Hey I say some really wild and crazy things sometimes but thats my first amendment right to do so just as long as I dont slander over half the stuff I blog on CNN are censord because I exspress myself a little to openly.

Why not try changes to medical malpractice insurance, tax credits toward ins. premeiums for low income folks, and crack down on medicare and medicaid abuse.

I think the majority of people who have Twitter, Blogger, Gmail and Yahoo! accounts use some sort of 'nom de plume' or made-up name to mask their identity in a fashion. The Constitution guarantees the 'right' of free speech, but protects noone from the practice of liable.

Hi Tom, a blog is supposed to be a personal journal not a " SKANK " sheet. If it's not slander, the blogger has nothing to fear.

I agree with the Judge, for anyone to hide behind a internet screen and defame someone else reeks, of a coward to me. If it is worth saying to someone or about someone, I would like the person to stand up and speak his/her mind face to face.

President Obama ran on public health care and we put him in office. I think it will be tyranny if the government do not pass the public option because the people has spoke. The democrats should go alone if necessary to get public health care passed. I am 49 years old and retired from the United States Army. After I retired, I elected to keep my public option because it is as good as private insurance for much less. I pay less that $2000 a year that covers both health and dental and I can go to any doctor I wish.

Calvin Roach
Sierra Vista, AZ

Cash for clunkers is most ingenious idea our gov. has had in years. It gets gas hogs off road, helps the enviroment and gives car sales a big boost. The PROBLEM is the beaurocrats can't handle the operation of the program. And the dems want them to handle healthcare.

I'm on Medi-Care, Medi-Cal, and pay $6.25 a MONTH for over 1400 bucks in drugs, diabetic, and colostomy supplies.....I like my health care, plus, I DO NOT pay a Medi-Care premium, which is usually 96 bucks a month....Medi-Cal picks that up for me....What's not to like? Any reform is silly....it failed in '93, will fail now, with or without Republicans or Democrats.....The PEOPLE don't want reform, as the recent "townhall" meetings have shown...Why do you suppose Obama wanted it passed BEFORE the August recess? He knew the reps would get an EARFULL from people who DO NOT want, or need reform, and the bill that goes with it....Good move, Barrack, it didn't work....As with Hillary, your plan will die a slow, but well-deserved DEATH in the Congress....Those guys would like to be re-elected...you ought to think the same, Sir....You're second term isn't exactly a sure thing....Mike Posey Lakeside CA

Ask the GOP "What would Jesus do" about healthcare. Would Jesus say, "I would never heal the sick and poor because I'm a capitalist too"

I am so happy to hear the dems are going it alone on the health care issue.. They have been alone from the being. The republicans is against any ideals Pres. Obama is for.. their moto is just say NO Idella

I personally thing "bloggers" are people with way too much free time. I believe the internet is a TOOL...not the begin and end-all it has become. I use a home computer, for bill paying, keeping in touch with friends...I don't have a Face Book page, do NOT twitter, am on no "social networking" sites...I don't watch porn, am happily married. I use the computer to check my bank and credit card balances, etc, pay my bills, save on stamps by e-mailing friends and relatives....That's what it was MADE to do....Not be a bulletin board for every extreme wacko in the world, Muslims, hug-a-tree crazies, save the whale freaks, all those fringe nut jobs that put their vile messages out all over the world on the internet....If Al Gore REALLY invented the internet, they ought to take his Nobel Prize away from him....give it to me, I can use it as a doorstop.....Mike Posey Lakeside California

I believe democrat must do what they think is right for the majority of Americans. Forget the politics. Do the right thing and the politics will follow.They have been mandated by the majority of Americans. If they cant pass it now when can they? I tell you one thing all the people out yelling at town hall meetings are either getting something from insurance companies or just dont like president Obama. They will oppose him no matter what.

It is just about time, that bloggers will be identified. Slandering people and companies out of the save heaven of anonymity ist criminal,
as the acused cannot fight back to the source of rumors and slander.
Bloggers have to face responsibility of their actions.

Democrates should reform healthcare without republicans the right wing and there undercover hate groups just dont get it there are alot of families suffering rightnow i dont know if i ever will vote for another republican in my life those 46 million that will get help from this bill will most likely vote DEMOCRATE next election and thats really whats all the lies and misinformation coming from the G O P is steamed from they have lost a heck of alot of latinos vote they are dead with the youth they might as well jump ship like the other guy what was he's name Specter

Democratic should forget about Republican. Republican is a party of "NO". The party has the special interest in their pocket. The Republican does not care about American people in general. Republican only care about Insurance companies ripping off Americans on a daily basis.

