It feels like a battering ram was used on "the left" this week for questioning policy.

[madfloridian]

I feel bruised and sore and my heart feels heavy over the fact that all the resources of the administration were rallied in defense of the health care bill....used to discredit and put down those who spoke out.

In effect they targeted one man, but in pitting resources like that against their own.. they sent a loud and clear message what happens when one crosses the Senate leaders and the WH. I did not see it so much if we questioned the House bill. But there appears to be something hallowed and sacred about the Senate bill.

I see there is even a new talking point making the rounds. That those of us who don't support the health care reform unquestioningly do not "care about the poor." I don't know where that started, but it is on a par with the 2003 use of the word "fringe activists", and 2005's term "noisy activists."

I know the bill will pass. It is inevitable. But from all we can tell from all sources it gives huge additional power to the insurance companies. Yet it is sacrilege to question.

Something is wrong with that kind of thing happening. I let my hubby read some of the posts here that ridicule those who want to see change in the bill. He said, oh, my...sounds like our local Democrats were turned loose there. Maybe that is why I am passionate about getting it right now that we have a huge majority.

Where we live we are almost shunned by the party leaders because we differ with them on vital issues.

The accusations flying over Obama haters are just as bad as the Hillary haters that people were called here last year. How did this happen?

We have seen this when other issues have come up this year, not just health care. Each time traditonal Democratic values have come up for discussion, the same thing happens. We are told we are not supporting the president, that we are hurting the party.

Have you noticed what happened to the Republican party when they started allowing no criticism of George W. Bush? They were taken over by the religious right, the teabaggers, the Glenn Becks and Sarah Palins.

These are the thing I honestly believe have seen too much compromise this year.

I firmly believe in full and equal rights in every way for women and for gays. There should be no lines drawn, saying this is okay but that is not. We all get equal rights.

Odd, but that makes me a purist in this Democratic party. Abortion is really only available now to women with good financial resources. DADT and DOMA have not yet gone away. Many of our Democrats are also willing to sell out birth control to please the extreme religious right.

I believe in a real public education. Not one run by private corporations. Our party made its decision on this with the president's appointment to the DOE. He is a powerful man, that Arne Duncan. He has a lot of money, a lot of it...and he is using it to bribe school districts to do it his way. Teachers have been treated badly.

I do not believe it is honest and moral to judge children and teachers on the results of one test, written in secret and graded in secret...totally unregulated.

I believe in unions. I believe that unions gave us the strong middle class we had for a long time but which we no longer have because both parties have been union busting with all their trade deals to make other countries happy.

I believe strongly in separation of church and state. Our party does not seem to share my passion on this. They have strengthened the faith-based initiatives begun by Bush. Of the 25 members, 19 are anti-choice...and they were chosen by our party. So they knew and did not care.

I believe that Catholic bishops should not be helping Democrats write bills that are anti-woman in nature.

I believe that we should have used our majority to get a powerful health care reform bill. We did not. We catered and pandered to the right, and our party ignored the progressives and liberals entirely. They let a small minority control the agenda.

I believe strongly that when a huge uprising of purists, liberals, progressives, independents, and others gave a president and congress a resounding majority....they must use that majority for the common good. Or they will lose it.

The really big question mark should have popped up for everyone when Bill Nelson got his way about restricting abortion payments. We all know it is a gift to the religious community, yet we are again accepting.

I know the bill will pass, maybe the House will be given an opportunity to fix it up a little. But then Nelson is threatening filibuster if the House changes the bill.

That is if Lieberman doesn't back down first.