I only supported the Senate bill to get it off the floor and into the Reconciliation Committee with the House bill. As it stands, more people will be covered by the Senate bill but Big Insurance and Big Pharma make out like bandits. I agree with those of you who ask why are we protecting these businesses. They surely are not protecting us. I guess those in the First Church of Greed is Good are learning the Gospel of "What would Jesus invest in?". I guess this follows the one called "Who would Jesus kill?" Someone please tell me where it says Blessed are the Corporations, for they are the true citizens of a nation?

Seriously, the "compromise" was the Public Option after Nancy Pelosi said "it ain't happening" to the Single Payer Option. I have a feeling after a year or so of this "system" all parties involved will beg for the Single Payer system because it is a system.

Now as to abortion, seriously folks, do you honestly believe that outlawing it will stop it? Look at Ireland. Sure it's illegal. It is also illegal to go to England for the purpose of getting one. But how many Irish women do just that? They just tell the Customs people they are going on holiday or for shopping or visiting mum. Like in Ireland, it will only be illegal if the doctor, clinic or patient gets caught. It is better to leave it legal and take away the excuses. Health reform will help there. So will outlawing discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace. Stop the no family clauses and the "termination at will" for non-contract employees. In cases where safety is an issue, employees should be told up front and options made available for those who wish to have families. I think the only valid cases are Nuclear Power Plants/Waste Reclamation Centers and Hazardous Waste Processing/Cleaning Centers. Police and Fire Departments have tried to disallow women who have children or are of child bearing age from working, but the unions involved put an end to that in the 80's. Ending these discriminations will do more for women's equality than all the abortions ever did.

The 1 am vote was procedural as was today's. It had to be done at 1 am to meet a deadline. The delay also permitted more Senators to make remarks. Senators of both parties.

We need to work on the conscience of our political representatives. Specially the Republi-can'ts.

Pax vobiscum,
John Davis

The Senate Bill gives too much to the private insurance companies. It gives to little to the unemployed and under-employed and puts the cost on to the middle class workers instead of raising the tax on those who make $250,000 and more per year. These people can afford to pay a little more from all the benefits they receive from our great country.
Personally I don't believe that religious beliefs should enter into society paying for abortions. Like it or not abortion is legal in this country. Religions should stay out of this unless they want to lose their tax exemptions. If you do not want an abortion don't have one but please do not push your religious beliefs on others.
I don't want to pay for these preemptive wars going on but I have no choice in the matter and that is life so as long as something is a legal medical procedure then it should be paid for.
We really need a single-payer system but if not then a great Public Option and when 70% of the country want this choice then it should happen. Instead we have a system in place that these private corporations have bought and paid for our Representatives and I for one am disgusted with this system.
We should demand that all politicians sign on to only government financed elections and if they don't the people should not vote for them; this is the only way that we can make sure that our representative are looking out for our interest and not paying back for their election funding or raising money for their next election also we should never have career politicians.
Our Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves about this, they never conceived of this paying huge amounts of money for retirements for public office, they believe that it was and should be a persons patriotic duty to help run the government for a short period time; not build up all kinds of connections and huge benefits for themselves and not even be cover by the laws that they make. This is screwing up all reform not just health care reform but the financial reforms, the consumer's reform bill, all of the reforms are being written by these private for profit corporations and this should change ASAP and the only way to do this is not voting for anyone who does not sign on for the government financed elections funds.
This Senate Health Care Reform is the best they can come up with that can be paid for by the Corporations, look at the stocks of these public-ally traded Health Care Insurance Corporation they have gone way up in price so you know they love it and if they love it; it is not good for the people.
Wise up if you believe their ads on TV you are a fool they care nothing about the people it is their bottom line they care about; their profits, as far as they are concern if your going to cost them money you can die. Please do not forget that. They are greedy, selfish, no conscience people who are in charge of these huge corporations. They can make these huge salaries and then get huge bonuses and they still want more and more.
Wake up people and take to the streets and demand that your representative do what you want and if they don't please don't forget; vote them out Democrats and Republican alike for the most part they are representatives for Big Corporate America.
Health Care should be a right not an option if you have the money to pay these middle men to get health care insurance. Logic will tell you it will cost more when you have a middle men you have to go through to have health care.
Now they want to have a Medicare/Social Security commission and it is going to be behind close doors that doesn't have to be voted on by Congress to cut these programs. We can not let this happen, it will cripple Medicare/Social Security that we paid into all of our lives, remember that these programs would have all the money they needed if the government hadn't taken it and used it to cut taxes for the rich. We must stop them they plan on doing this when Congress is out of session, we must stop this we are all on the line that need Medicare/Social Security for our retirement.
Look it up and find out what is happening behind our backs.

