Most people feel we as a nation as not being told the whole truth about the health care being discussed in the Senate and House. For those who are currently laid off, the cost of health insurance has made them take a long hard look at having it in the first place. Most cannot afford to continue their health coverage and must do without it. Cobra is a joke, the pricing being much too high for someone on unemployment who has utilities, rent or mortgage, and a family to feed and clothe. This part of the health care needs help.

What can we expect from a government funded health care? Rating on basis of age, gender, and pre-existing diseases will not be allowed. Currently there is a bill to cap out of pocket expenses to $5000 per person, $10,000 per family. Medicaid is to be expanded to include everyone at poverty level. Also to subsidize the price of insurance for people below poverty level (currently at a level of $22,050 for a family of four). These are just being proposed. Nothing is yet set in stone, so to speak. Which is why we can become protesters, making our voices heard across the country, in letters, speeches, emails and phone calls to the appropriate people who represent us in Washington. Learn what you can about the health care plans being discussed.

Obama has said he does not want to put health care insurance companies out of business. That never was the intention. He also said the system was full of abuse and waste. Might I suggest putting a cap on the amount of money a person can “win” in a lawsuit against a hospital or doctor. That could drive down the costs of hospital and doctor services, meaning a better health care system for all of us. Doctors would be cautious again, not overly worried about being sued. Patients won’t have to sign papers when being admitted to the hospital that they will not sue. America has become “lawsuit happy” and that in a nutshell is a huge chunk of the problem as to why health care costs so much. This is something that needs to be discussed along with providing health care for those of us Americans who cannot afford a good policy.

Once again, this is my opinion and anyone is welcome to debate with me if they like.

The recent photos in newspapers and video clips on television show the police swinging their nightsticks at anyone who got in front of them, including women. I watched as one seemed to aim at the mid sections of protesters who got in his way. Some police took to a rooftop, firing on the protesters below, killing 1 man and injuring many others.

The protesters were arguing the election was rigged. The big mahoff got his way and the people feel he did something to the votes to make it go his way. Mir Hossein Mousavi was with the protesters. He felt he was leading the election. Most Iranians wanted him to win and voted for him. He is requesting the votes be recounted.

Be thankful you are in America where we have a much better life than the Iranians. Too many people take for granted what freedoms we have. We have choices we can make on our own, no one telling us what to do, what type of job to have, or what kind of education we can pursue. Americans tend to forget these things. They are our rights as American citizens, yet some choose to abuse these rights. While we can feel for the people of Iran and what they are going through at this time, we also have to understand that as Americans we need to remember our freedoms. God bless the U.S.A!