Hi DeBurca.  Hopefully you remember me,  though I have been absent from this site for a long time. I was very active during the 2008 presidential campaign, and an ardent Obama supporter.  However, I am (and remain) ambivalent about his — or any — universal health care coverage plan.  BTW: in the last 3 years, I have had to rely on COBRA twice for health care coverage.  Each time, I maintained COBRA coverage because I put a priority on placing my financial resources (which were limited) on health care coverage.

If you remember me as an ardent Obama supporter, I trust you realize that my reservations are about the principle, and not about Pres. Obama.  I have great respect for your opinioin, so please tell me - don’t you have any reservations?  You have discussed possible emigration to Ireland — this may seem like a cheap shot, but the logistics of providing universal coverage to Ireland is very different from providing it to all Americans (however "Americans" are defined).

I am the typical Woman-on-the-Web (W-O-W): I support myself (i.e., no husband) and have been my sole support for 20+ years.  Though I am a professional in my 50’s, I hit the glass ceiling, and will have to work 20 years more (beyond the 32 years I have worked so far) to consider retirement — No Pension.  Or die  

Well, that’s the story of a lot of us, but my point is this: I know  Obama promises to tax only the wealthy to fund universal health care, but life doesn’t always go according to plan!!!!  And it’s the plodders like me — who keep on working, and working, and working, and working, etc,. ad nauseum  …..who ALWAYS get taxed to pay for MORE benefits for someone else.  I believe Obama believe what he says (that only the very wealthy will be taxed), but this is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.  YOU HAVE TO KNOW IT.   All these "projections" — if they don’t prove correct, do we ask the movie projectionists to make up the difference????  Do we ask the persons who made the faulty projections to make up the difference?  Maybe we should.

I think the balance of opinion would be tipped if Obama/the proponents would address the real fear; how do I (i.e., "EveryWOMAN") pay for universal health care when I don’t know if I can ever retire with dignity?  I have worked hard and I — NO ONE ELSE — has earned the fruits of my labor, dammit!!!!  I think Obama underestimates how deep this fear abides  in the national psyche, including his supporters.    Recent financial events demonstrate an objective basis for such fears, and that fiinancial security is fragile for many Americans, not just those without health care. 

Sorry for the rant, and not sorry.  I don’t mean to unload it on your shoulders, but I don’t understand how it can be so simple.  Enough.  It is good to be back at this site.

Hi Everybody — It’s good to be back!

When this website first appeared, I clipped a newpaper article (remember newspapers?) about a site dedicated to smart, educated women over 40. I was never one to surf the web (and still don’t), but the idea of a web site that focused on women my own age had a lot of appeal. 

It’s been very gratifying to read and share thoughts of women far more knowledgable than me (DeBurca, Diana, and others too numerous to mention).  Frankly, though, the site often disappoints.  The Women on the Web don’t aim high enough.  I understand the need to attract advertisers, but do we really need pieces drooling over over-the-hill divas such as Cher?  Or Ms. Reed’s narcissism (I knew so-and-so, ….).  There may be [another] place  for it’s so shallow.  It does not sustain us. 

 Anyway, while I have been away, I have missed this site terribly and its lively discussions on political issues.  Yes, the last election was extraordianary, and we all may have suffered from over-exposure, but PLEASE DON"T DUMB-DOWN THIS SITE!!! 

Best to all, Linda. 

Hi Marjorie — Palin is "genuine," — but SHE is the one trying to be something she is not,  running to be VP or (God help us!) POTUS!  Really, she has no business aspiring to that office just because alot of followers think she is a "plain speaker," etc.  Her story is not a variation of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," or any of the other American myths of the political idealist from the sticks who heads to the "Belt-way" with nothing but his/her ideals & some hard-tac in a sack!  She is a conniver, a calculating, opportunist white trash —  NOT Thomas Jefferson in Andrew Jackson buckskin.  Sorry, I know you like her.

Thanks for the info, Patty!  I missed this. 

But you can all stop wondering.  Palin resigned because I told her to resign. Yes, it’s that simple.   Last week she asked me: "Linda, What should I do?  We don’t always agree, but I respect your opinion more than anyone’s. " 

So I told her:  "Get out. Get out of politics and stay out.  You are in over your head, you aren’t fit to run a two-car funeral, and your future is in info-mercials.  With the passage of Ed McMahon, and the guy-in-Florida who was on the airplane and got hit on the head, the field is all yours. Go for it.  You will forever be the 1st Republican woman on the national ticket and probably the last, given your performance, so your place in history is assured."

And she thanked me and said that she would think about it.  That was last Thursday, July 2nd.

That’s some speech, deber B.  All I have to say is:

"Can I call ‘ya Joe?" 

Hi Gary!  Hmmmmm….Let me see… If Sarah P. "really galvanized half the voting public for true conservatism," and if Obama galvanized the other half …as you claim …  how do you figure the Republicans lost the election? 

Hi DeB. Well, this may be treason, but I was one of those "naive" people.  After all,  Obama’s election did destroy the notion that  "a black person will never be elected president in my lifetime."  Exploded that FOREVER.  In fact,  he could not have been elected without white support — indeed, his campaign got off the ground when he won the Iowa primary, and showed that white voters would support a black candidate for POTUS.  This was (and is) huge.

I am disappointed that Holder referred to people who find it difficult to discuss this topic as "cowards."  It is counter-productive.  Such name-calling [by a person who has just been named to the highest law-enforcement position in the land] only reinforces the notion that a person who voices an unpopular opinion on race deserves to be scorned, ostrasized, or be concerned for his physical safety.  It is you who are naive if you do not realize that both whites and African-Amerians would be in physical peril if they freely expressed their opinions on this subject in certain neighborhoods, in certain parishes. or in certain bars.  We all need to learn more tolerance, and Mr. Holder is not helping that cause. 

DeB

Totally agree with your assessment of the vacuum and the need to fill it with fake drama and fake issues. All of "journalism" - however legit — needs "copy" to fill the hard copy page or the web page — it’s the same dilemna. And we, the "readers," find ourselves lured by headlines that create fake issues. Happens everyday.  We all need to be more aware of it and call it for what it is — MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

 Keep up the good work!

Sibelle —

Your comment is exactly the type that is criticized by many on this post as petty.  Why refer to DB as a "little chick?" except to belittle her?  As for her knowledge about sources, all regular readers of this site know that DB constantly cites other sources for facts, statements, etcetera, and posts links to web sources for her comments when available.  In short, she does not just offer opinions in a vacuum.  It is your right to disagree with her, but you should be fair, and your comments are not fair to DB.  

Hi Kryssi —

Seems that your disillusionment co-incides with my own lack of activity of the site!  Perhaps if I resume my old level of activity, you will stay!

Hi My Alias—

As usual, you see what all the rest of us — I mean ALL the rest of us — cannot see: i.e,  that Hillary the Great is being discriminated against by the Evil Obama!!!

Yes, woe is you — indeed.   

Hi Lee—

The thought of taxing people who make $6 million+ per year (that’s per year) does not scare me! Whom does it scare? (In your opinion?)  They would still have $3 million dollars to "live" on — that is NOT leaving them destitute. They can send their children to college, or go to Disney World, whatever, on that kind of $$$$.  Really — if you find that "Scary" — you need therapy!!!