Jesus asked that we heal the sick and feed the poor. This bill does not go far enough to heal the sick but does feed the fat and greedy medical insurance company executives that deny sick people care in order to make themselves richer.

For the people that complain about the cost of the program, I hear their complaints and offer a solution: let's take the money out of the defense budget by shutting down the occupation of of Iraq and Afghanistan. Just the Iraq and Afghanistan portion would pay for 5 years of health care coverage for all Americans. If we shut down bases around the world and stopped building unnecessary armaments we could instead use that money to continue paying for health care. Unlike many people, I can't speak for Jesus but I believe he would be quite supportive of a solution that stresses health care over warfare.

It is long past time for our country to regain our position as true human rights activists. That requires us to provide health insurance options that work to every citizen. I do not have a problem with the idea of not funding abortions with tax dollars. I DO, however think that if a person who considers abortion to be murder is given voice over how their tax dollars are spent, I should be allowed to withhold the tax dollars used to execute capital criminals.

Let's face it -- we have been trying to get a health care plan for this country for many GENERATIONS and have not succeeded. If we fail again we probably will have to wait another 20 years or so before someone tries again. Let's take the bill for what it is -- a starting point and then let's run with it (not from it) to make the changes needed. That's how MOST important pieces of legislation seem to work.

This is a letter I sent via email to Congressman Weiner.

Dear Congressman Weiner:

I will not be able to join you and others for the live chat tomorrow so I am sending you this for your consideration.

I have been a lifelong proud Democrat. I am almost 63 years old. I am a priest in a small independent Catholic Community based in the United Kingdom. I live on a limited income from social security and a part time job which is administered through the Older Americans Act. I have no health insurance because like many others I cannot afford it. I have health issues but I cannot address those issues for the reason I stated above so for me this question is not philosophical nor is it a matter of political expediency rather it is intensely personal in nature and outcome. Therefore I do not say the following lightly.

I have never been ashamed of my Party until now. In the name of political "victory" at any cost the American people in particularly those least able to endure it have been handed among other things a mandate that requires us to purchase health insurance from the very robber barons who have denied humane and essential health care in the name of profit. The President talked of "real change" and instead we have more of the same old politics as usual. Rather than standing for principle and forcing those bought and sold so called democrats to take a stand he remained aloof and according to media reports refused to become directly involved in the process especially for a strong public option. I am also informed that a member of his staff made the remark that the White House did not worry (read care) about "the base"! Well if that is so it is a remark they all may bitterly regret in 2010.

The hype and spin is already begun. Make no mistake about it this senate prostituted version is a give away of unparalleled proportions to the health care industry and we the American people in particular souls like myself will be the sacrificial lambs on the altar of greed and politics! I urge you sir do NOT accept this senate betrayal of our Party and its' platform. I once asked you in an email which obviously you did not see why I should continue to believe in America and her ideals. This travesty does not bode well for a positive answer. If I were in Congress I had rather end my career in the House or Senate on principle than to continue on pernicious compromise.

Respectfully,
Father Andrew Gentry

The Senate bill is not that good but when reconciled with the house bill can be a good bill. I hope and pray that the provision on abortion in the House bill will stay in the combined bill...I do not want my tax dollars spend on abortion...I am a woman who is pro life from the conception of a child to adulthood, I do not believe that abortion is the answer to unwanted pregnancies unless the life of a women is at stake. Please fight for this cause.

31M more having healthcare is better than nothing;
Thanks,

I oppose the health care bill as it currently stands.

I support Medicare for all with a conscious clause, no federal funds for abortion, inclusion of all who reside in the US (including undocumented immigrants, whose children are often US citizens).

As Catholics we need to form our own political block that supports ALL if the life issues. Pray that we can unite and soon.

