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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Financing for DreamWorks Studios' partnership with one of India's richest men was finalized Monday, giving Steven Spielberg and partner Stacey Snider money to resume making movies.

From left to right, Steven Spielberg, Anil Ambani, Stacey Snider and Amitahb Jhunjhunwala.

The deal with Anil Ambani, chairman of India's Reliance BIG Entertainment, provides Spielberg's DreamWorks Studios with $875 million, coming from Ambani, the Walt Disney Co. and loans made by a syndicate of banks.

Disney will distribute and market about six DreamWorks Studios films around the world each year, with the exception of India, where Reliance will have those rights.

Spielberg and Snider found themselves in need of financial partners last year when he cut ties with Paramount Pictures and began rebuilding DreamWorks into an independent studio.

Although the deal, which was announced last year, has been characterized in some reports as "Hollywood meets Bollywood," Spielberg and partner Stacey Snider will have creative control over productions.

"This will allow us to move ahead quickly into production with our first group of films," Snider and Spielberg said in a joint statement.

Reliance BIG Entertainment is part of the Reliance group controlled by billionaire Ambani.

"Our partnership with Stacey and Steven is the cornerstone of our Hollywood strategy as we grow our film interests across the globe," Ambani said. "Given our faith in the business plan that they presented to us and despite the current economic climate, we were always confident that this day would come. Now Stacey and Steven can focus on producing more of the great films for which they are renowned."

Ambani, whose company owns hundreds of theater screens across South Asia, has also invested development money this year with other Hollywood production companies, including those owned by actors Nicolas Cage, Tom Hanks, George Clooney and Jim Carrey.

A DreamWorks announcement said that J.P. Morgan brought together the syndicate of banks to provide about $325 million in funding. The banks include Bank of America, City National Bank, Wells Fargo, Comerica, Union Bank of California, SunTrust, California Bank & Trust, and Israel Discount Bank.

One of the first movies to go into production will be "Harvey," an adaptation of the play that won a Pulitzer for playwright Mary Chase. The tale about a man and his invisible bunny friend was first made into a movie, starring Jimmy Stewart, in 1950.

Spielberg's long career as a screenwriter, director and producer has included classic blockbusters "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial," the "Indiana Jones" series and "Saving Private Ryan."

text: LOS

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question: What is the name of the first film planned?

answer: "Harvey,"

text: "Harvey,"

question: Who finalizes partnership with Indian tycoon?

answer: DreamWorks Studios'

text: DreamWorks Studios'

question: Who did Steven Spielberg finalize a partnership with?

answer: Anil Ambani,

text: Anil Ambani,

question: who finalized partnership withIndian tycoon?

answer: DreamWorks Studios'

text: DreamWorks Studios'

question: Who is Anil Ambani?

answer: chairman of India's Reliance BIG Entertainment,

text: chairman of India's Reliance BIG Entertainment,

question: What provides $875 million for DreamWorks?

answer: Ambani, the Walt Disney Co. and loans made by a syndicate of banks.

text: Ambani, the Walt Disney Co. and loans made by a syndicate of banks.

question: What is Spielberg's first film planned?

answer: "Harvey,"

text: "Harvey,"


text:
(CNN) -- In 1967, the Mamas & the Papas had a hit with a song that detailed, with bittersweet harmonies, the checkered history of the band. The song, written by the group's John Phillips and his wife, Michelle, was called "Creeque Alley."

Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and John Phillips, here in 1998, were members of the Mamas & the Papas.

If the song were to be updated today, it might have to be retitled "Creep Alley."

With the claims by John's daughter, Mackenzie, that she had an incestuous relationship with her father, the story of Phillips and his group -- in music, models of California dreams and California dreamin' -- takes on a darker hue.

The story was already tangled, a motley love- and drug-soaked tale of excess set to the group's distinctive four-part harmonies.

Phillips left his first wife, Mackenzie's mother, Susan Adams, for 18-year-old Michelle, whom he'd met in a San Francisco club while touring in the early '60s, according to the band's biography on Allmusic.com.

