I don't know what to do to fix our health care system. But what I do know is that it's broken. Here are three things: two that frustrate and scare me and third a radio piece for you to listen to regarding health care. This is up for serious debate people. Educate yourself.

1) I battle migraines. Yesterday, I went to the pharmacy to refill a medication I take at the initial onset. Each refill of this medication contains six, count them six pills. If the first pill doesn't work, then the instructions say to take a second pill. I've done this a few times. So, when I went to pick up the prescription I filled over the phone I was told that it wouldn't be available until Sunday because my insurance company determined that I can only fill it once every 31 days. A phone call from the pharmacy to the insurance company for an override proved futile. So theoretically I could only have enough medication to treat three migraines per month. Mind you, I've been known to get three a week. My problem is, I'm under treatment and constant evaluation by a neurologist. Who is my insurance company to say that this limit of six pills is okay? I like to have these on hand at home and in my purse just in case. Because once I get a migraine, it's sinora to Sarah for the day. It's lights out, ear plugs in, no eating, no talking, no nothing. Just a sharp, ice pick pain to my left temple, repeatedly, for hours. These pills prevent that.

2) I have a friend who was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer four years ago. She thankfully received treatment and today is cancer free. However, her husband was laid off sometime last year, they lost their coverage and she found herself uninsurable due to her past illness. She was too high of a risk. Luckily she finally found a company who would cover her, but she now pays more in one month than her mortgage x2 in order to have it! I find this ridiculous.

3) I work extensively with billing insurance companies. To this day I'm shocked at how they finagle their way out of payment, responsibility and leave people hanging. Think I'm kidding? Listen to Act 3 of this recent This American Life. It's features the House subcommittees recent hearing on the health care industry and how buried in that industries fine print there is something called rescission--the act of taking away your insurance. These are insurance companies CEOs stating on the record that they do it.

You should be worried. It really could happen to any of us.
Image: flickr

Definitely not trying to impose any political views on you... I just got a kick out of seeing what Sarah Palin's resignation speech would have looked liked if it was reviewed by the research and copy departments at Vanity Fair.

Perhaps it would have paid to have a new set of eyes on this before taking it to the airwaves.
Via Being Red

Have you seen the White House photo stream? I love how down to earth it is and the behind the scenes look it allows of never before seen places.
Images: flickr

This video showing President Obama reading Where The Wild Things Are {one of my favorite childhood books} is very endearing.

I've never really listened to Meghan McCain speak but I was really impressed with her thoughts about the Republican party. I like her ideologies are what the Republican party needs right now and I hope going forward more Republican leaders hold similar views.

I think it's so cool that President Obama has his own blog!

In keeping with his Change Has Come theme, it seems that long gone are the days when the government has a we'll-tell-you-what's-going-on tone. Promising that the White House will post all nonemergency legislation to the site for five days and review all comments that come in before the president signs or vetoes the bill, I definitely think this is a breath of fresh air.

Image via The White House

I'm a HUGE Michelle Obama fan. I think she's classy. I adore her independence, how she seems so family oriented, her individuality and also her fashion sense! And now, there's a whole blog devoted entirely to that fashion sense. So fun!

Image via Mrs. O

With today being a historic date in U.S. history I can't help but feel excited! I'm thinking about civil liberties and human rights. I believe in the dream and I'm ready to live it. I hope you are too.

I really like Michelle Obama. I thought this London Times article did a great job of painting a picture of the woman she epitomizes. {image via London Times}

I know I'm a few days late on this but I just stumbled upon these last night and really wanted to share. Wish I could have showed them you on Monday but better late than never, right?!

In the spirit of today, when people are feeling less-than-friendly about this election, I thought I'd direct you to this CNN article. It's a fun read where CNN asked random people who they were voting for, then asked them to say something nice about the other candidate. Take a peak and then go and do what's important- VOTE! {image via CNN}

I pre-voted yesterday! It felt so great!

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say they don't vote because it doesn't really count and doesn't make a difference. This frustrates me to no end. First, there are so many people in this world that aren't able to vote and we should be so extremely thankful we are able. Second, what if I felt like my vote didn't count and so did my 10 closest friends. Then their 10 closest friends felt that way too. We're getting to quite a few people, right? Do you see how one can turn into hundreds really quickly? Well if each of those people that said their vote doesn't count started voting then it could truly be the change they wish to see. Now, instead of listening to me harp, get out and VOTE! {image via farlane}

Yesterday Stephen brought home a copy of the most recent Rolling Stone. It has Barack Obama on the cover with an interview featuring questions like what's on your I-Pod and what do you think about the cultural influences caused by rap music? It definitely wasn't the usual political rhetoric. To me the interview definitely helped him seem more real and accessible. Below is my favorite question and answer. The interview got me totally reenergized for him.

Change is the byword of the campaign and the definition of your strategy. Can you describe what change is? What does it look like? Not in policy terms, but what change you want to bring to America as a whole.
I want people to feel connected to their government again, and I want that government to respond to the voices of the people, and not just insiders and special interests. That's real change. I want us to think about the long term and not just the short term, whether it's climate change, energy policy, how we're educating our kids, what kind of investments we're making in our infrastructure, how we're dealing with the federal budget and national debt. I want us to think intergenerationally, something we used to do more of and we have lost. I want us to rediscover our bonds to each other and to get out of this constant petty bickering that's come to characterize our politics. That's not to say it's possible or even desirable to squash real policy arguments, but the tit-for-tat, "gotcha" game that passes for politics right now doesn't solve problems. I want to get beyond that.

I love all the rumors that are swirling about an Obama-Clinton ticket. I think Obama definitely hits one type of voter and Clinton another. If they get together it could be just the right thing for the Democrats.

Can you believe just 90 years ago today the nineteenth amendment {aka womens right to vote} was proposed. What a short time but look how far we've come! {image via Seattletim}

I'm pretty pumped that he's cinched the Democratic nomination.

Today, I learned the U.S. Supreme Court won't rule on an apartheid case involving U.S. corporations. Now, I'm not saying this case does or does not have merit. However, the fact that so many Justices had to sit out because of personal conflicts of interest {thus making it impossible to be heard because there weren't a minimum of six Justices available} makes me wonder: how many other cases regarding human rights or civil liberties have been ignored because of similar reasons? It also makes me wonder: if you're going to serve on the highest court in this country should you be expected to divest yourself of stock holdings so you can give each case an equal opportunity? {image via pingnews}

Voting early is so great! I'm excited that the North Carolina primary election actually is important this year.

But, it made me realize that I'm pretty uninformed about local politics. I'll be checking out Project Vote Smart to learn which local officials have similar views as me so next time I can feel like I really did my civic duty.

Barack Obama has been criticized for being an elitist. I know what they mean, but my thought is this: Aren't the elite typically well spoken, well educated and exercise influence? Shouldn't we all be striving for this and more importantly electing someone who can show this to the rest of the world?

Always a man to follow his moral compass, next Friday will mark the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. To mark this, American Radio Works has produced a very interesting multi-part piece about the last year of his life.