I support the Democrats going it alone with the Health Care Reform Bill. The Repulicans have had their chance to help construct a bill but they have chosen to disrupt the democratic process and are only trying to satisfy the lobbiests and maintain the past. Make necessary reform happen without them.

If our president ends up being a one term president, so be it. At least he will have accomplished fixes for some problems that no one else has had the intestinal fortitude to touch due to the lobbiest influence and fear of being voted out. We need change and that was why I voted for President Obama. I believed his intellectual commitment to changing our countries direction and his commitment to make America strong again.

My political views do not fit a political mold. They do, however, blend best with our Democratic President.

I don't think the constitution says anything about free speech getting to be anonymous. If you feel strongly about something, be proud and own it. If it's a lie you shouldn't be able to hide behind anonymity.

Let's be clear about something, "Blogging" is not the same as "Journalism." Just like "Anchoring" is not like "Journalism." Cyber bullying the end of free speech? Not an intelligent question, Don. Here's something more interesting - how will we as people adapt to this phenomena? How will the anonymity of the internet change how we view others and how we treat them?

NO ONE should have the ability to HIDE behind an anonymous user name while causing damage to another person.

As a blogger and student journalist, I find this legislation troubling. People need to understand that anyone has a right to say anything, regardless of how ignorant it may be.

There is no absolute right to free speech. The founding fathers considered it only as political free speech and in fact commercial speech can be limited. In a day and age when people are unable to exercise personal restraint in their attacks (witness the town hall meetings), there is a need from time to time to have our institutions exercise some restraint. People need to understand that they do not have an absolute right to say what they want to say at any time. The real tragedy is that people this country are so underinformed and disrespectful of education and learning; yet they feel free to express themselves irrespective of their ignorance.

I think that freedom of speech should always hold firm, however defermation of character is not legal outside of the internet so it should not be legal on the internet

An end to free speech? Defaming someone's character, wherever that may be, online or in magazines, places the author in the line of the fire, whether they want it or not.

Perhaps this is less "an end to free speech", but rather an attempt to curb adhoc comments made by bloggers.

I absolutely agree with the idea that the identity of the blogger should be revealed. This doesn't end free speech – it simply ends the idea that you can deny what you've posted (or said).

First...a lot of you got the wrong page for your comments.

Second, on the subject...I think it should be a case by case thing. If someone is blasting negative things about you and your income depends on public perception (modeling agencies will pull contracts for negative publicity like that) than you should have the right to sue for defamation of character at the very least. I personally follow the belief that if you don't want anyone to know what you are saying and therefore make your identity anonymous than maybe you should be thinking about what you are saying. If you want to stay hidden and it isn't for a reason such as your life being in jeopardy for what you are saying than there must be a reason for hiding....you're ashamed of it to some degree. If the blogger felt this way and went as far to make a blog about it to share his thoughts than s/he should be more than willing to offer up their identity.

If a person is made to own up to their comments on blogs, it will now interfere with their freedom of speech. It will just eliminate anonymous nastiness. People who have genuine opinions are not ashamed of them. If you can't own up to a comment, don't make it.

the only two numbers that really tell the story is: We have the highest health care costs in the entire world, and that figure goes up faster than any cost of living raises any of us could possibly get. The second number is that we are ELEVENTH behind Canada and Australia among others in having the healthiest population! INCLUDING countries with so called government run health plans.

This is WRONG WRONG WRONG no matter how you look at it. Freedom of speech is being taken away just like all our other rights. Americans need to wake up and take notice, or maybe they have and just dont care or maybe they feel its all good as long as its done in the name of safety. People complain about socialism and a nazi healthcare system but they dont seem to care about all our other constitutional rights. Google is wrong for keeping track of everybodys searches, blogs, or emails, the judge is wrong for his ruling and the model needs to learn to have bigger shoulders. People need to grow up and stop letting words hurt their feelings, then trying to pass laws to take away our rights. It does not matter what people say on this one, words are words and thats it. Leave it alone.

