It's a step. At least Obama appears to be embracing the GLBT community to some degree, which is good, since we've been getting our collective faces slapped since November.

I understand that he doesn't want to go full steam on GLBT rights in light of the economy and everything that entails. I understand that. But- he could still do something. As in, overturn DADT. That's a no-brainer. Losing service members who speak Arabic in a time of war solely due to their sexual orientation is absurd.

I can see both sides of this- those of us in the GLBT community who can be patient, and those who are fed up. Frankly, it's fucking infuriating to languish with 2nd class status for so long. Civil equality in this country moves at a glacial pace- but we can't seem to move fast enough when there's money to be made or countries to bomb.

I have a hard time mustering an ounce of sympathy for members of the health "care" industry who make obscene profits by denying necessary care to ill and dying people.

As it stands now, they are nothing but extortionists- they charege massive premiums and fight tooth and nail denying every possible claim and treatment, no matter how necessary and worthwhile.

They need to get their greedy claws out of the system. I and millions of Americans believe that single payer will be the only effective way to go. Barring that, a public plan as competition cannot hurt. So the CEO's of the health "care" insurance industries won't be able to bank $150 million in bonuses? Boo effing hoo.

In regard to the geneva convention, extraordinary rendition, detainee abuse, guantanamo bay closure (still waiting on that one), warrantless wiretapping...

And socially in regard to the economy, banking regulations, mortgage help for those in need, gay rights issues.

Change indeed.

since Fiorina is the business world equivalent of Palin.

Where is the return to law that Obama promised? Where is the "Change" I voted for? Why is Obama continuing the same actions that earned the Bush administration justifiable scorn for their reckless and lawbreaking actions?

I thought we lived in a land where the rule of law was applied equally to all citizens, regardless of their position or power.

Must've been naive.

America, by and large, has a large strain of anti-intellectualism running through it. Especially in popular culture. The vast majority of media entertainment focuses upon the superficial, and derides complex thought or emotion. I'm realistic enough to know that there will always be a desire by society to have some amounts of superfluous decadence, but I also believe that we can do better. It's sad to me that so much of our society and so much of our creative output seems stuck in the freshman year of high school.

The space race. It's been forty years now since the United States put men on the moon. This was and is a remarkable scientific and technological achievement that has yet to be surpassed. The argument can certainly be made that the politics of the Cold War era prompted the United States to place emphasis and even praise upon the scientific and engineering communities of the time. How can we return to societal support for science and engineering without the external motivator of geopolitical situations and war?

By far, however, I believe that a major reason for America's slipping place in science has much to do with our out of control capitalistic system. The American mantra is simple- "If It Don't Make Dollars, It Don't Make Sense." This is the impatient, impulsive, instant-gratification mantra that sees no value in any enterprise and endeavor whose results are not immediately apparent, and whose value is not instantaneously clear. Science is a slow process. Engineering is beset by setbacks and failures on the path to refinement. And as a result, our scientific and engineering skills are used for instant gratification as opposed to a genuine improvement in the lives of humanity. For instance- AIDS has been a scourge upon humanity that has gone without cure or prevention for thirty years- and our medical establishment spends millions of dollars upon pills designed to give elderly men erections.

might be a useful source of alternative energy.

Beyond that, I am sick to death of hearing about her.

BRAVO!!!

I wish your letter could be printed in every newspaper in this country, as well as read on every newscast.

You're very lucky to have a plan that you are happy with. And, sadly, you would appear to be in the vast minority of citizens in this country who feel the same way.

I don't mean to be snarky or condescending or any of that when I ask this- but- Don't you think that all Americans deserve health care coverage that they are happy with (as you are), and can trust to be there for them, without exorbitant fees and regardless of whether or not they "make enough" money a year to afford it?

It's sad and revolting, but this is what happens when you have a right wing party populated almost solely by emotionally immature individuals with a gigantic phobia and even hatred for anything or anyone that isn't old, caucasian, male, greedy, protestant and heterosexual.

In other words, what else is new? The only upside to the GOP's shenanigans on this and every other issue of merit these days is how they demonstrate again and again how grossly out of touch they are with the currents and sensibilities of the contemporary United States. They behave and think as though it were 1955. Well, good luck with that, guys.

On the other hand, I have to give a big thumbs up to judge Sotomayor who has shown herself to be balanced, intelligent and thoughtful throughout this entire proceeding. They've been throwing a lot of "gotcha" bait at her, and she hasn't taken any of it. Good for her.