The band's lead male singer, Denny Doherty, later had an affair with Michelle; she was forced out of the group for a time. The fourth member, Cass Elliot, had an unrequited crush on Doherty, the biography noted.

After the Mamas & the Papas' success with such singles as "California Dreamin' " and the No. 1 hit "Monday, Monday," the Phillipses bought a Bel Air mansion from which they ruled over the Los Angeles music scene.

In his 1986 memoir, "Papa John," John Phillips, who died in 2001, remembered hosting parties for the Beatles when they visited town.

John Phillips, the band's primary songwriter, was at least six years older than the others and did not shy from the task of addressing the group's pain and confusion in song. In such songs as "Got a Feelin'," "I Saw Her Again Last Night" and "Trip, Stumble and Fall," he cast a cold eye on the band's romantic entanglements, even as his melancholy and sometimes cutting lyrics were often belied by those sunny harmonies and Lou Adler's slick production.

"One doesn't try to hold Cass and Denny and Michelle together," he said in a 1995 interview. "It's a useless task to start with. You just sort of stay out of the way and let things roll as they can."

In 1968, the group split up. There was a 1971 reunion that produced the contractually obligated album "People Like Us," but the experience was "horrible," John Phillips recalled in the liner notes to the group's anthology, "The History of the Mamas and the Papas."

The group members had mixed success after the breakup. Elliot, who died of a heart attack in 1974 (and not by choking on a sandwich, as urban legend has it), pursued a solo career; she had a handful of hits. Doherty and John Phillips also tried their hands at solo careers; the latter's 1970 "John, the Wolf King of L.A.," produced a minor hit and is now considered a classic but sold relatively poorly upon release.

More common were the stories of trouble. Michelle and John Phillips divorced in 1970; late that year, Michelle was married to Dennis Hopper for eight days.

John Phillips, who married Genevieve Waite in 1972, became increasingly immersed in drugs, says his Allmusic biography, to the point where he couldn't finish an album commissioned by the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. In 1981, he was convicted of drug trafficking.

By that point, daughter Mackenzie says, she was also a full-blown drug addict.

"I grew up in a place where there were no rules ... which did not serve me well, and everybody, I think, knew that," she said on a reunion special for her '70s sitcom, "One Day at a Time."

According to Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh's "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows," Phillips missed the 1980-81 season while in rehab for addiction issues.

In her new book, "High on Arrival," she claims she had become sexually involved with her father in 1979, after he forced sex on her the night before she married a rock manager, Jeff Sessler. (Earlier that year, the house she shared with Sessler burned down, taking all her belongings with it.)

According to Mackenzie Phillips, the affair with her father lasted 10 years.

She told Chynna Phillips, her half-sister, about the affair in the late '90s, according to an interview with Chynna in Us magazine.

"Somebody could have dropped a piano on my head, and I probably wouldn't have felt it," Chynna Phillips told the magazine. "But I knew it was true. I mean, who in their right mind would make such a claim if it wasn't true?"

She says the news sent her into "a deep, deep sadness and depression for about 10 days. A part of me died when I found out."

John Phillips also underwent rehab but struggled for the rest of his life. He had a liver transplant in 1992 but was photographed drinking several months later. He toured with versions of the Mamas & the Papas, some including Mackenzie. He died in 2001 of heart failure.

Chynna Phillips and Mackenzie's "One Day at a Time" co-star Valerie Bertinelli have since rallied around her. But others have not.

"I am stunned by Mackenzie's terrible allegations about her father," Waite, John Phillips' third wife, wrote in a statement released to "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Mackenzie Phillips appeared on the show Wednesday. "I would often complain about her overly familiar attitudes towards him, and he said it was just her way. John was a good man. ... He was incapable, no matter how drunk or drugged he was, to have sexual relations with his own child."

And Mackenzie's half-brother, Tamerlane, the follower of an Indian guru, is having none of it.

