It’s your turn to express yourself on health reform

Like it or not, Congress passed health care reform Sunday.

Now the question is, do you like it or not?

How will the overhaul affect you? Your workplace? Will it make things better or worse? Why?

What do you think about the tortuous political process to get us to this point?

Will what happened affect your vote come November? How?

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

1,329 comments Add your comment

Trevor

March 22nd, 2010
8:51 am

To Alecia you are right but remember this is a red state. In other states that are blue the tone is much different.

Real Truth

March 22nd, 2010
8:51 am

The Democrats are keeping American blacks “on the plantation” by keeping them stuck in a welfare state in government housing and on food stamps rather than allowing black Americans to prosper and earn a real share of the wealth.

The Democrats make sure that substandard education is given to the predominantly black districts and promoting a culture where they are dependent upon the government for survival.

MB

March 22nd, 2010
8:51 am

if Republicans had their way, the discussion on health care would be focused on different priorities…but that discussion wouldn’t happen for another 15 years. I’m glad SOMETHING happened. It’s not perfect (no bill ever is), but status quo is unacceptable and unsustainable.

TnGelding

March 22nd, 2010
8:51 am

Garry Owen

March 22nd, 2010
8:48 am

Wake up to reality. If you remember the $4 a gallon gas was under Mr. MBA-USA.

Boogers in your Soup

March 22nd, 2010
8:52 am

Reality

March 22nd, 2010
8:47 am

AHH HAHAHAHAAA!! LOSER, you a loser from loserville with a losing mom and a hamster for a dad…LOSER, lemme spell it for your L O S E R, got it LOSER.

BBUUWWWAAAHHAHAHAHAHAAAA! What would Jesus doo doo, huh, Loser tell me Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick, huh…is that what Jesus would do? Huh well is it LOSER…(__)_)////////////D <—there is your LOSER LUNCH now get to munchin…Ahh ahhahaa!!! LOSER Eat that loser lunch loser….*POOT* in ya face.

AJ Zappas

March 22nd, 2010
8:52 am

Obaminator just doomed my grand children to a life of taxation not seen since the British controlled the Americas.I wish that November was tomorrow, this guy has got to have some checks and balances applied before we go 20 trillion in the hole. I think I will start taking Chinese lessons as they will own us in due course.

Real Facts

March 22nd, 2010
8:53 am

Medicare has a track record of turning down claims at double the rate of private insurance companies. If the new government “healthcare” program is anything like medicare we are in big trouble!

Craig

March 22nd, 2010
8:53 am

I was born and raised in Atlanta. I am horrified by the level of racism and ignorance in these comments. The doctor who commented above, “david”, laid it out for you. This bill will contain insurance companies who are trying to screw you to the wall, and will protect you and your families from potential ruin- why don’t you see this???

So whats next

March 22nd, 2010
8:54 am

As a economics person, I can assure you that this bill will raise unemployment way over 15% if not higher and the people that are now in control of the government has no idea who those 250K people are. I do, they are you employer. Yes, they are the ones who will no longer be able to afford your paychecks and their taxes. Guess which one they will pay. No your wrong, it will be their taxes. Good luck find a job for all those unemployed people out there. The new jobs that the united states is creating are in China.

This bill goes against the general Joe, it goes against private business, and it closes down small business. We are heading into the biggest depression this country has every seen and its HOUSE MADE. You can and you will have Obama, Pelosi and Reid along with the rest of the democrates to thank for this. Healthcare with a huge tax burden. Get ready for your taxes to go though the ceiling and add a federal sales tax to your already high taxes you pay for their free spending and private jets. This is no longer the America my grandfather died for. I cry for America and AMERICANS TODAY.

PETE

March 22nd, 2010
8:55 am

You know I know how they feel, this was the way I felt whene we went to war with IRAQ, I felt like they just shoved it rt down my throat and I did not want to pay for and expensive war.We needed health care then our country needed to be going in to the future not fighting wars but Dick Cheney was worthy of tax payor money to get those pipe lines through.So today I am proud of what we have giving back to the people

GAmom

March 22nd, 2010
8:55 am

@ Paul – Great points! Lobbyists fought this tooth and nail because it will cut into the insurance companies’ profits. Not sure why people can’t see what is right in front of them.

Frustrated in Georgia

March 22nd, 2010
8:57 am

Cant wait for the November elections . Time to remove the weasels !

