Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Open Forum
Blue Hill Today is initiatiating a new section to our Blog. The Open Forum is your chance to say something, report breaking news or ask a question -- on any issue. Any topic is fair game, although Blue Hill Today's comment policies still apply. (see bottom of left hand column.)
Some experts say western culture is losing the spirit of community that once thrived in institutions including churches and community clubs. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg states that people need three places: 1) the home, 2) the office, and, 3) the community hangout or gathering place. With this philosophy in mind, please consider this Blue Hill's community online hangout.
Go ahead and sound off. We are listening.
A new Open Forum link will be re-posted every Monday (or there abouts) to keep it towards the top of the recent posts.
Of course, your completed news article, news information, story idea, or suggestions to improve this site can still be sent to Blue Hill Today by e-mailing us at bluehilltoday@hotmail.com.
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8 comments:
It was fun to see a service man with his family appear on channel 10/11 television and send holiday greeting to Mom, Loretta Schmidt and Grandma & Grandpa Schmidt in Blue Hill, Nebraska .
How much does a vote cost in the United States Senate?
For Mary Landrieu, whose vote was pivotal in preventing a Republican filibuster of Harry Reid’s health care reform bill, the cost was $300 million.
For Senator Ben Nelson, who tried to fool the American people into believing he was actually taking a principled stance against a health care bill that would allow government funding of abortions, the price tag for selling his vote was $45 million. Apparently that is how much it cost for the Nebraska senator to put aside any pretence that he is a man of principle.
Under the agreement struck between Harry Reid and Ben Nelson, Nebraska’s expanded Medicaid program will now be fully funded by the federal government. Nebraska is the only state to receive this sweetheart deal.
Thanks to Ben Nelson, Harry Reid now has the 60 votes needed to pass a health care reform bill that has been written and negotiated behind closed doors and against the will of a majority of the American people. Soon, Barack Obama will place his signature on this ill-conceived piece of legislation and we will all pay the price … literally.
Harry Reid defended his actions and the actions of Ben Nelson by stating, “There are 100 senators here and I don’t know that there’s a senator that doesn’t have something in this bill that isn’t important to them. If they don’t have something in it important to them then it doesn’t speak well of them.” He went on to add, “That’s what legislation is all about. It’s the art of compromise.”
In Washington, they call it the art of compromise. The rest of us call it what it is—bribery.
Whether or not you support health care reform, all American’s should be disturbed by how votes were procured. It is very difficult to reach the conclusion that senators who voted for health care reform did so based on principle. With a majority of Americans against the health care reform bill, it is clear now that this was never really about improving health care but instead about politicians in Washington hell-bent on acquiring more power and control over the American people.
If you are angered and disturbed by the outcome of the health care reform debate, as well as the manner in which the entire process was conducted, remember the outrage that you feel today when you step into the voting booth in November of 2010 and again in 2012. Candidates in both parties need to know that they will be held accountable by the American people. It is time to take stock of our elected officials and decide who should stay and who should go. Add Ben Nelson and Harry Reid to the list of those who must go.
JaDeen and Ryan Hesman, of Blue Hill are the parents of a baby boy born on December 10 at Mary Lanning Memorial hospital. Caleb Joseph Wayne Hesman was 7# 4oz at birth.
Quote of the Day
"I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country."
Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama, announcing Tuesday (12/22/2009) that he is leaving the democratic party and becoming a republican becasue of differences on issues includiing health care, the economy and energy policy.
"And by a vote of 60-39, the Senate sends back to the House a lump of coal for Christmas." Adrian Smith via facebook.
No Christmas Eve services at the church made for a strange/different start to Christmas celebration.
We can always worship our Lord and Savior in our own homes and thank God for all we have been given this past year, but the gathering together with neighbors and friends was greatly missed.
Merry Christmas to All and to All a good night.
It is good to see that the Mayor has finally found some place other than the public street to park her "extra" car. Now that she knows how it can be done maybe it won't be illegally parked on the street anymore.
Woodwards Trash disposal has rescheduled Monday pickup to Tuesday, One might assume if they have issued this notice for Hastings, it applies to Blue Hill as well.
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