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I need more like Top 10 to get all my favorites out... But top 5 - 1. Airwolf 2. House 3. South Park 4. Star Trek - TNG 5. Burn Notice Yeah... I'm a geek. To round out the top 10. 6. Law & Order SVU 7. Law & Order CI 8. Royal Pains 9. Wonder Years 10. Mythbusters

I read one issue per year. Religiously.

Limbaugh and Levin are my favorite to listen to. Hannity is a bit much. I like the guy, but he's just so repetitive. I like his TV show better than his radio show.

Harry, this is a thoughtful question. First, I don't want to speak for anyone, but I don't think many of us who are against THIS proposal are opposed to reform of some sort, but the reform needs to address the "why do we have the problems you listed in the first place, and how do we control them" question. One of the prime reasons healhcare costs are skyrocketing is because there is more demand due to an aging population bubble and uncontrolled immigration. In addition government is not paying for the obligations it has already made to the healthcare industry via the medicare and medicaid programs. Additionally, health care providers are over-burdened with paperwork requirements to satisfiy the government, regulatory boards, HIPAA compliance and have sky-high malpractice insurance rates, which has continued to climb while congress after congress (which is full of lawers) refuse to address the issue of tort reform. Most doctors I know spend more time, either through their own hard work, or through salaries they pay multiple assistants, to keep up with the alredy out of control paperwork, regulation and red tape the government has already created. Many folks choose to be uninsured, as a result of their priorities. As Rick has demonstrated here, insurance premiums monthly are expensive, but not cost prohibititve if prioritized for. Individuals, not government, should set these priorities. How would I fix it? 1. This is one of the few places where I would be against states rights - there needs to be a uniform code by which insurance can be written so insurance companies may control their costs and the same plan in New Jersey may be sold in Texas, by the same company, as opposed to the way it is now. Allow smaller companies who are only in one state or another compete with other companies and the big boys in all 50 states. 2. Tort Reform. If we're going to get anything done that will begin to IMMEDIATLEY lessen the burden on the healthcare system and allow rates to come down, THIS is what should be done by August. 3. Pour through the massive piles of law and regulation that currently control the medical profession and clean it up so that medical professionals spend more time with patients and less time with paperwork. 4. Secure the borders. 5. Deny all but life saving care to illegal immigrants and their families. 6. Allow small and medium sized businesses to band together to pursue more cost effective insurance for their employees with a system that doesn't have the problems the current one does (groups don't all have to buy the same insurance for everyone, one company is not penalized if other members fail, downsize or go out of business, etc. Harry, I guess the point that Rick is trying to make, and I happen to agree with it, is that NO reform is better than what is being proposed. Even if you are for reform, you can't seriously be for the plan that is before congress unless you want government run, mandated and controlled coverage, because that is the net of what this bill is going to give us, despite the promises from the President. Either he's lying or he doesn't know what is in the bill. There is a provision that was uncovered yesterday that I think has been posted in this discussion that literally kills private coverage in one shot. The provision calls for no more private policies to be written once the new government policy is in place. This will cause insurance companies to go out of business very quickly as businesses dump their coverage since the national plan will be available. This plan penalizes any individual who doesn't have, want or need health insurance by forcing them to have insurance, and pay into the system via a compusary tax. Just like Social Security (which is broke) just like medicare (which is broke) and just like California does (...and that state... is B R O K E!!!) That's not freedom. That's not choice. We the people can't pay for the obligations this government has made as it is. EVERY social program in this country is either broke or headed in that direction. This program can not be sustained without ever higher taxes, and should be defeated at all costs. We should not destroy the healthcare of the 85% of the population who has it to give lesser coverage to the 15% who don't have it, many of whom don't have it by choice.

Paper tiger argument of the decade. It doesn't hold water because I can tell you with a straight face that I've never used it, don't care to ever use it, I don't really like being around people who are using it and I voted yes. EVERY law is a move towards incrementalism, so that argument really doesn't hold water. Legalizing something that has basically been proven to be mostly harmless and has few to any long term effects does not mean it is suddenly easier to legalize heroin, a drug that can kill with the first dose, has no medical benefit and can impact the lives of others, not just the user. I agree with the business case for this. Legalize it, let the folks in jail with POT offenses only out of jail, regulate and tax the hell out of it like we do cigarettes and beer, and treat it like alcohol in terms of driving it and minors getting their hands on it.