Paul Chestnut

March 22nd, 2010
8:58 am

The Georgia vote was along racial lines, not party lines as the media is saying..

Gary

March 22nd, 2010
8:59 am

The majority of americans actually did and do want a change in healthcare. that’s one of the reasons that the democrats are in the majority. Unfortunately, the majority in Georgia are deluded or misinformed. Perhaps someday when we improve our educational system move of us will “see the light”

Howard

March 22nd, 2010
8:59 am

Booger in your soup
may be out of hand and off the chain but he is on point in reference to the obama care. Jobs should be the focus and should have been from the begining, why is jobs not a major issue with barac odumba? Simple He needed the American people to be broke and desperate. Think about it, if the job market was doing what it should, reform would have not happen. The more unemployed you have the more needy and deoendent people become. Thats why he can give less of a damn about jobs. Working people can make their own decision unemployed can’t.
No disrespect to the unemployed, hell I have more compassion for a man who desire to earn a livng than a man who mooch for a living. If he “odumba” can give everybody health care he should give a job and house with it too. Dont forget the plasma 60inch and car on dubs………..I GOT RITES!!!!!!LOL! “F” odumba!

william

March 22nd, 2010
9:01 am

Everyone keeps talking about Obama this Obama that and nobody is talking about how former President Bush MESSED EVERYTHING UP then ran back to Texas like a dog with his tail between his legs. He is just cleaning up what the Republicans or the New Ku Klux Klan has messed up for 8 long years. The Bush administration is the blame for most of what is going on now. Those of you who have a problem with what’s going on I would love to see you try these types of tactics in another country….um….right.

EMMA

March 22nd, 2010
9:02 am

Ummmm Rush Limbaugh, are you packing your bags? Send us a postcard when you get there, take care, and have a safe trip. Remember you said that if helath care reform passed you would pack your bags and move out of the country. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Doris M

March 22nd, 2010
9:02 am

What’s the matter with you people?! Why not health care for everyone. We live in the greatest nation in the world but are far behind other countries who support health care. Get over it people! Of course the bill is not perfect, but what bill has ever been perfect — none!!! Work on tweeking it and stop this assinine rhetoric. I have good health care but I know plenty of people who do not and need it very badly.

Insurance companies will still make money. Look at the millions of new customers they will accrue.

Get over it people!!!!

guest user

March 22nd, 2010
9:02 am

Frustrated:
I agree with you, there! It certainly is time to get rid of the Republican weasels in Georgia who have brought our state to the brink of a financial abyss with their tax breaks to corporate fat cats.

Lost

March 22nd, 2010
9:02 am

I guess Republicans just lost a major campaign donor / funder—the insurance companies!!! Now they will have to work for their money. How scary is that! Republicans, actually working for their own money.

Alecia

March 22nd, 2010
9:03 am

Walter-When the rest of the population sacrifices themselves at the same level of U.S. soldiers then they can be placed in the same category. Until then, it is fair to say that those earning VA benefits earned it. My grandfather was a WWII veteran(Army) and disabled, Dad a Vietnam Vet(Airforce), Brother Desert Storm Vet (Navy), and hubby Desert Storm (Marines) and disabled. This is the population that should be receiving VA benefits. It is insulting to say that someone that did not make the same sacrifices deserves the same benefits as someone that did. Eventhough my husband qualifies for VA benefits(service related disability), we have private insurance through his work. He does not use the VA, because he says that the private doctors are better. As you sip your Starbucks latte and blog about your liberal view, try to be thankful for those that gave you that right. And remember, if you are not a veteran or active military, you are not entitled to the same benefits.

J H Meadows

March 22nd, 2010
9:03 am

Enter your comments here

Socialist Law Rules!

March 22nd, 2010
9:03 am

“Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now. I thin myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.”–Thomas Jefferson

Socialist Law Rules!

March 22nd, 2010
9:03 am

“To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has aquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it”–Thomas Jefferson

Jim

March 22nd, 2010
9:04 am

This will end up just like the Georgia Lottery, the Republicans voted against it, kept trying to kill it after it went into effect. The Ga. Lottery has proven to be the best thing the polit. ever did for Georgia and this health care bill will be proven to be the best thing the Democrats ever did for the country. The GOP is truly the party of NO. Hope it is another 150 years before we have to endure another Rep. governor in this state.

