While COBRA coverage is expensive, it seems like she would have been better off ponying up the premium for one additional month of health care (probably 700-1000, depending on what level of coverage she was carrying), and having the baby when it was due.

It does seem like insurance companies reimburse for people who basically have "convenience" inductions though, where the convenience is either for themselves or for their doctor. So I guess I am surprised at the denial. Maybe it's the publicity surrounding her ploy that has made them be so strict?

Do you care about the problems in the northeastern part of my state, where increased energy production has put severe pressure on the supply of housing and the schools, and there are increasing social problems associated with this, as well as problems caused by the transient nature of the workers and the boom and bust economy? No?

Do you care that the West Slope of Colorado is experiencing similar problems, and when it isn't boom, it's bust, with communities becoming very poor and unable to sustain their farms during droughts? No? How about the water contamination coal bed methane production can cause in Wyoming?

Do you care about foreclosures in Denver? Layoffs throughout the front range?

Of course not. It's not Noo Yawk. So who gives a hoot?

I think that's what the previous poster was trying to say--problems in NY really are as regional as ours, and not of universal interest, at least, not in great detail.

Bristol would have been covered by her parents' insurance if unmarried, but not if married. For most plans, the new baby is not covered.

And so is Palm Sunday! And the day BEFORE Easter! And the Sunday after!

I think they're often called "weekends".

What did you buy? My husband is looking at the small SUV/crossovers as well, and I'm wondering which one nicely fit you.

No matter how I tried to get into it in Firefox, it caused an error and shut the browser down. I had to read it in IE.

Please, please put the name of the author of a comment at the top of the comment (as TNR does), so that I don't accidentally ever again read one of Maureen O'Donnell's sentences. Please?

They didn't filibuster, because that is a Senate rule, and this vote took place in the House. There are no House filibusters.

Nine months of labor and delivery? Hmm. And I thought 36 hours of labor (and what? 10 minutes or so?) of delivery were a really long time.

Shows what I know!

Just exactly what the Republicons would do. Say, oh, yeah, okay, Judd, you betcha. Then appoint whatever person pleases him. You can always say something like, oh the situation changed, this person really was best for NH, and I couldn't let some partisan political assurances impact the people of the state! Or some other excuse for lying and going back on your word.

The republicons would do it in a heartbeat, and Lynch should. Just to listen to the hopped up outrage in all those old southern white guy voices would be fun! Plus, they're really, really good at hopped up outrage.

The outrage you CONSTANTLY feel is not directed to the person who did things he shouldn't, but to the manner of the world finding out?

Oh, of course it is!

date's? Really? You expect to be taken seriously when you can't get your plurals (and apostrophes) right?

Why should we wait for them to secede? Can't we just kick some states out of the union? Just say, you know, let's agree to disagree. We're getting divorced. Buh-bye!

And, from what I've seen, also with Tijuana.

Obama is going to turn us both into a European nation (which will be quite a feat, I would think, moving to a new continent, and all) and then to a third-world nation?

Wow! How long do we get to stay European, with longer lifespans, guaranteed health care, retirement, and other social safety nets?

Or are you really so ignorant that you think Germany and France are third-world nations? So that he can accomplish both at once?

What? The costs are per capita. That means you take all of the costs of healthcare in a country, and divide it by the population of that country. Everyone. Not weighted by anything.

I didn't read all the letters. But I think most of us know that flat out saying "No" to one's boss (or bosses, in a "matrixed" environment) is not really feasible. When I am overwhelmed, I say to my boss, sure, I can get this for you, let's talk about priorities for a minute because this assignment means something else isn't going to get done or meet a deadline, and I want to check the priorities on my other assignments with you, so I know which one can kind of fall through the cracks for a bit.

It's not really no, but it's a reality check for your boss.

Also, if he's saying they're hiring someone, hang on. It might get better, and you'll be viewed as the rock who got them through a hard time.

You must leap to the defense of the wonder that is Sarah.

"And if the Republicans get their panties all in a bunch, we can call them a WAMBULANCE!!"

Seems to me that Republicons spend their entire lives with their panties in a bunch. It's their MO. See our beloved elephantman's posts for further evidence.

Of course this woman should go to jail. There is no excuse for this behavior. From either gender. She had the option of turning around and walking away (that's what I would have done) and dealt with the situation with, may I say, a little dignity.

I firmly believe that "she deserved it" doesn't work when men hit women, when women hit men, when parents hit children, when children hit adults or each other.

Doesn't work. Not acceptable. Exact same penalty as if her husband had hit her.

No excuses.