Bill White

You're kidding me Greg. That's such a transparent attempt at seducing the independent vote. :/

Not denying that. Not at all--I felt the same thing, actually. Nevertheless, I do agree with the CONTENT of the message, whatever its motivations. I am TRYING not to be so cynical all the time. TRYING.

Its all either party ever does. They say its about the people but it usually isn't ... Its about the party. I applaud Rep Coe for voting for the people rather than the corporations.

So what, as voting constituents do you recommend we do?

I never understood why redistricting is left up to politicians. It should be done by non-partisan experts charged with creating districts of like-interest, not like-partisanship.

It does appear so... And it's dangerous and unproductive. It creates a climate that won't allow for healthy, productive debate which leads to common ground. Instead it fuels unhealthy, uninformed ranting and polarizes the nation when in fact we have the ability to meet in the middle. Btw- I saw a startling statisic tonight on CNN - Texas has the ... See MoreHIGHEST % of uninsured people in the ENTIRE US - 25% (compared to an average of 15%)... and our current senators have vowed to kill all efforts to pass a bill. What does that say?!

Hmmm, perhpas it says that hard work is needed to secure 25% of voters to find themselves a new senator on the health care issue alone

Bill, I think some of us would like to see more energy spent working on cooperative solutions vs. uncooperative posturing or resisting inevitable change. I know there are differences in opinion as to what is the right direction, but at my company alone, the premiums for health care are going up 14.51% for 2010...so, we would be helped more by solutions than contentious behaviors.

This is a complex issue. It deserves thoughtful respect and analysis - not a parade of babies, children, and other antics. I know Reps don't have much time on the floor. Perhaps their priorities in some cases are misplaced. Instead of striving to have their soundbite make the national news, they should say something thoughtful and productive to the debate.

As self disclosure I am for a single payer system. What I find annoying in the debate however, is as Mayor White noted both sides, including the side I support are using talking points. Obama has never really defined how he thinks the notion of a national reform of health care would change our society in a positive way, hence he has not lead ... See Morepeople to an understanding of the future that they would be creating.

The GOP with its right wing tail, is simply stuck parroting the same talking points that they have used since the medicare debate of the 1960's. That rally they had on the capital steps was a class excersize in no rhetorical floursih left behind.

I hope Mayor White will find time to read "The Future and Its Enemies". Short read, excellent book. It would make a nice driving companion

I watched CSPAN on and off most of the day, and I was dismayed by all the sloganeering. Three things in particular bother me: (1) pretending that the status quo is a null set, and a perfect one at that. We don't have the "best health care system in the world" by any objective measure, but it's pretty good. It also has massive costs and ... See Moreinefficiencies. Repubs ignore these, and Dems didn't alter the basic structures nearly enough. I admire Kucinich's No vote & his public statement on this point. (2) Saying that "government" can't do it well. This is empirically false; many other govts do a fine job of providing basic health care to all their citizens, and these govts happen to be all the other advanced democracies. Maybe what this claim really means is that *American* govt will fail at it, while the Canadians, Brits, Aussies, French, Germans, Swiss, and Japanese will continue to do fine. That could be true, but given the successes elsewhere in the world, let's stop pretending that the operative phrase is "govt." I would like to see someone defend the argument that Americans are going to mess this up, and say why. (3) Why doesn't anyone seriously engage this "personal responsibility" argument? I don't budget for fire protection or locate contractors to come if I have to call them, and I don't see how that diminishes my personal responsibility. You can say this about any service supported by taxation. So this canard could be handled with a compelling reductio ad absurdum -- but no one bothers, and many people find it persuasive. This bill isn't the deep reform I hoped for, but it is probably better than the status quo.

So Mayor White, as a US Senator, what would you do to change the corrupt practice of gerrymandering? Would you support a districting based on proven mathematical principles that truly do ensure equal and equitable geographic distribution? How about the repeal of the 17th Amendment so that states such as Texas can elect their Senators directly via state legislatures?

