Thank you for the well manicured description of the crowds, sights and sounds that surrounded you on your journey to and upon your arrival in Washington Mr. Keillor. Those of us staring at our TV's thousands of miles away could never hope to be able to truly get the 'visceral' feel & quality of the great and glorious day in America. Let me assure you though that there are millions of us who live in other corners of the larger 'world mall' who had similar feelings, reactions and emotions as those you bore witness to in your nations capital.

It is only just that we should send back to America the great lines of Longfellow that were sent to Winston Spencer Churchill by Franklin Delano Roosevelt back when England was facing a struggle of similar titanic proportions such as that which America faces in rebuilding from the Bush era ....

"Sail on, Oh Ship of State!

Sail on, Oh Union strong and great.

Humanity with all its fears

With all the hope of future years

Is hanging breathless on thy fate."

It indeed was ”A great day to be an American” and we envy you the bright young man you have elevated to lead your nation!

Now about that list ... It certainly is amazing to those of us who are not Americans how very narrow and parochial the author is when he decides to use the classification 'Media Liberals' .... We would remind you that your so called "Left/Liberal" connotation in America is considered to be rather duplicitous/fallacious by more than a few million of us actual 'Free thinking' people in in the other "Western Democracies".

Certainly it is doubtful that any who are on the list would belong to the World Socialist Movement and so we sincerely doubt their leftist monomania or bonafide possession of "Liberal" credentials.

PS: At least you might have acknowledged Keith Olbermann .... He has some 'credential'among those of us who thank him for his commentaries made related to the conduct of your former president and his administration as well as a larger group of neo-fascist media types that he consistently berates ....

I really do feel some empathy for people who have existing medical conditions in the United States and cannot get required health care however I also lay some responsibility at the doorstep of all those who refuse to look beyond their borders for how medical services and health care are done elsewhere.

Case in point is here in Canada where we have have not been scared away from government run/administered health care .... Socalism" is not a dirty word here and indeed our Medicare system is first rate and second to none despite any lying BS you may have heard or continue to hear from the many right wing liars of the Republican or 'Bought' Media group.

My wife is 61 and I am 60 we are both employed and we both pay federal and provincial as well as sales and assorted other taxes along with employment insurance deductions and Canada Pension Plan deductions. I take home $20,000.00 of my $30,000.00 annual salary as a writer and she takes home $48,000.00 of her $70,000.00 annual salary as a teacher. So we pay lots of taxes - Mind you our 'Lifespan' & 'Quality of Life' is higher & better here in the province we live in than it is in ANY of the 50 United States. Were either of us to become sick with any disease or physical ailment 100% of our doctors bills and hospital stay is covered by Canadian medicare despite each province having control over aspects of the program all Canadians are entitled to Medicare and to treatment.

The secret is NO SECRET you must have a "NATIONAL" Medicare service that everyone MUST be enrolled in and that everyone MUST pay into. Medicare costs in Canada are LOWER than they are in the United States despite the outright repeated LIES that the right wing 'business' types chime about time and time again as a sleazy 'Mantra' so as to protect the greediest private insurance and health care entities in the USA.

As for becoming 'Unemployed' we have an 'unemployment insurance' system that is and always has been compulsory for more than 60 years -- (More 'Healthy' Socialism) we pay into it quite heavily -- But it also gaurantees 2/3 wage benefits for up to a year if one is laid off --- and then if necessary if it expires and you still haven't found work one can apply for 'Social Assistance' .... In short NO ONE need starve or necessarily be 'Foreclosed/Evicted' from their residence/house if they have reasonably prudent money management even with greatly reduced income.

America needs to join the rest of the 'CIVILIZED' world such as in the western democracies of Europe (Like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, England, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland and yes even here in Canada) .... and realize that the care and concern for each citizen is absolutely necessary for the well being of all!

As I said at the start I'm 60 and my wife is 61 --- and we have never paid a CASH medical bill in our lives and have never had to 'Up-Front' any money for any hospital/medical service/procedure. [We do pay our own anmbulance bills and prescription medications - Unless we are too poor - then the government pays it for us!]

So there are possibilities ---- Put your politicians feet too the fire if you can get enough COLLECTIVE strength and REAL so called and much bragged about AMERICAN UNITY together to get the necessary legislation passed.

My 2 Cents from North of The Border ...... I wish you all well my American Cousins .... THERE IS A BETTER WAY!!!!!!