This bill gives 30,000,000 insured lives to the insurance industry while providing 30,000,000 newly insured patients to our medical providers--all at taxpayer expense--and asks almost nothing of them in return. The current health care delivery system is left intact. The bill is unsustainable; costs will continue to explode forcing millions out of affordable insurance over time while bankrupting the country. Congress has never shown that it has the capacity to take on the well-healed interests that lobby it, and that is what has occurred with this bill. It will do far less than its promise while costing far more.

James B. Rickert, MD
President, The Society for Patient Centered Orthopedics
www.thepatientfirst.org

I am an agnostic who volunteers, with my husband, Pierre, here in France for Secours Catholique. We left the states (I am legally part-owner of my kids'home in Texas) because of our health-care horror story. // I was part of California's Proposition 186 in my relative youth. I learned long ago about the money/propaganda sources out to destroy any chance of decent, universal health insurance. The money/propaganda killed single-payer and now public option. / If we don't demand and get meaningful Campaign Reform our economic/tax/insurance system will get mired in business-as-usual.

Much about this bill appears disappointing, mainly the loss of single payer or public option. And yet, the good of it should not be sacrificed to await the perfect. It is a vital first step. The struggle for universal health care will continue. This current bill does not force anyone to have an abortion. Each person is encouraged to follow her own conscience on this issue, and it is nobody else's business.

From FDL Action site: How bad is the health reform bill?
1)Forces you to pay 8% of your income to health insurance corporations (the lieing weasels that have us in this problem). 2) Should you refuse to join the lieing weasel health insurance corporations, you will be fined 2% of your annual income to the IRS. 3)Then, if you join, you will still be on the hook to the lieing weasels for approximately $12,000.00 a year in out of pocket expenses. 4) The new health care regulations will increase the cost to ones employers, causing them to cut benefits and increase co-pays. 5) The taxes for the health care reform will start immediately, but an end to discrimination for preexisting conditions won't start until 2014. 6)Will allow lieing weasel insurance corporations to charge people who are older 300% more than others. 7)Grants drug companies the right to keep expensive drugs from EVER going generic. 8)Does not allow for the reimportation of drugs from other countries (which could save taxpayers $100 billion dollars in 10 years). 9)Restricts a woman's right to choose abortion coverage. (It's not about abortion being right or wrong, it's about being able to choose.)

I support this bill because we must pass health reform legislation now. It is a crime that so many of our people are uninsured, or underinsured, or cancelled when they most need insurance. The new bill insures 30 million more Americans. It prohibits cancellation or refusal of insurance for someone who has a preexisting condition. It does not go far enough in establishing a public option, but it does cover many more people. As for abortion, there are too many people meddling in what necessarily is between a woman and her physician. The emphasis should be on health education and prevention of pregnancies when individuals are not ready for the birth of a child. Another comment below mentioned the abysmal infant mortality rate in this country. This statistic tracks to inadequate prenatal care, inadequate nutrition, and lack of health education for the poorest of out citizens. Choosing adequate care for the poorest of our citizens is a proactive way to show proper respect for life.
Please support this bill. If it doesn't pass now, it will be another 30 years before we have another chance!
Mary Ann Petro

Conscience is issue, not abortion per se.

The comments lead me to believe the primary issue may have been misunderstood. The complaints are not about abortion but rather about forcing those who personally object to abortion to not have to a) pay for them, or b) perform them.

The most important issues revolve around loss of liberty both in conscience-related provisions and in the individual mandate. This is a very slippery slope.

You may feel you can sacrifice on this piece of legislation but it is only the beginning. Step by step other freedoms are lost and then it is your faith that is restricted.

One only need study the history of other Marxist efforts to see where the path leads. I cannot understand how any Catholic can seriously believe that Andy Stern, George Soros, Rahm Immanuel, David Axelrod or other power brokers pushing this legislation have Christian interests in mind or will ultimately respect Christian interests. That will not happen.

There are much, much better ways to make sure the poor are served. This will strip liberties from us but will not serve the poor.

Want a solution? Push legislation that allows for insurance to be sold across state lines. Nationally. Then start a nonprofit Catholic insurance agency. Insure all Catholics. Cut fraud, waste, abuse. And then set premiums so Catholics and then other Christians can serve the poor through their plans.

There is no reason to allow a government takeover. You will regret it later.