"My family is and always will be a decrepit bowl of dog urine compared to Nityananda of Ganeshpuri. That is how great Nityananda is," he told the New York Post's Page Six. "Worship Nityananda, not the Phillips family."

text: CNN

text: In

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text: night

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text: Sessler

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text: house

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text: shared

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text: Sessler

text: burned

text: down

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text: all

text: her

text: belongings

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text: According

text: to

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text: Phillips

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text: affair

text: with

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text: about

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text: affair

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text: late

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text: with

text: Chynna

text: in

text: Us

text: magazine

text: Somebody

text: could

text: have

text: dropped

text: a

text: piano

text: on

text: my

text: head

text: and

text: I

text: probably

text: would

text: n't

text: have

text: felt

text: it

text: Chynna

text: Phillips

text: told

text: the

text: magazine

text: But

text: I

text: knew

text: it

text: was

text: true

text: I

text: mean

text: who

text: in

text: their

text: right

text: mind

text: would

text: make

text: such

text: a

text: claim

text: if

text: it

text: was

text: n't

text: true

text: She

text: says

text: the

text: news

text: sent

text: her

text: into

text: a

text: deep

text: deep

text: sadness

text: and

text: depression

text: for

text: about

text: days

text: A

text: part

text: of

text: me

text: died

text: when

text: I

text: found

text: out

text: John

text: Phillips

text: also

text: underwent

text: rehab

text: but

text: struggled

text: for

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: his

text: life

text: He

text: had

text: a

text: liver

text: transplant

text: in

text: but

text: was

text: photographed

text: drinking

text: several

text: months

text: later

text: He

text: toured

text: with

text: versions

text: of

text: the

text: Mamas

text: the

text: Papas

text: some

text: including

text: Mackenzie

text: He

text: died

text: in

text: of

text: heart

text: failure

text: Chynna

text: Phillips

text: and

text: Mackenzie

text: 's

text: One

text: Day

text: at

text: a

text: Time

text: co

text: star

text: Valerie

text: Bertinelli

text: have

text: since

text: rallied

text: around

text: her

text: But

text: others

text: have

text: not

text: I

text: am

text: stunned

text: by

text: Mackenzie

text: 's

text: terrible

text: allegations

text: about

text: her

text: father

text: Waite

text: John

text: Phillips

text: third

text: wife

text: wrote

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: released

text: to

text: The

text: Oprah

text: Winfrey

text: Show

text: Mackenzie

text: Phillips

text: appeared

text: on

text: the

text: show

text: Wednesday

text: I

text: would

text: often

text: complain

text: about

text: her

text: overly

text: familiar

text: attitudes

text: towards

text: him

text: and

text: he

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: just

text: her

text: way

text: John

text: was

text: a

text: good

text: man

text: He

text: was

text: incapable

text: no

text: matter

text: how

text: drunk

text: or

text: drugged

text: he

text: was

text: to

text: have

text: sexual

text: relations

text: with

text: his

text: own

text: child

text: And

text: Mackenzie

text: 's

text: half

text: brother

text: Tamerlane

text: the

text: follower

text: of

text: an

text: Indian

text: guru

text: is

text: having

text: of

text: it

text: My

text: family

text: is

text: and

text: always

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: decrepit

text: bowl

text: of

text: dog

text: urine

text: compared

text: to

text: Nityananda

text: of

text: Ganeshpuri

text: That

text: is

text: how

text: great

text: Nityananda

text: is

text: he

text: told

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: Post

text: 's

text: Page

text: Six

text: Worship

text: Nityananda

text: not

text: the

text: Phillips

text: family

question: Did John Phillips have a live of excess?

answer: a motley love- and drug-soaked tale of

text: a motley love- and drug-soaked tale of

question: who died in 2001?

answer: John Phillips,

text: John Phillips,


text:
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Ronide Baduel keeps a broken teacup tucked away for safekeeping.

One day, she will look at it, maybe even smile, and recall how life's rhythms shifted with the earth in January.

She was unlike many of her Haitian compatriots who were barely squeaking by. She had everything: an education, a decent job as a nurse, a three-bedroom home she rented with her teenage son, who was in school.

But when the massive earthquake struck, Baduel's house collapsed. For the first time in her life, she had nothing.

