"For the last eight years I've been totally freaked out by what's been going on there on Wall St. I just couldn't believe it!!! Hey, I like an occasional glass of wine but those few *eh,hem* white guys were drinking the whole winery in 10 minutes! Do I now have to retire at 80, if I'm lucky enough to live that long?"

Let me get this straight...you are backing Obama 100% because you're jealous of what others on Wall Street are doing with their money?

Do you realize how asinine that sounds?

"By definition, the government can do a lot of things more efficiently and cheaper. That is doesn't in certain cases is because of private sector interference. It's because of private sector lobbyists that government programs turn into cash cows for the private sector. Costs go up because public programs are privatized."

Indeed. So you are for a takeover by the government of healthcare because they can cap the costs? Ok...logical. Then why not a government takeover of KBR, Halliburton...for that matter of every business that the government purchases equipment or services from?

By the standards you suggest that would resolve any cost problems encountered by the federal government, yes?

BTW, it would also put us in a Communistic state.

Yeah, I'd much rather things stay the way they are, thanks.

"No Obama has said over and OVER again the stimulus plan is a long term plan. By the way there has only been ONE stimulus plan and Obama is not planing another. Maybe you are mixing Obama's stimulus plan with Bush's bank bail out."

Actually there have been two stimulus plans passed...the first passed by Congress, with Obama voting yes in the Senate and signed by Bush, to bail out the banks and the second signed by President Obama. The third one has only been talked about.

Obama has said the stimulus plan is not a stimulus plan but a sustainment plan now. He and the VP have also said they misread the economy in that the unemployment rate has risen 1.5% higher than they projected but that he is tabling the idea of a third stimulus plan...for now.

At the same time Obama has said the stimulus plan is right on scheduled. Yet when trying to get it passed, Obama said we needed to pass it, sight unseen, right away to get money out into the economy...yet only around 10% has actually been spent.

Point being, he originally said it was to get funds immediately into the economy. Of course one could speculate that his definition of immediately is different than the norm.

"Medicare works very well. It's not a health care system, It's a health insurance plan. It's also not free. People over 65 pay on a sliding scale based on income. Nobody even has to change doctors when they go on Medicare, and you can buy additional private care plans to substitute what is not covered."

You're kidding, right? Medicare costs are 1/3 higher than private insurance and is not run very well at all. Ask any doctor on the system.

"Instead of creating a new public plan the Medicare should be offered to everyone and premiums based on income. It would support itself through premiums and spread the financial pain."

Rather than that, why not create health care accounts and let the people decide which doctors they want to see? That way competition would ensue which should drop prices? That seems imminently logical to me as well as more cost-effective.

Retired Military Patriot,

"He chose the latter which is why it is not possible for him to present the plan in sufficient detail that you desire. It is a much messier process that he chose and opens him to all kinds of game playing and pressures. One advantage which I don't find mentioned anywhere is that some ideas and approaches that are sound and workable can emerge from the process which would never have been thought of by the Obama team."

You missed another advantage for Obama choosing this route which is that if it fails, he can say that this is what was presented to him by Congress and something was better than nothing...effective isolating himself from any blame for problems down the road.

"What I would love to see Obama, Pelosi and Reid do now is tell the Republicans and others who say the process is moving too fast is to say, fine, the August recess is not going to happen and we are going to work until we get this done. If it is as important to you and the American people as you say, then surely you can make the sacrifice. After all under Republican leadership you guys were only working in D.C. three days a week."

I have no problem with this and the Republicans and moderate Democrats probably wouldn't either. The problem is, Obama, Pelosi and Reid WOULD have a problem with it. You see, the longer it takes to pass it, the more information about what's in it will get out...and when that happens, the less the public and Congressmen will want to support it.

But by all means, let the debate commence thru the recess! I encourage such!