It is sad that our Bishops will not support the health care bill because of the abortion language. They choose to ignore the cause and effect relationship between a pregnant woman's financial inability to care for her coming baby and her decision to abort the child. This bill, with all its faults and limitations, will do more to reduce abortions than the language they desire to insert. And it will go some ways (not far enough, but some) toward helping those families who are neglecting their health care and the care of their children due to the cost of medical care.

The second question is poorly worded. It does not include the option "Provides too little care at too great a price."

The survey does not address the most vital question of all which is the coercive nature of the legislation and the insertion of government control over too large a sector of our lives.

We should be very, very worried about this bill.

For more on my fears regarding the coercive nature of the bill and its backers (Soros, Stern, Immanuel, Axelrod, etc.) see my blog at tamingthewolf.com in which I address Franciscan Action Network support for the bill.

Single payer must eventually come to this country. I'm not completely happy at all with the Senate version; perhaps in conference with the House, the bill will become more progressive, with fewer perks to the insurance industry.
And as far as the Catholic Conference of Bishops is concerned, they need to get out of the way. Like it or not, abortion is legal in this country, and the health care bill is not going to change that. The bishops would do well to support legislation that will help the least of our brothers and sisters.

We need a single-payer national health plan. Health care for all should be considered as much a priority as public water and sewer systems.

I am agreement with other respondents who believe the Senate bill could be stronger and perhaps that will occur in Conference. I also agree that the U.S. bishops would emperil ALL of reform because of only one issue (abortion) of many social justice issues. They are becoming irrelevant to mainstream Americans and also to many Cathlics like myself. We must have a start to health care reform or we may squander another generational opportunity!

I believe our very harsh welfare policies negate all reasonable objections to abortion. Since implementing welfare reform, America's poor now have some of the highest rates of infant mortality among "industrialized" nations; we can consider it "abortion by social policy". Americans are OK with this, so how can they object to abortion by medical means?

Only a health care bill that contains a public option can truly be called reform. As it stands, there seem to be some provisions of the Senate bill that restrict the most egregious practices of the health care industry, but this amounts to no more than telling them to "go stand in the naughty corner" compared to offering real competition in the form of a public option.

though the bill is not perfect, it is bound to provide health care to many millions more americans than can afford it now. Though the bill's respect for life is not complete, not all americans believe in the right to life for our unborn brothers and sisters. We will need to continue to know and teach our moral values to our fellow citizens.....
Please VOTE the Health Care Reform Bill into Law!!!
Thank you.

I personally could care LESS what the College of Bishops think. Abortion, as much as they would like to make it the forefront issue just IS NOT. But, the care of those who are less fortunate, uninsured, and sick should be OUR priority and the priority of this bill. "We get witch hunts and wars when church and state holds hands". (I stole that from a Joni Mitchell song).

the bll as it stands gave away too much to insurance companies and eliminated the public option. Perhaps the joint committtee cand rectify-I hope.

If the Catholic Bishops have their way, they will defeat health care reform. That may not be their goal, but they are willing for that to happen if they don't get their way. We cannot let this happen.

The senate version is not all that we need to reform health care; however, we need to stop buying the lies of the Republican obstructionists. Another writer lamented the fact that Reed called for a 1 AM vote. He had to because the Republicans, even though they saw the handwriting of final approval on the wall, were hell bent on invoking their right to 30 hours of debate between each vote in order to grandstand for their voters.
The survey also shows how out of touch the bishops are pro-abortion and health care. The sensus fidelium contradicts their narrow approach to pro-life. Health care for every person is pro-life. God want every person to have access to health care just because they are created in God's image. The bishop's are referring a game that no one is playing. Once again the bishops, like their Republican allies, give credence to Dan Berrigan's statement that unfortunately "the business of the church is BUSINESS."

While I think many improvements to this bill can be made, I believe it is a good first step and should be passed. It's importance has to do with the fact that finally, positive action has been taken to establish a system of universal health care for the people of this country.

I support health care reform, but I'm really not sure of what is in this bill that they are finally voting on. I was disgusted by the negative tactics of the Republicans, but I'm not proud of the Democrats, either. I was very dismayed by their 1:00 am vote the other day. It certainly leads to suspicions of what is in the bill and how many deals they had to make to get it. I'm also disappointed that they removed the public option and am worried that the bill may be so watered down that it is meaningless.