With the passage of slave codes in the South, the only place blacks were allowed to meet in mass and talk openly was the Black Church.  These churches served as a place of birth for the civil rights movement.  It was a place where people did not talk of killing anyone, but just a place where people voiced their opinions of wanting equality and freedom.  Their heroes are people who fought and died for equal rights.  The true principles of America were alive in the Black Church.

In the White Church, people are angry.  Obama is the anti-Christ.  Why?  Because he is black?  He doesn't have the right pedigree?  They hate everyone who isn't like them.  Jews are Christians that need to be perfected.  Muslims are evil and need to be converted.  The end of America is coming because we have a black president who nominated a latino to the Supreme Court.  All they care about is abortion and guns.  Their heroes are murderers of abortion doctors.  The only choice they want for people are the ones they demand.  No debate is necessary.  The principles of America are dead in the White Church.      

by sampson on 08/08/2009 03:26:02 PM EST

If you people will think all the way back to 1993, this happened when HillaryCare was secretly being pushed through, eventually being defeated as the terrible bill that it was - why is it a racial issue in this case? Just because Obama is black? That arguments is getting tired, and its actually perpetuating a lot of the racial tension in this country...

by bobo1 on 08/08/2009 04:30:45 PM EST

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I am more of a conservative than a liberal.  The reason I left the Republican Party years ago was because of the fact they became a party that brought religion into politics.  Their politcal meetings became sermons rather than a place of political debate.    

Also, there was nothing secretive about Hillary trying to push Healthcare back in 1993.  It was covered all the time by all major news outlets.  It was mainly defeated because of the backlash people had against Hillary.  People were saying we voted for her husband and not her.  That's why the bill never passed.  

As far as perpetuating racial tension, that has been the mark of the Republican Party for many years.  Because of the Great Depression, Republicans were finding it hard to get back into power.  THey were not a force for many years until they split the Democratic Party during the Civil Rights Movement.  The fact that many Republicans call Sotomayor an affirmative action appointee is further proof of their opposition to someone because of their race.  Just hear their rhetoric against Obama and Sotomayor and you will see a party that is alienating people of color.

by sampson on 08/08/2009 05:26:24 PM EST

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You're right that there was nothing secretive about Hillary's work.  But she did fail to include many top-flight members of Congress in the discussions.  A lot of them thought that the bill had been rammed down their throats, and they were pissed off about that.  Hillary was not nearly the politician that her husband was, and she offended many people.

But while it's true that a lot of Republicans -- and more than a few Democrats -- simply didn't like Hillary, the major opposition to the bill came from the same interests who are fighting health care reform today: the insurance companies, HMOs, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Very little has changed from then to now.  In fact, the proposals we're seeing today are very similar to what Hillary proposed.  The main things that have changed are that Hillary isn't involved in the discussion, and the right is less afraid of appearing indecent today than it was then.

by EveningStarNM on 08/08/2009 05:53:43 PM EST

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