When is enough enough? Huh? The top 1% in this country make 21% of the income, pay 39% of all the taxes. The top 5% earn 36% of the income, pay 60% of the taxes. (they paid 56% of the taxes in 2000, by the way, BEFORE the Bush Tax Cuts "for the Rich". The top income tax rate returns to 39.6% in 2010. ...then take the property taxes, sales taxes, fica taxes, social security taxes, fuel taxes and all the other taxes we all pay and add them up. Oh, and then tack on the surtax? Are you satisfied now? ...or do you STILL think they aren't paying enough? When have they paid enough? Huh? When does it stop? 60% of their income in taxes? 70%? 80%? When someone has to turn over 80% of the income they make by spending their time (labor, be it intellectual or manual = time) which is a limited resource to the Government, he or she is no longer FREE. Its ok when its happening to the Rich, because you don't "think" they "are having many problems" but once they are squeezed into non production, where do you think the Government is going to turn to pay for this stuff next? WE CAN NOT TAX OURSELVES INTO PROSPERITY. We simply can't. We can't keep creating social program after social program in violation of the constitution and expect to keep all the balls in the air. The debt is out of control. These deficits are insane. Inflation and out of control interest rates are around the corner and higher energy bills and higher taxes through cap and trade and higher taxes on businesses and individuals who are the investors though this health care plan, added with the collapse of the private healthcare industry (which WILL happen immediately upon a government plan being in place) will only make this economy worse, and may be the final two nails in this country's rapidly coming together coffin. WE CAN NOT SUSTAIN THESE PROGRAMS WITHOUT ASKING THE GENERATIONS WHO AREN'T HERE YET TO PAY FOR THEM! OUR decisions and OUR desire for more goodies from the government will ENSURE that our kids, grandkids and great grandkids have a lower quality of life than we have hand and our parents have had for the first time in this country's history.

The idea that we can effect the weather is such arrogance, it is dumbfounding.

Yes, that's much better, thank you.

Maybe he'll get his head in the game then...

Ok...so he was clearly looking at her ass... no doubt. The video begins AFTER the photo was taken. ...but I don't think it really matters. The man has a pulse. It not like he went and attempted to mount her or something. He checked out a nice ass. We all do that when we're lucky enough to be in the presense of an onion ass, so I think we outta just let it go. ...this message has been brought to you by the RNC Onion Ass Comittee.

Agreed. He'll get primaried if he doesn't.

Thank you for the laugh... LOL!

This.

According to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” ABC's rebuttal to the complaints they are getting is that they will have "editorial control" and will "be in control of who is in the audience asking questions of the President" on this issue. A town hall should include opposing views on the issue and the audience should not be controlled for editorial purposes. This is just a step too far for the media to take.

Read the article, CBL. ABC has announced they will be discussing the program with no rebutall during Good Morning America, World News Tonight and a special to air before or after the President. They have a whole day scheduled around this. Look, if this were just the President giving a speech, I would have no problem. What I have a problem with is ABC's announced programming surrounding the address designed to rah-rah the plan. My point is that the President should be able to give his speech, but that is where ABC's involvement should end.

That's pretty funny. Gotta be pretty quick to take out a fly like that.

ROTFLMAO!!!! That's awesome!

KRAM... Don't EVER mention BARNEY FRANK in a thread that has "Sex" in the title. That's just wrong, man! WRONG!!! ...I've got to go curl up in a corner and cry for a moment. I'll be back...

I don't think anyone is objecting to giving the President a chance to address the public. That part of this isn't the problem. I have no problem with ABC or any network giving him time to speak his mid on this issue - he is the President. ...what I object to is the involvement of ABC NEWS in pushing this policy forward. ABC News did NOT push Bush's agenda forward. ABC News and it's reporters should not be involved in this at all. Don't pretend giving the President Airtime and actively pushing his policies are the same thing. You're smarter than that.

Was she hot? Just askin'?

I'm bookmarking this thread for the next time we get into a media bias discussion on this board.

It isn't a political issue, but it is a well taken one. Here is someone who is breaking the law both in his actions and the fact he doesn't have insurance. Here is someone who doesn't have health coverage and is acting recklessly. Here is someone who could have easily killed YOUR daughter/wife/family member. I really don't have ANY sympathy for the guy anyways, and have every right as a tax paying law abiding citizen to find this disgusting. This guy should be put behind bars after he gets out of the hospital for a long time.

Letterman has done the right thing, and I think the issue should be dropped.

The phrase "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" does not appear in the constitution, but rather the Declaration of Independence. This matters because nothing the the Declaration superseeds that which is in the Constitution. In fact, anything that the Declaration says in opposition to the Constitution, the Constitution superseeds. In terms of law in this country today, the Declaration isn't worth the paper it is written on. ...and the State creating a state religion could not be done at the expense of YOUR right to pursue whatever religion you wish, it simply means "this is the one the state argrees with". Now if the establishment of a State religion forces you into that belief structure, you'd have a point. ...and I'm not suggesting that state religions are a good idea, only that the only state forbidden to do so in the Constitution is the Federal Government. I don't object to any religious quote on the wall. Frankly, I wouldn't personally object to reciting it. Now, asked if I believed it or not, I'd say what I really believe. I'm not sure how reading or stating any religious dogma forces me to believe or violates my belief system.