IN your coverage of Health Care reform and autism you didn't talk about 2 bills HR 2413 and S 819 that address the fact that most insurance fails to cover autistic treatments. These bills colse the " Self Funded " insurance loophole that state laws about autism fail to address.

The first Amendment does not protect "anonymous" speach. If you are affaid to put your name on it, you shoud not say it.

Journalists can be sued or worse if they lie. The same should hold true for everyone who puts something on the internet as that is publishing it.

I don't think bloggers have a right to hide behind anonymity if they're bashing people by name on the internet. If they can dish out humiliation online about someone, they should be able to take it with their identity being known to all.

On blogging: no, I don't think this will end online free speech. Like everything else, there are limits to what you can say about someone, hence the laws on libel and slander. First of all, no one should be defaming someone else online or anywhere else for that matter. There is a difference in making vague comments, such as "he's a nut," and specific comments, such as "he's guilty of rape." Bottom line: don't post anything that you wouldn't want attributed to you.

blogger ought to have freedom of speach. But with freedom comes responsibiliy. Those who hide in various web technologies should be singled out.

No blogger should be given more protection against defamation claims than any other means of print.

No, they need to defend or explain there statements. You should not be allowed to just say anything about someone without a bases for your statements. We need to know who you are

The Democrats should pass the health care program American's want and need and not look to the Republicans for any help.

You know that when I think back to the 08 election. I remember that there were a lot of Democratics even Pres. Obama that promoted Change that we can believe in, to even change on how our goverment is working for us. Well if the Democratics pushes for this 51 votes on bill HR 3200 (in my thinking it was written badly with the terms that are use and there is a lot of loop holes in this bill) then they have fallen backwards to what they were saying and that they are no different than thier counter parts. I do remember that our own goverment wanted public debate over the bill that they write. I have to ask myself here are we really looking at short term gain and long term loss or do we want long term gain and a success with a bill that is well written? Sit back and breath people.

It is not fair to blast anyone on internet under the coverage of any blogging service company. I do think that what makes us social beings is the fact that we must be responsible for what we say or do with and to the others. Besides, we must stop being irresponsible for the bad use we sometimes give to internet. It is a tool to make knowledge spread showing how intelligent, critic, and creative we can be and not how stupid we are.

HURRAH!
THE DEMS ARE GOING IT ALONE. IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT GOD.

High cost of drugs. Here is two examples of how we are being ripped off in this country. Plavix , if I get it locally it cost about $170 a month and no generic is available in US so I get a generic from Austria for $30 a month. Acots US nos generic, overseas generic available. Cost in us for a 3 month supply $450 Cost of Generic from overseas$120. It's time we wake up and stop this kind of theft. I Hope Obama pushes through socialized healthcare completely. Forget the Republicans they got us in this mess.

The right to free speech is not absolute, and carries with it the responsibility to be prudent. You and I do not have the right to spread lies and defame or destroy someones character with impunity. The right carries with it responsible citizenship. This seems to be lost in our narcissistic society we live in.

the process is the problem. we have seen a top down imposition process by people who do not know the fine details of medical care. we need to start over and use a bottom up approach with doctors,nurses, hospital administrators and insurance working together to come up with a plan and then present it to congress for their consideration. that way all stakeholders will have had input and will more than likely buy into the reform package. this is too important to allow people who know little about the details to configure

I am glad to see the Democrats are going to go it alone, I remember when the republicans changed the rules in the house to pass legislation with a simple majority so I would say turn about is fair play, I am glad to see they are finally getting a spine about them, I spent too much of my retirement cash to see President Obama get elected to see the Republicans get their way and the people who supported President Obama get sold out for a few Republican votes which will be thrown back in our face as being a spineless party that can not get its members in line to get anything done. I didn't much care for President Bush putting himself above the law but he did keep his party in line and they managed to get a lot of bills passed, something the Democrats have yet to accomplish!

Free speach, as we know it, will stay intact. Blogs are public (places). There should be no more expectation of privacy for the author of a blog than of some one talking to another in a restaurant. If you want privacy have a private conversation to express things you intend as volatile. Public comments will come back to you. A momentary blast of frustration (now that it can be recovered for years ans years) may be used in an entirely different context. Want a job, mortage, marriage, run for office? Think before you blog!

