freelance work to earn a living. I'll use my computer and do some more letter-writing--the work of citizenship. Naive, possibly futile though it may be.

I realize that about the bill, yes. I just have little faith that the law we get will address these things. I mentioned elsewhere that I realize NONE of these changes will be implemented in the next year or year and a half at the very LEAST. I'd like hope... I'd like to know that I participated in activities that moved us toward the necessary changes.

And, like you, I think, without a public option--that OPENING for real competition to all the for-profit businesses involved in determining what options of treatment will or will not be covered for my health (and others'), it will be a hollow law or laws.

We will have a hybrid system. I resigned myself to that long ago, but to give this away too?

That's where OBama and much of the Senate lost whatever respect I had left.

...possibly for NOW.