Well Bill, I appreciate your having the courage to at least tell it like it really is. Since the subject of racism (and how it may be effecting the health care debate) has already been introduced, I'll throw in some of my own feelings on the matter.

I cannot fathom how any Black man, regardless of base ideology, could embrace, defend, and apologize for, the current state of the Republican party. With it's not so recent shift to the far right, it's clear 'write-off' of minority support from any quarter, it's shrill racist rhetoric, it's regressive policies, it's anti-intellectualism (parents pulling kids out of school so they don't have to listen to the president telling them to stay in school and strive for excellence - never happened before with any other president), congressmen disrespecting the office of the president in unprecedented ways, extreme racist posters and signs freely exhibited at nearly every Republican rally,....and the list goes on. How, oh how, could any Black man with even an ounce of self-esteem, embrace a party that so clearly wants no part of them.

If anyone points to shills like Joe Watkins and Ron whats-his-name, all I can say is, puuuullllllease. And oh yeah, Micheal Steele. What a joke. If he actually thinks he's in charge of the Republican party, he must have an IQ of 20. When the 'head' of the party has to apologize to Rush Limbaugh, I think that says it all.

Although the President doesn't want to have this conversation at this time (a clear distraction to the task of passing important legislation), there is no denying the truth of former President Jimmy Carter's (still a man of honor, regardless to how you may view his presidency) take on the role of race in the current health care debate.

Personally, I hope the Republican party does stop the trend towards being the party of right-wing nutcases, and starts to become more inclusive. We need a two-party system in order for democracy to work properly in this country. But when one party is taken over by the lunatic fringe and there is zero tolerance for compromise or even reasoned debate, what chance do we have to solve some of the problems that face this great nation.

As a former officer in the military, I have excellent health coverage and will for life. Millions of my fellow Americans do not. In the richest country in the world, this is unacceptable. Clearly, changes in the health care system need to be made. Let's at least give the President and the Congress a chance to improve the current system. Didn't a majority of people in this country put him in office for the express purpose of effecting change?

chas