I do not keep important data on my computer, I believe if it is over the air or on the WWW it is not private,
there is no such thing as a personal computer if it is on a network

Their is good cookies and their is tracking cookies and both have the ability of slowing down a computer in fact I have heard that the faster the computer the less secure it is. I like fast but until I can read what cookies are taking off my computer I am not going to be a good little lamb I am blocking all cookies and will not go to sites that require cookies because they do not care for my safety just there bottom line.

bullies who hide behind a screen name are cowards and need to be brought out into the opening

If obama can do it so can any criminal programmer

Don D Brock
I use Linux

Since when did free speech mean anyone can say anything without repercussions? Don't we all have a responsibility to ensure our speech is accurate and doesn't defame others? It's time we all watch what we say and type, to eradicate hate. "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything."

On the WWW you can be anything or anyone you want

Don D Brock

True free speech is taking responsibility for what you say, not some hit-and-run assassination post on-line. I think you should be required to use your real name for your posts and stand behind what you have the right to say.

Skip – NYC

Historically, "freedom of speech" ends when it comes to harming others. Court cases, from the beginning, have ruled that you do not have the freedom to falsely shout "fire" in a crowded theater. The effect of this legal precedent is that freedom of speech does not extend to words that lead to harming others.

Just as your freedom to swing your fist stops just short of the other person's nose, the freedom to use words to cause harm ends just short of harming others.

Shouldn't bloggers be subject to libel laws just as in any other printed form of public communication? After all, as you've said, if it's online, it's online forever. I, personally, think this blogger should be identified and taken to court.

I think bloggers should absolutely be held accountable and I wish a judge here in CA would follow in the same footsteps as this judge. In Feb 2006, my (deceased) husbands ex wife wrote on my website (msnlive account), so that all could see, that I KILLED my husband, listing reasons. He had not even been dead 3 months. She went on a friends website (livejournal) and blamed me for his death, (my friend alerted me to this) and sent me an letter stating I caused his death. Just recently, she went on another website, (classmates.com) and accused me of stalking her. A friend alerted me to this too, a week after she wrote it, and it was still up on her site. she has some of her friends respond to it. I wrote a (yet another) CEASE AND DESIST letter to her on this website, and Classmates took it down and "hid" her comment about me that named me specifically, but let responses up.

It does not matter…PEOPLE need to get over getting their poor little feelings hurt and move on, if i want to say something negative or hateful i will. If people really want a communist country then stop beating around the bush and trying to take away our rights little by little. these are the people that should step up to the plate and make themselves known. some people just want to be anonymous or has this right been taken away too. This is not the country i was taught to be proud of when i was in school learning about our history, this is not the country my grandfather and so many died fighting for. was their fight for no reason, or just to get us by untill we could be destroyed from within. There is no excuse and no justification for this. so what if what you put online is there for others to read forever. If people are ignorant enough to beleive everything they read, well thats their right as well, people choose to be ignorant or not that too is a right. Actually im tired of people telling us what our rights are and are not or just making them up as they find something they dont like. I am a human being and if i had had a choice on being born or not and chose to be born in this society then sure i can understand not complaining about the rules, but none of us asked to be here and none of us had a choice, so stop making our lives miserable with all these petty rules because someones feelings got hurt. Toughen up America, and stop being whiny kitty babies. Your ruining America for the rest of us.

People are just expressing their opinions, and often times are just trying to get some kind of emotional rise or reaction out of people. Just dont take everything so serious online.

people get afraid when they dont know stuff such as who is talking about them, and yes we do have the right to say what we want without worry of reprecussion. So what your saying is that if someon says you suck then they should be able to punch you or sue you. Get over yourselves, stop being so arrogant, and stuck on your feelings. Tit for tat then. I say something you do something then i do something...what kind of kindergarten adults are we raising here in America. I have always been taught since the early 70's sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. When you have lost your way go back to the beginning. AMERICA YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING. People are going to beleive what they want even if you say something positive people will read something negative...just look at the healthcare situation...DUH!!!

I invite anyone to say anything about me anytime...so what????

The internet is a wonderful medium which is responsible at least in part for the election of our current president., but people who choose to hide behind the fact that no one knows who is responsible for thier shamless statements is a problem we must live with. There will always be cowards, and the internet seems to bring them out, because of it's annominity.

I voted yes, It is clear to me the GOP are always going to support big insurance capitalist and NOT the American people. The GOP is the reason why people don't trust goverment. The GOP hates big government because their insurance capitalist hate big government. As they say, "follow the money trail".