ToRush

March 22nd, 2010
9:04 am

Rush Limbaugh, leave an address–I’m sure someone will send a postcard…oh, don’t forget to let us know what country you will reside, since it won’t be in the US anymore–we now have healthcare for all!!! Yea!!!

Howard

March 22nd, 2010
9:04 am

REAL TRUTH YOU ARE SPEAKING THE TRUTH!!!!! THANKS!

Boogers in your Soup

March 22nd, 2010
9:06 am

“The Georgia vote was along racial lines, not party lines as the media is saying..”

You know it ChestButt and I want my spinner rims and my leased Pontiac Grand ams and my spinner rims and my Mercedes C class (lol) and my BMW 3 series (LOL) and my chevy Taco and my rooms to go furniture and my obama check and my govt job and my employee pilferage and my govt credit card and my public vouchers and my Ctran and my obama check and and and…GET BACK IN THAT TOILET!!

Monica

March 22nd, 2010
9:07 am

So if I am reading this provision right, a family of four can have an income of $68K and qualify for Medicaid?

Business Owner

March 22nd, 2010
9:08 am

Congratulations to the short sighted leftists who pushed this through. Like a lot of business owners I will now have a few weeks of budget meetings sometime soon to decide how much this is going to cost and how many people I will have to let go to cover that cost. I provide health insurance through my company and have for a long time. Because of the level of insurance all my employees recieve (from top of the chart to our lowest wage earner) they will all have a new tax to pay because we have “cadillac” health plans. This bill very well could have just killed any recovery because now every business will have to cut costs even more and hiring expenses went up so that will be the last thing on their mind.

guest user

March 22nd, 2010
9:08 am

Boogers:
Did you miss the bus to middle school this morning? Maybe your mom will take you to school or at least write you a note for being late.

PETE

March 22nd, 2010
9:09 am

If it wasnt for the public social schools some of your children may not be able to read or write.

Rebecca

March 22nd, 2010
9:10 am

I’m thrilled, this will be the first time in my life I will be able to get health insurance on my own, not through an employer. That gives me more options on where and who I work for and I won’t have to worry about losing my coverage if I’m laid off.

Jason T

March 22nd, 2010
9:10 am

YES!! A great win for the MOOCHERS Society!!! Let’s all quit our jobs, and responsibilities, and suck off of the Imperial Federal Government Teat!!!! ALL HAIL THE GREAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!!!!!

Boogers in your Soup

March 22nd, 2010
9:10 am

“This bill very well could have just killed any recovery because now every business will have to cut costs even more and hiring expenses went up so that will be the last thing on their mind.”

And there it is…WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Thats right dummycrats…Obama and your elected fartknockers just delivered the knock-out punch. Gonna be tough to afford that affordable HCare without a JOB, JOB yes I said JOB. Perhaps you can get a job cleaning hamster cages and afford then your OBAMACARE…GET BACK IN THAT TOILET!!!

wwjd

March 22nd, 2010
9:11 am

I am encouraged by the representatives who were willing to risk their jobs to vote for what is right. It is encouraging to know that a majority of Americans are not selfish and self-righteous (even if it is a slim majority). Give health reform a chance. As someone said earlier, it will be a work in progress but it is a major step in the right direction. I continue to say God Bless America and I pray for our President and leaders daily. I wish others would do the same instead of just spouting off hateful commentary. WWJD – What would Jesus do? Think about it.

PETE

March 22nd, 2010
9:11 am

You do not have to be a slave anymore to bad employers just for ins.

Boogers in your Soup

March 22nd, 2010
9:11 am

Rebecca

Which are you more of Stupid or Naive? *FLUSH*

Reality

March 22nd, 2010
9:12 am

If the repubs would have worked WITH the dems on healthcare reform, it would have been passed a year ago, and the total congress would have been able to focus on jobs long ago.

GAmom

March 22nd, 2010
9:14 am

People, please return to school ASAP. Socialism involves owning the means of production. First of all, health is NOT a means of production. I know the insurance companies/reps have you thinking health is a commodity but, that just doesn’t fit. Second, there is NO government takeover. Your beloved Blue Cross and Aetna will continue screwing you.

Howard

March 22nd, 2010
9:14 am

Lost
You are truly LOST!

william
You are the KKK! Bush has nothing to do with the F up odumba is doing! The only reason you all on his nuts is because he’s black and if it aint black it’s not right in your small book. Let that BS go and get your self together! You jsut want something for free because yo punk ass dont want to work for sh*t. Now my kids have got to pay for your implants and butt surgery all because its free to dont wanna work americans.

guest user

March 22nd, 2010
9:15 am

Thank you wwjd! You are EXACTLY right. Those who profess belief in God and spout hateful messages have it all wrong.

