TWO VIEWS ON PUBLIC OPTION
The News Hour has been doing a pretty credible job of exploring the issues. Here are two reports they recently did on the public option:

PRO:

Jacob Hacker of Yale University, one of the key proponents of a public insurance option.

CON:

Robert Laszewski, a former insurance executive and skeptic of a public insurance option.

CREW URGES MSNBC TO PULL MISLEADING AND DELUSIONAL HEALTH CARE AD | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

PULLING THE PLUG
Watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has sent a letter to MSNBC urging the network to pull a US Citizens Association-sponsored ad from the air claiming that it was misleading, delusional, and violated Federal Communications Commission and NBC regulations addressing false and misleading ads.
(CREW)

t r u t h o u t | Don't Get Sick!

WHAT THEY SAY UP NORTH
In 2004, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation conducted a poll to determine whom Canadians thought was the greatest Canadian of all time. It was Keifer Sutherland's grandfather, Tommy Douglas, who is credited with making sure that Canadians would have universal, government-funded health care. When Canadians are periodically polled and asked what they are most proud of, in addition to peacekeeping, it is their national health care system.

SEE ALSO
(TRUTHOUT, suggested by WEST VIRGINIA BLUE)

Army used profiles to reject reporters | Stars and Stripes

MILITARY USED PROFILES TO MONITOR REPORTERS
The secret profiles commissioned by the Pentagon to rate the work of journalists reporting from Afghanistan were used by military officials to deny disfavored reporters access to American fighting units or otherwise influence their coverage as recently as 2008, Stars and Stripes reports.
(STARS AND STRIPES, suggested by FREE PRESS MEDIA REFORM DAILY)

HORROR STORIES
We've been going at it back and forth on FaceBook about health care. Here's a response by a local lawyer that I thought was especially poignant:

"I will tell you what concrete thing Senator Kennedy did. He saved my daughter Jessica's life. She was 23, had just graduated college two years ago, has a degree but no job and no health insurance. She was diagnosed with a virulent and rare cancer that was virtually fatal. Thanks to Medicaid and the National Cancer Center (the legislation for creating and funding both were driven through Congress by Teddy), my daughter's $500k treatment saved her life. Ted Kennedy saved my daughter. Plain and simple. He created and implemented federal, public health care plans that were the only reason my daughter got treatment. Before she was approved the hospitals coldly sent her away to die -- literally would not look at her and she was dying right in front of them at 23. So, all you who are ignorant about what Teddy did, I am here to tell you. One day it will be your child. One day the doctors will tell you they are sending her home to die because there is no insurance. Then you'll know..."

LET'S OWN IT
When it comes to rights, the Right is, well, wrong. With all due respects to George Santayana those who don't learn from history are doomed to keep acting like the GOP. Look at health care. Having managed to successfully bottle up a debate about a serious economic problem that even they themselves agree needs to be debated, they taunt us by saying that "If it's so great, pass it and own it." I agree. Civil Rights? We own it. Worker's rights? We own it. Immigration reform? We own it. Handicapped Rights. Gay Rights, Women's Rights, etc. We own it all. Proudly. Move forward. Let them keep trying to catch up. What's the definition of insanity, again?