YES' dealing with the far right is a total waste of time.

NO Bloggers hide to attack a position instead of discussing and stating their views in a reasonable manner.

This is no different then the movie "absence of mallice"

No matter what form of media you use if you slander someone and cuase them loss of income based on a lie you can be held responsible.

There is free speach and there is truth in what you say, the line is simple and inderstandible.

You are free to lie, just as you are free to set your neighbors house on fire, but just like vandilizing a persons home, if you vandilize a person reputation you will be held liable for the damages!

That is the diference between freedom of speach and slander. Freedom of speach means you can state your opinion and why, slander is out right lying for the purpose of ruining a person reputation and costing them there income.

If this blogger can prove his aligations then he should not be held liable, but if he lied and was proven to be lying then he should have to pay the consiquinces.

these laws have been on the books sence the begining of our country nothing new and nothing against the freedom of speach.

Heck No! You should not have free speech protection on the Internet. Free speech does not protect your right to Slander and Libel people; so it should not protect slanderous and libelous speech on the Internet. If what you are saying is the truth, then you should put your name behind it. Only a punk throws a rock and hides his hand. If you are bad enough to put out junk, then be bad enough to sign your name to it or be dragged out into the light by the law.

If what they say is true, then why do you need to be anonymous? If it's important enough to put in a blog, I would think they would want people to know they are the ones saying...if not, then maybe what they are saying shouln't be said.

"Personal Responsibility" That's what this issue is about. Yes, we have the right to free speech but it comes with many caveats that have been upheld throughout our Nation's history. We do not have a Constitutional Right to liable or slander. We do not have a Right to threaten physical or mental harm and there is no Constitutional Right to "...intentionally misinform the Public."

The various social network sites have become nothing more than an assault on "Personal Responsibility." I agree with the judge.

A good percentage of folks that blog say some really vile, derrogatory things that have no value but since they are anomyous they feel they can say what ever filthy thng that comes into their mind. I think there is a limit to freedom of speech in public and it should stop when what one says is an out right lie or the language or content is indecent. People should be held accountable. Good examples are all the forwards sent out to people which are political in nature and people actually believe the lies being told and send them on to their friends. They look so official and appear to be from some oficial source. Just look at the the lies that people believe about Obama's birth certificate and now the proposed health care bill. I believe that the people responsible for those original e-mails should be prosecuted and bloggers in general, should be held to standards of decency. If a person would not stand up and say something using their real idenity then maybe they should not say it in a technology that can be traced back to them. I do believe that personal e-mails on private PCs should be private and no one has the right to view them or use them without the permission of the person receiving them. If a person uses a PC in the work place then the employer has a right to view the contents but should also make the employee aware of that right. The Patriot Act gave the government the right to spy on Americans and it could come back to haunt them.

I'm a lifelong registered Democrat, and an RN. I'm sick and tired of the partisan bull-dozing in Washington. I want a compromise bill that both Dems and Repubs sign on to–in large numbers. Where's the bipartisan? If the Dems go it alone and ram it through when half the citizens don't want it, I'm quitting the Dem Party and becoming an Independent with a strong penchant for "throw the bums out"–and that means any incumbent who doesn't have the ability and heart and mind to compromise to the middle of the road. By the way, leave heatlhcare decisions to patients and their healthcare professionals. That's the most fundamental principle in effective healthcare, and it's the only moral right choice for the individual. Are there any politicians in Washington who care about making moral right choices anymore? I believe compromise would be greatly facilitated if the Dems would move Pelosi out as SOH. Her leadership is causing too many Dems to leave the party. Soon I might be one of them.

This thing about all of these rumors has been orchestrated by the persons and companies playing both sides like insurance, pharmacies and the doctors and hospitals and of course the republicans and others who want Obama to fail forgetting that this issue is one that everyone needs taken carte of – even those with the best of care will get lkess unless we take care of all of us – bad health affects all of us – rampant flus/diseases get everyone no one is safe unless we all have competent care and tyhe cost is reasonable and available – we can train more doctors, we can reach out to everyone in the best manners available and take care of all ages with respect those making mega bucks can leave go away and we can still have care and best services – seniors need to wake to those who are using fear and untruths and join in to get this done – do not blame others and only look out for yourself – we are all in this together and yes it will cost but not as much as doing nothing..