Reality

March 22nd, 2010
9:15 am

I cannot wait for November elections. I want to kick out those idiots that voted “no” on this healthcare reform. They are short sighted and obviously don’t care about Americans at all.

tgirl

March 22nd, 2010
9:16 am

Repubs keep repeating the lie that the “majority” of american people didn’t want health car reform. The truth is there was never a majority who could agree on what type of reform was needed. This step is not perfect, but it is one in the right direction. For every commentor here I’d bet there is something positive coming out of this either now or later in their lives/careers. I guess you think because you send the most letters to the editor and shout the loudest, that makes you the majority — not so. To be the majority, you have to be greater in numbers and for those for or against reforming our health care system the YEAS to REFORM are DEFINTELY THE MAJORITY. Get over it!!!

Just an American

March 22nd, 2010
9:16 am

I am ashamed to be an American reading some of these comments. Many of the right wing that oppose this legislation profess to be Christian. Well Jesus said “Whatever you do for the least of these you do for me”. So is it ok that women and children die because they can’t get the healthcare they require? Do we just “reduce the surplus population” as Ebneezer Scrooge suggested. Has America become so hateful and cynical that we can’t offer some measure of comfort to those who are hurting? Slaves did not have any healthcare; are we devolving back to that type of society. How can we be so focused on killing our enemies and not saving our neighbor? Thats not Christian. Thats just wrong. Some Americans still believe the power of life and death is still in God’s hands. If this doesn’t work we can try something else. But please redirect your energy to something more constructive. Calling people something less than human is not constructive.

John

March 22nd, 2010
9:17 am

What happened to self reliance and responsibility? Since when is the government in the health care business? I keep hearing from medical professionals who say they treat people covered in tatoos and gold teeth who drive up to the ER in an expensive car with fancy wheel rims. How can these people afford those things, yet they don’t buy health insurance? More importantly, why should I pay for that?

Seems like a noble cause to try to get everyone covered, but this was definitely not the correct way to do it. I feel as if Obama & Pelosi care only about their legacy. Meantime, we have to pay for this boondoggle. For the first time ever, I no longer believe in the USA. I can’t believe I just said that.

bruce

March 22nd, 2010
9:17 am

It’s a very sad day for freedom in America. I’m amazed at how ignorant the people are of history and of economics. Huge layoffs will come as a result of this mandate, and States will push back because they DONT have the money to pay for their current obligations, much less the new ones from this bill. This is a socialist takeover, plain and simple. None of the supporters on here can name a place in the world where socialism has worked to the betterment of a nation or medical system for that matter, yet you praise Obama and the idiots in Congress for the new “entitlement” which is not paid for. Are you aware that the unfunded mandates of Social Security and Medicare alone now total $700,000 per household in America? That’s ALL HOUSEHOLDS, not rich people. Please people, educate yourselves on what this country is facing and question why the radicals in Washington are heaping new burdens onto the already broke system. Obama himself has said we can change this to be like Canada’s medical system. And we’re supposed to be happy about that? WAKE UP and learn.

Brad

March 22nd, 2010
9:18 am

Pathetic, ignorant whiners. Go back to your trailer parks.

Obama Sucks

March 22nd, 2010
9:18 am

Obama is intent on bankrupting America. Thank goodness we can just print money and that won’t happen. Our govt can’t run the post office, social security, etc. so let’s go ahead and expand it in an enormous way that has never been this big. Just wait till the news comes out later on how much this program goes into financial disarray, cost over runs, inefficiency, govt waste, fraud, etc. This bill is huge, bloated behemoth intent on taxing the same people FOUR times to pay for it so Obama can buy votes and make lobbyist richer. This adds four new govt agencies and 15k new tax collectors. What a freaking joke this administration is. For one trillion dollars I could buy 400 million people healthcare not just the 15M in this bill. The worst president in American history and I thought George B was bad.

Mike

March 22nd, 2010
9:18 am

Disaster! We can now only hope that voters remember this in November and brutally punish the Democrats at the polls.

Our children and grandchildren will pay dearly for this as the toxic cancer of this bill spreads and slowly kills the free market in favor of stranglehold government