The media, conservatives and the democratic deficit hawks are telling America that the cost of reforming America's health care system better not add one red cent to the deficit. Why doesn't the librul media explain to America that we are paying 10 billion dollars a month on two wars that Americans hate?

I asked Rep. Alan Grayson on a live chat on C&L how much the US of A spends each month on the wars, and he answered thus:

The appropriated cost is around $10 billion a month, which is enough to pay for the entire health care plan by itself. But that doesn't include the future health care costs for injured American soldiers, which is staggering. Nor the cost to the Iraqis or Afghans, of course.

Our soldiers get killed or maimed by one war that has been botched by Bush and we're no closer to a solution in Afghanistan after eight years of occupation and another war that Bush lied us into known as Iraq. The media is uncomfortable whenever we use the word "lie," for some reason. I wish they could give us a truer description of what happened, don't you?

Yet, the media never bothers to explain to us how much money we are actually spending each month that does NOTHING to help Americans. Well, it does fund the military complex and mercenaries like Blackwater, but why the f*&k does it matter to these budget freaks if we have to spend some jack to save the health-care system in the long run? Have they completely decided that America is staying in both countries endlessly and the costs for sustaining these wars is a non-issue?

UPDATE: You can donate to our "No Means No!" Afghanistan action here.

In this small world, Dr. George Tiller's long-time lawyer, Dan Monnat, has been one of my closest friends for over 40 years.  Tiller's murder was American Taliban terrorism, period. We already know the identities of the killer's accomplices, and it isn't only media wingmutts and Christianist frauds that encourage violence. Our own David Neiwert has been writing about these "Eliminationists" for years. Time to stand up to cowards and extremists

Prairie Weather: Oops...maybe we'd better rethink universal healthcare

BAGnewsNotes: Sunday news show roundup

Mercury Rising: Some Good News

Discourse.net: Stark foreclosure data for 2009

Our friends at Democracy for America/Netroots Nation want you to know: there are 30 scholarships available for activists to attend Netroots Nation this August in Pittsburgh. (And don't dis Pittsburgh--my artist parents live on the North Side. These days it's as artsy as Austin and until now is an undiscovered gem of a city.)

Details from DFA:

...there's no better place to discuss our priorities and plan how to make them a reality than at Netroots Nation.

To help people get there, we're thrilled to partner with Democracy for America again to offer scholarships to bring activists like you to Pittsburgh to network with fellow leaders from across the country.

Click here to apply for your scholarship now.

This competition is your chance to show off what you've done to move the progressive agenda forward. And it's our chance to ensure that activists of every age, background and economic bracket, representing numerous points of view and all 50 states are able to attend Netroots Nation and make it the richest experience yet.

It's also a great way to help make sure you have the resources to attend. Over the next couple of months, progressives nationwide will have a chance to voice their support for you and help you earn your scholarship.

The award covers the cost of registration and lodging for at least 30 winners— all you have to do is apply.