Doctors and pharmacies and all medical care persons as well as wealthy and not wealthy need to step up and look at different care available and not just the bottom line in dollars profit for themselves.

It's about time. The Republicans have no interest in compromise. Why waste the time or effort.

Comments on public policy or on politicians should be permitted source anonymity. Comments on public figures otherwise ought to be subject to source revelation if a court considers them defaming or libelious. Commentators who are self identified are admirable, but in general the name of the source is uneeded and somewhat superflous.

It is clear the most of the republican lawmakers in the house and senate have no plans to back a health care reform bill in any form. The one interest they do share is to see that our President fails at all cost.

What about this country that we live in. We have to put country first, which means the lives of all Americans. No matter if it is on the battlefields of Iraq, the streets of Harlem or those people who live on our nations farmland.

So, yes, let's go it alone on this one because the industry and republicans have framed it so bad until they have confused the issue with things that don't exist. The lives you save by passage will far outway any political damage we may suffer as a party. For if you save just one American life to me that is more precious than all the gold at fort knox.

Frazier H. Kimpson
Detroit

If we wait for the republican leadership to understand that people are suffering out here IT WILL BE TO LATE. How do they sleep at night? I am appalled at the Falsehoods that are coming from the republicans. To scare people for the sake of insurance company profits is unacceptable. Who are they representing– not the voters.

the truth is the republicans will never vote along with democrats because it it thier mission to see obama fail that they may continue thir foolish corperatist policies of greed and corruption without consequences. lets face it, since reagan, the republicans single handedly bankrupted our country, helped foster in the criminal activity (posing as "free market capitolism") that led to our current financial mess, bailed out thier friends with taxpayer money, and left the cupbord bare for any socially responsible legislation. does anyone think this happened by mistake?

I think balanced laws are already in place. That is – a judge can order the source to be revealed if he is convinced by relevant evidence of abuses or damages – from some plaintiff. It does happen. If you do some anonymous slandering in emails or blogs then you might get exposed. Once the so called plaintiff has your identity, he is empowered to take legal action against you.

this is an absurdity. of course a blogger cannot expect to remain anonymous in the name of free speech. the principle of the right to free speech says nothing at all about the right to be anonymous in that free speech. linking the two things is a mental leap with no justification

If someone starts any type of commentary they should have to identify themselves. The source has a huge impact on the effects of the commentary. You should not be allowed to randomly knock people, ideas, etc., with impunity. Take responsiblity! Remember what you were taught when putting something in writing, think about it first. Only cowards and troublemakers wish to hide their identity.

There'll always be freedon of speech, ...just be careful of what you say!

Everyone has a right to free speech. That is a given. Why do they have a right to be anonymous? They don't. And you only have a right to be free of violence or other "reprecussions." You certainly have no right to slander, vilify, insult, or harass without any consequence. If you want to insult someone or make a statement you can do so but the idea that you can do it anonymously is ridiculous. Put it another way, if you don't want to put your name to it, maybe you shouldn't say it. You only have a right to be free of the government, not

my belief is if you can't say it to my face that it is cowardice in a most evil form. then to hide behind the supposed privacy of the computer is twice as evil. i've learned since the 50's about the sticks and stones thing and also learned that words can harm me. i'd druther be whipped with a switch than to be called out of my name. i'm just guessing but isn't that how the liable and defamation laws were formed?

I can't believe this is news and that CNN is spending so much on air time about somebody suing somebody for calling them names on the Internet. Good lord, don't we have more important things to be reporting about here?

this will be a very bad precedent if it does go through ,the ideal that free expression and dissemination of views ,opinions about a any topic will be things of the past.....sham...sham on google for given in ,now I have be very cautious in the way I criticise and generalize my opinion.

It's ridiculous. It's like companies suing bloggers that relate their bad experiences with the company!!! Instead of suing the bar doorman that ruined her career in modeling, she wants to sue a blogger for calling her a skank. Yeah, that makes sense. BTW, hanging out in bars, getting drunk, and taking guys home DOES make you a skank.