She ran through the streets clutching the hand of her injured son, following the crowd to Champs de Mars, a large plaza near the heavily damaged presidential palace.

She spent the first night sitting on a low concrete wall. In the morning light, she saw the panicked look in the faces of thousands of people and she thought the worst. "Life was done," she said. "There was going to be no tomorrow."

She was well-off. But a natural disaster had plunged her to the depths of poverty.

Earthquakes are not discriminating. Nor are the makeshift camps that sprouted all over the capital.

When CNN first met Baduel, just two weeks after the quake, she was sleeping on dirt, under a few sheets of plastic. She had managed to buy a black faux patent leather handbag in which she kept a few personal items: Shampoo. Soap. A change of clothes. And two wallet-size photos of herself and her son that she rescued from the rubble of her house.

There was nothing else in her tent.

"It was as though I had gone to hell," she said.

Baduel did not know how to live in squalor.

It was not as though she had come from Cite Soleil, Port-au-Prince's biggest slum, where many people, even before the earthquake, slept under tarps or on the streets.

"It was harder for middle-class people like me," she said. "It's more difficult for those who had something before. I spent my money on my house, and the rest I saved for the future."

Robbed of her privacy, she struggled to attain some kind of dignity.

When the private hospital where she worked, the Clinique de la Sante, reopened, she made sure to bathe there in the morning and then again before leaving for the night. There, she did not have to wash in public.

Days turned to weeks. Mornings, afternoons, nights -- they were all the same in the tent city. Nothing to do but endure.

Baduel watched the people around her. They were survivors. They lived among flies and filth, but they fed their children and cleaned their tents. They made the most of what they had left: their lives.

She understood then that there was a God. And that she, too, had to give thanks that she was not crushed in the rubble and that her son's injury was not life-threatening. She understood that life was not done.

At the end of March, after more than two months in the tent city, Baduel moved to her sister's flat when it was deemed safe.

There, Baduel began to feel halfway back to having a proper existence. She has the use of a kitchen, a bathroom. When the city's flickering electricity is on, she can even watch a bit of television.

She sleeps in a netted tent set up behind a locked gate in the front yard. It zips up tightly. Inside are fresh white linens.

In late April, when CNN caught up with her again, she could manage a smile, but anxiety still defined her face. She didn't know yet how she would regain her life.

In Haiti, she says, there is no such thing as insurance. No one will pay her a cent for the estimated $20,000 loss in personal property.

She understands why impoverished people in the camps do not want to leave. There, at least, they have access to food, water and basic goods distributed by aid agencies. The wealthy fled the country or are able to sustain themselves otherwise. But for those in the middle, the struggle is particularly hard, Baduel says.

Last November, her ex-husband died unexpectedly. He used to help pay expenses for her son. To make matters worse, even private hospitals in Port-au-Prince are suffering because people are flocking to public ones for free service. Baduel's monthly income, about $600 before the quake because she worked two jobs, has dipped to about $87, and rents are sky-high because of the demand for housing.

But she will never return to a tent and tarp encampment.

"Not me," she says with defiance. "Never."

She despised every moment at Champs de Mars but appreciates the way the experience changed her perspective on life.

"I probably spent too much money on making myself and my surroundings beautiful," she says. She wants to say something else, but the words never leave her lips.

She hates that her future is so uncertain.

If nothing else, she will leave her job and the city in which she was raised and go to live with her father in the town of Jeremie in western Haiti.

She has already sent her son to live with another sister in Fontamara, away from central Port-au-Prince. She also sent the broken teacup there.

For now, she doesn't need to look at it. She doesn't need any reminders.

