I feel joy in this historic moment even though we could not get all that we wanted. I am proud of - love my President. His perseverance in the face of such intense back lash, unbelievable ignorance, and hateful bigotry.

Change happens with small, compromising steps. Bit by bit we evolve.

I watched the whole thing unfold on CSPAN. I love CSPAN, with no commentary, one can see for themselves the childishness and lies of those people we voted to protect our lives. Scarey. And it speaks volumes. We need to get these idiots out!

The HCR bill is far from perfect but it is a start.

I'd like to be happy about the healh care bill, but I can just not get over the sadness of just how dysfunctional our system has become. It IS broke and we do need to FIX it.

I am very happy it passed because self employed people like us are losing insurance all over. For two friends of mine their premiums went to 24,000 a year. Just for them. And everyone I know is afraid of going to the doctor and ending up with a pre-existing condition. Which is just about anything.
They also passed changes to the student loan program, eliminating the money banks made on it. Banks of course, protested. I think it is amazing they managed to fix that one at the same time.

Well, I've decided to be optimistic about it, but only in terms that it's a start.

I've also blogged on the passage at Cab Drollery.

I hate to say this, because I know we're all tired, but it's time to get back to work. The Public Option is the next step.

Nancy, la peregrina, estelle--
I'm with you three!!

I'm tired, disappointed, disgusted, angry, etc., etc., etc....

I'm with Tamarika on this one. I feel enormously proud of not only Obama, but also Pelosi for getting this thru. In these difficult times and in spite of the disgusting tactics of the republicans, healthcare for all americans will finally be a right. Nearly 5 years ago, my son, at that time under my health insurance, was denied treatment for a life-threatening condition. It nearly destroyed me and my family financially and emotionally. I'll take this, even if it isn't the whole nine yards.

I was appalled by the appeals of the Republicans to people's emotions and hatreds - not that I'm particularly proud of the Democrats. But to hear their "it's the end of the world" statements - I am relieved that I am not represented by one of those nasty Congressman. I seriously believe there is a racist undertone to much of the antis.

And I hope that we can now make some progress so that people can get the health care they need at a reasonable cost.

Dave, I find it surprising that you have confused anger and frustration with vitriol. Vitriol is defined by the Free Dictionary as being, "abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-
seated ill will."

No one here has every called anyone who's religious or political views are different from theirs anti-American or Communistic nor have they told them God hated them. We haven't called anyone a terrorist, a baby-killer, a f** if they are gay, a c*** if they are a women, or used the N word if they are African American.

I used words in my previous comment that describe the feelings behind the kind of vitriolic language (examples in the above paragraph) that has been used by other people during the health care debate. I thought we as a people had outgrown our selfish, fear driven, ignorant, hypocritical, self-righteous, jingoistic, bigoted beliefs. To find we have not is the reason why I am so disappointed.

As difficult as it was to pass, this is a start in the right direction. The first stone is always the hardest to push up hill. Now, we all need a break from the emotional roller coaster we've been on for so long! I'm glad it's spring.
Thanks, Ronni, Saul and all the bloggers who read this site, for clarifying the issues and keeping people informed.

It is certainly true that the passage of Medicare was a bigger deal than the current bill. But if memory serves me, in 1965 the GOP did not come together in order to destroy Lyndon Johnson personally.

The attacks on Obama, however, have that quality. I should say that I was only a lukewarm Obama supporter to start with, but a year of barbaric assaults on him, his character, his intelligence, his accomplishments, his agenda, even his wife and kids(!) has turned me into a passionate defender.

I watched the whole thing on C-Span. I know people don't like the legislative process, but by going through the whole thing, the Democrats have sealed in substantive change. The country club conservatives like David Frum are dismayed; Frum calls this the Republicans' "Waterloo" and blames the media nutjobs and wackos who have invaded and destroyed "their" party. But watching these dirty mean white guys (and a few gals) and their Teabagger friends expose themselves for what they are tells me that the whole party is defunct for the foreseeable future.
The biggest hero of all in this is Nancy Pelosi, who never was discouraged and never gave up, whipping Obama and Rahm Emmanuel along whenever they showed signs of flagging or losing their nerve. They just barely made it happen, and I for one am totally grateful to these people.

Democratic and Republican congressmen (and women):

"A POX ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES"

I rejoice and am grateful for what has been accomplished. Whatever problems we may face in the future are far less daunting than the utter disaster we would have faced had millions of people been left at the mercy of the health care system as it stood and had the Obama administration been crushed by the defeat of this bill. It's important not to diminish the success of the moment, just as it's important to allow ourselves a brief moment to recover from the pain of the battle. And then, the war goes on.

I'm glad it passed, but the process left much to be desired. Small-minded, mean-spirited and vitriolic describes many of the conservative Republicans who opposed the healthcare bill, in my view. I believe there are more than a few who simply do not want to see President Obama succeed at anything!

Like many of you, I signed petitions, sent e-mails and donated money because I was convinced that our present healthcare system is unsustainable and that something had to be done. Personally, I'm still not certain that I understand fully how the new law will affect my Medicare-Advantage plan, but I was willing to take a chance because we had to start somewhere. I still believe that. It passed the House; however, there's a long way to go. The Senate may yet find a way to derail it, and it may negatively impact progressives in the November elections, although I hope not.

The country is terribly divided and each side is demonstrably hostile to the other. However, as my husband reminded me, this isn't the first time we've been in this position and yet the USA has managed to survive as a democracy. I can recall only two issues during my lifetime that have so deeply divided the country: the Communist witch hunts of the 1950s and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, although healthcare reform may end up coming close. If the larger society can keep nudging the wing nuts on both sides to the fringes where they belong, civil discourse and real reform may yet prevail.

Does health care insurance need reforming? Yes.

Is it a shame that in this country of opportunity so many go uninsured? Yes.

On the other hand:

Is it appalling that seniors, many of whom have paid into Medicare all their working lives, will find it even more difficult to find primary care doctors because of even more cuts to Medicare providers?

Is it morally right for a government to mandate that every person MUST carry health insurance?

Is it legally right for the federal government to mandate that states bear the burden of even more Medicaid patients, many of whom don't (or won't) work to pay for their own insurance?

And, is it ethically right for any political party to use Enron-style accounting to hoodwink the people into believing that this bill will help reduce the deficit?

And, legally non-binding executive orders aside, are we now a country that finances the elective genocide of fetuses?