If you're ashamed to sign your name, you shouldn't say it!
Terry Roberts
Springfield, MO

Heidi:
Government run healthcare just may be in serious trouble, if the VA is an example of what is too come. For me, it is almost two hundred miles round trip to visit the VA. I don't mind the drive, as the VA was paying milage. However, there are those, (vets, but not all) that ruined a good thing. Although many lived only a few miles, they suddenly were receiving travel pay for two hundred mile round trips. The VA has now put the hammer down on these less than honorable people, by sending checks to the address they claimed. However, these checks have not arrived. I have made frequent attempts to contact Chris Donnovan at the Westwood Va, in Los Angeles. (310( 478-3711 ext. 42482. He does not return calls. Without the travel pay, I will not be able to continue therapy for PTSD, or continue much needed dental treatment. As a footnote, I am on a hundred percent disability. Add this to the mandate to wash, not sterilize colon-scopes, our healthcare is in the hands of incompetent people, that only give lip service to caring about those that wore the uniform of this country. HELP get his matter rectified, please.

I believe that anyone who states what they believe as facts, or otherwise puts forth opinions, objections, or are interested in what they believe as intelligent discourse should not be afraid to be identified in their blog. I believe that those who are interested in defaming, inflaming and are more interested in seeing or hearing their outrageous claims in print or to otherwise gain attention are the very same people who turn a blind eye, clamp their hands over their ears, spew untruths, and are unwilling to learn, or listen. These people would just as soon hide in the shadows. They certainly don't want to be found out for the liars that they are. Every person should know the name of their accusor (s). That is a basic human right.

Don, keep on the engagement. Facts, facts, facts. Each time you subject those opposing health care to serious questioning, the soud stupid and incoherent. Health care is a must and most Americans DO SUPPORT it. A few are hiding behind the conservative bannerr to oppose it. One on one they will vote for it. I wish there was a referendum.

I am all for free speech. I think real people aren't afraid to own up to their opinions and don't hide behind pretend names. Regardless of what they say, I think they should put their name to it and be a grown up!

Can,t believe Scotland will release this terrorist back to Libya for his possibly last three months of his life! Those poor people on that aircraft did not have three minutes. Now he will go back to Libya and plan another terrorist attack. It just does not make any sense!

Anonimity on the internet has brought pathetic, small-minded cowards out of the closet in droves. These are people who ordinarily sit in the quiet of their rooms and rail against the world, because they are too afraid to step out in public and make their opinions known. Instead, they use the armor they feel the internet provides them to attack at will without any thought to the consequences. The judge ruled correctly here. I believe in freedom of speech, but there are other freedoms to be protected here.

Good for the Judge. Freedom of speech was not intended to allow cowards to post venum and lies, while hiding behind the 1st Amendment. People should be able to say what they want so long as we know who it is that is desseminating the information.

If you insult someone, tell lies about them and make up stories who are not true, or threats against them, they should not have the right for being protected. If on the other side they tell the truth, that is a differend story. I believe in freedom of the press, but not when they lie, like the Fox network. Each and every one should be able to sue any one, including media, if they are lying. Only if they have real proof then go ahead. Fox news is only for people with no education and Fox news loves the gullable people of this great country of ours.Fox does not tell the truth about healthcare and scare people. Maybe the owner of the Fox network should only be aloud to air in his country, not here.

Yesterday I recieved a notice from BCBS that my rates are increasing for the second time in a year and my out of pocket expense has doubled for 2009 & 2010. I can't afford this and i have a health problem. We MUST have options/choices by having the Public option available for all Americans who need and want it. I don't understand these crazys who only get their info from Fox News and other conservative bloggers. They are hurting this country and its citizens. Those of us who sit at home and watch, need to get in the streets and march on Washington–all 40 + million of us. I am ready –who's with me??

Lets let our Congressman see that we are here and want reform.

Opinions are neither facts nor fiction. Opinions are only a persons thoughts.
Facts should be checked and re-checked. I check by reading the different articles on the subject and reading the details of the original statements and checking with Fact Checks.
The problem with Fox Cable News is they do not check the facts first, and thus comes all the fears that inflamed the public. Nor does the Network of Fox Cable News ever appologize for giving faulse reports. Maybe someday, their license will be pulled for deliberately giving faulse reports that caused a mob of angry conservative bubble heads who believed in the Faulse reports of Fox Cable news, and thus caused havoc and chaos all across our country.
But wait, isn't that what just happened this summer with the town hall meetings. Hmmmmm!

YES! Of course bloggers should be allowed to remain anonymous. This case is a clearly violates the defendant’s freedom of speech. I think it’s ridiculous that this case was not thrown out as frivolous by the judge. This sets a dangerous precedent, not just for bloggers but for free speech in general.

