In recent years millions of Americans have been bankrupted by medical costs, and three-quarters of the medically bankrupt had health insurance. And yes, insurance companies even dumped hard-working, law-abiding patriots. But the health care reform act will put an end to that, and now America’s hard-working, law-abiding patriots are more financially secure, whether they like it or not.

Our friend, Jeffrey Dubinsky, captured these heartbreakingly beautiful pics during a flyover of Redfish Bay in Louisiana’s bird’s foot delta on May 27.

Bill Clinton hears echoes of the hate-speech of the 90s – the last time Republicans were marginalized (go figure).
“We can’t let the debate veer so far into hatred that we lose focus of our common humanity.”
It’s hard to disagree with that sentiment but, the fact is, it makes a poor yardstick by which to measure [...]

If the legislation passes, it’s fair to say that Republicans made it happen. By lying and demagoguing “Obamacare” they rallied liberals, centrists and Congressional Democrats to push policies that had only lukewarm support at best and generated outright anger on the left.

…and a new mayor…now here comes Mardi Gras! Laissez les bon temps rouler, baby!

Seriously, it’s hard to say how much of an impact both of these events — the game and the election — might mean in the long run.

But for now, this is New Orleans’ glorious moment in the sun. Not quite five years after the catastrophe of Katrina, the city is back and rocking out! Between now and Mardi Gras Day on Feb. 16, the region will be riding a high seldom seen in decades past. Let the good times roll, dahlin’!

A Republican friend of mine recently sent me this email after I told him that Claire McCaskill pwned the Medicare recipients at her recent town hall:

“The mistake you are making here isn’t who eats who’s lunch but rather that the Democrats are now the establishment (owning Congress and the White House) in ways they haven’t since the Carter Administration. And you guys are freaking out over a little bit of disruption. For God’s sake man, pull yourselves up and act like you’ve been there before.”

I was thinking about that today. I agree some people are freaking out, but the reality is this: if any sort of comprehensive health care reform bill is passed, then that will be bad, bad, bad news for the Republicans for the foreseeable future.

With a huge majority in the House, and 60 Democrats in the Senate, a popular Democratic President should be able to smite the earth and magically produce a Volvo in every garage. But the Village needing a story will trump up controversy. Coupe or Sedan? Why not a Mercedes option? It’s all the same with arbitrary pre-recess deadlines, bi-partisan support or 70 plus votes. We get process and conflict instead of policy and results.

So, in case you’re worried, especially in light of bogus numbers that Obama’s popularity is plumeting even though he’s done nothing unpopular, remember these few salient facts.

Time’s Karen Tumulty predicts that we’ll be hearing a lot more about the cost of health care reform from insurance industry lackeys, using statements from CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf.

Sarah Palin, last seen wearing fisherman’s waders (which are well known to be the Alaskan version of sack-cloth and ashes) is poised to become Empress of all Media after her sacrificial act of walking away from the glory that is the Governor’s Crab Shack and General Store in Juneau. Nears as anyone can tell it’s so she can save the Fundamentalist Christian Conservative Whackadoodles from the modern-day equivalent of political genocide — which according to the American Taliban means not getting their damn way on every f#@king thing.

Religion and democracy ARE compatible…if they run on separate, parallel tracks, never converging. It makes both stronger. But you can’t put God over the Constitution, any Constitution. Otherwise you eventually get a “supreme leader” who will claim that he alone hears the voice of God telling him what to do. And that’s not democracy.