History suggests that attempts to privatize Medicare by relying on private companies to offer Medicare benefits in rural America simply will not work.

Medicare debates in Congress should result in better Medicare benefits for all our nation's seniors. We're not asking for special treatment for rural America, just a fair deal.

Medicare provided guaranteed equal coverage, something that the private sector could not.

Rather than squander the surplus on tax breaks for the rich, we should add a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program, shore up Social Security, fortify our defense, provide a quality public education and offer economic assistance to rural areas.

I believe that if corporate America expects consumer confidence to be restored, they must first be honest with us.

That was just a boneheaded statement from someone who should be in charge of this situation, ... The president will have to change the leadership so that a response this bad will never, never happen again for the America people.