Besides this model clearly has such low self-esteem that she must make such a big deal over someone’s opinion in order to satisfy her own ego. I’m reminded of an Eagle’s song ‘get over it…’

The government should not be passing legislation to protect people's feelings, nor should judges be ruling that we can't say mean things to each other, even under the veil of anonymity. Free Speech means no compromise, else it is not free. The internet is no exception. Net Neutrality now!

THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK TO HELP THOSE OF US WHO CAN NOT DO SO FOR OURSELVES. I AM 74 YEARS OLD AND HAVE TRIED TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN WHEN THEY NEEDED HELP. BE IT WHEN THEY WERE SICK, OR WHEN THEY HAD A CHILD THEY COULD NOT FEED, OR WHEN THEY NEEDED A RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL, AND EVEN SENIOR CITZENS WHEN THEY HAD NO FAMILY NEAR BY TO HELP. BUT NOW MANY OF US NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THIS HEALTH INSURANCE UNDER CONTROL. THEY HAVE HAD YEARS OF WORNINGS, AND THIS LAST YEAR SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM A HEADS UP, BUT, WE ALL KNOW THAT MANY OF THE SENATORS TAKE MONEY FROM THE HEALTH INSURANCE CO. AND FROM THE DRUG COM. I GUESS IF I GOT AS MUCH AS THEY DO, I WOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE IT UP EITHER. BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE THEY ARE WORKING FOR US, SINCE WE PAY THEM, AND IF THEY ARE GOD FEARING, AND IF THEY ARE FAMILY PEOPLE, AND IF THEY ARE OF HONOR, THEN NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE IT. FROM THE INTERVIEWS ON CNN AND MSNBC, WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE ANTI-AMERICANS ARE BUSSED INTO THE MEETINGS AND FOR THE INTERVIEWS, THEYARE PAID 50.00-90.00 PER DAY TO APPEAR AND BE VERBEL WITH THE MESSAGE THE ARE TOLD TO SAY. MANY OF THEM ARE UNEMPLOYEED, AND MANY ARE ACTUALLY WITH THE COMPANYS THEMSELVES, BEINGPAID TO DO THE SAME. PLEASE FOR ALL OUR SAKES, KEEP MOVING FORWARD FOR A BILL TO HELP US ALL, AND I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT NEED MEDICAL HELP AND CAN NOT GET IT.

heidi
Google first of all should have the right, as a search engine, provide access to blogs such as this one. They should not provide personal information as it violates, I feel, the privacy and don’t we have a privacy protection plain in the us, as they gave information to a third party(as defined by a seperate person) with the first party being the bloger and 2nd party google. Thirdly the bloger posted on a US company and from what I know the person was on U.S. soil.

I feel there should be common global laws on the Internet as I feel it is a different place were you could express ideas but there should be Internet laws seperate from all governments.

People must be accountable for comments and if there is defammation that can be proven, the person should be liable. There should be no such thing as an anonymous blogger. Blogging is public and satisfies the legal requirement of "publication" for defammation. If one wants to say something privately, then it should be a private communication between two people. Once something is in writing, it is generally no longer private. What Ms Port was public; it was published and it was offensive and she should be accountable. She relinquished her privacy when she published it. With freedom to speak comes responsibility. Too many people forget that concept.

If required by court of law, names should be released. I also feel that anything you say on the internet is there to be read by whomever reads that. If you have a problem with possible backlash because of what you say, then don't say it! Or deal with the consequences.

By the way I feel it is ridiculous to sue Google because they are following a COURT ORDER to release her name.

I strongly believe in the right of free speech, but I am often appalled at some of the things people say that are hurtful and crude. I think if you slander or your words cause harm to someone, you should be exposed. Americans have the right of free speech but some people go too far.

Heidi, Regarding the split in the approval of President Obama it is not about the job he is doing, but rather that Republicans have decided to take all measures to see anything he does go down to defeat. He is the most intellectual and hard working president we have had in decades but his disapproval is due to politics and the Republicans desire to get back in power rather than doing what is good for this country. Only the news outlets can inform the American people of the actual truth of what is taking place and why, and not allow the discussion to to derailed by Republicans who only have their self interest at the heart of the health care discussion. Of course there is a conscious or subconscious underlying resentment by many who just don't like the idea of a black president.