Joe, are you asking to repeal a constitutional amendment that allows the people to elect US Senatrors? The Gerrymandering you speak of, I am unsure if it was the mid decade change in Congressional districts in Texas by Tom Delay and the small GOP majority in the Texas Legislature, a few years ago?

There is little common ground on polarizing issues like the fallacies behind anthropogenic climate change and government run health care. People have real disagreements that are split 50/50. Politicians exploit this for partisan gains and ignore the real issues. There is common ground on reducing oil imports. Why not pursue that instead of carbon taxes and CO2 regs for unscientific reasons?

Joe Lex
JHow about the repeal of the 17th Amendment so that states such as Texas can elect their Senators directly via state legislatures? //

why on the creators green earth would one want to do this? In a Republic where we the people are sovereign, the people should elect their representatives.
... See More
Are you for this? Robert G. Oler

How about this idea....Why not convince the oil companies to produce only ONE grade of gasoline? A grade that will satisfy any vehicle needing premium gas, and will also make regular gas vehicles more efficient? I think this would save the oil companies, and us, a lot of money. I'm just sayin'...

Mike Johnson
There is little common ground on polarizing issues like the fallacies behind anthropogenic climate change and government run health care. People have real disagreements that are split 50/50...

not really. The breakdown is about 20 percent hard core left and right and about 60 percent that are in flux moving to some extreme between ... See Morethe two parties. The hard core left is pushing global warming, the hard core right endless wars against made up enemies and the rest of us are stuck wondering "why do these people have any sway over our politics"

I deeply hope that the people of Texas send you to D.C.,You have my vote.

Mine too!!!

Bill: Thanks for the update! We are pulling for you buddy!

The GOP (The Grand Obstructionist Party)

You and I made our money by working hard and striving for perfection and excellence in all what we did and do.
But I am offended by those that are grossly overpaid, plundering from the corporations’ and the stockholders pockets as well as raping the public at large under the auspices of Capitalism and generally supported by the Republican Party pundits and legislators.
Health Insurance companies are taking advantage of the public. It is not fair. It is not right, it is not moral and it is not fitting in the social structure of the 21st century. ... See More
Furthermore I predict that the world demographic trends in the United States have become an unstoppable wave that will eventually change the socioeconomic landscape, as we know it today. It is inevitable.
The excesses that are imposed on the ordinary citizen have boomeranged on the perpetrators only to be rescued by the bonuses provided by the taxpayers. If we do not have harsh regulatory measures we will end up with a much worse situation that we have experience up to date.
A nation cannot flourish when one per cent of the population holds 99% of the wealth and power. This uneven spread of wealth is sure to lead us to become a banana republic.
The party with all its blue eyes and blond hair constituents must appeal to the nations diversity or it will implode and become irrelevant.
Now we must agree that the country has had the most expensive and inequitable health care in the world without any compensating benefit for the masses. This is and has been wrong! We MUST make it right.
In the past the conservative republicans opposed Social Security and Medicare as well. Remember?
I do not hear the rich old people complaining about the benefits they receive from Medicare when they get sick. Yet at that time they called it Socialize Medicine.
Still many poor and old people have benefited all these years from the programs enacted under democratic administrations.
The GOP has not changed. They still adhere to the premise that everything can be fixed by cutting taxes. But the poor have not income to pay taxes on and therefore only the wealthy get rewarded when they really do not need it.
The trickle down economic model has fail and has trickled misery for the poor and the middle class.
Bush tax cuts for the rich did not prevent this recession.
Can we learn from our mistakes?
People are always afraid of change but we MUST change or perish.
I know change always involves a risk. I changed my life by uprooting from my country of birth but I did achieve a reward for that risk.
This applies to every thing in life.
It is lonely at the top but who wants to be with the lemmings?
Not me.
J.A. Ribelles, MD
November 7 2009