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: Haiti

text: CNN

text: Ronide

text: Baduel

text: keeps

text: a

text: broken

text: teacup

text: tucked

text: away

text: for

text: safekeeping

text: One

text: day

text: she

text: will

text: look

text: at

text: it

text: maybe

text: even

text: smile

text: and

text: recall

text: how

text: life

text: 's

text: rhythms

text: shifted

text: with

text: the

text: earth

text: in

text: January

text: She

text: was

text: unlike

text: many

text: of

text: her

text: Haitian

text: compatriots

text: who

text: were

text: barely

text: squeaking

text: by

text: She

text: had

text: everything

text: an

text: education

text: a

text: decent

text: job

text: as

text: a

text: nurse

text: a

text: three

text: bedroom

text: home

text: she

text: rented

text: with

text: her

text: teenage

text: son

text: who

text: was

text: in

text: school

text: But

text: when

text: the

text: massive

text: earthquake

text: struck

text: Baduel

text: 's

text: house

text: collapsed

text: For

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: in

text: her

text: life

text: she

text: had

text: nothing

text: She

text: ran

text: through

text: the

text: streets

text: clutching

text: the

text: hand

text: of

text: her

text: injured

text: son

text: following

text: the

text: crowd

text: to

text: Champs

text: de

text: Mars

text: a

text: large

text: plaza

text: near

text: the

text: heavily

text: damaged

text: presidential

text: palace

text: She

text: spent

text: the

text: first

text: night

text: sitting

text: on

text: a

text: low

text: concrete

text: wall

text: In

text: the

text: morning

text: light

text: she

text: saw

text: the

text: panicked

text: look

text: in

text: the

text: faces

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: and

text: she

text: thought

text: the

text: worst

text: Life

text: was

text: done

text: she

text: said

text: There

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: no

text: tomorrow

text: She

text: was

text: well

text: off

text: But

text: a

text: natural

text: disaster

text: had

text: plunged

text: her

text: to

text: the

text: depths

text: of

text: poverty

text: Earthquakes

text: are

text: not

text: discriminating

text: Nor

text: are

text: the

text: makeshift

text: camps

text: that

text: sprouted

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: capital

text: When

text: CNN

text: first

text: met

text: Baduel

text: just

text: two

text: weeks

text: after

text: the

text: quake

text: she

text: was

text: sleeping

text: on

text: dirt

text: under

text: a

text: few

text: sheets

text: of

text: plastic

text: She

text: had

text: managed

text: to

text: buy

text: a

text: black

text: faux

text: patent

text: leather

text: handbag

text: in

text: which

text: she

text: kept

text: a

text: few

text: personal

text: items

text: Shampoo

text: Soap

text: A

text: change

text: of

text: clothes

text: And

text: two

text: wallet

text: size

text: photos

text: of

text: herself

text: and

text: her

text: son

text: that

text: she

text: rescued

text: from

text: the

text: rubble

text: of

text: her

text: house

text: There

text: was

text: nothing

text: else

text: in

text: her

text: tent

text: It

text: was

text: as

text: though

text: I

text: had

text: gone

text: to

text: hell

text: she

text: said

text: Baduel

text: did

text: not

text: know

text: how

text: to

text: live

text: in

text: squalor

text: It

text: was

text: not

text: as

text: though

text: she

text: had

text: come

text: from

text: Cite

text: Soleil

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: 's

text: biggest

text: slum

text: where

text: many

text: people

text: even

text: before

text: the

text: earthquake

text: slept

text: under

text: tarps

text: or

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: It

text: was

text: harder

text: for

text: middle

text: class

text: people

text: like

text: me

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: more

text: difficult

text: for

text: those

text: who

text: had

text: something

text: before

text: I

text: spent

text: my

text: money

text: on

text: my

text: house

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: I

text: saved

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: Robbed

text: of

text: her

text: privacy

text: she

text: struggled

text: to

text: attain

text: some

text: kind

text: of

text: dignity

text: When

text: the

text: private

text: hospital

text: where

text: she

text: worked

text: the

text: Clinique

text: de

text: la

text: Sante

text: reopened

text: she

text: made

text: sure

text: to

text: bathe

text: there

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: and

text: then

text: again

text: before

text: leaving

text: for

text: the

text: night

text: There

text: she

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: to

text: wash

text: in

text: public

text: Days

text: turned

text: to

text: weeks

text: Mornings

text: afternoons

text: nights

text: they

text: were

text: all

text: the

text: same

text: in

text: the

text: tent

text: city

text: Nothing

text: to

text: do

text: but

text: endure

text: Baduel

text: watched

text: the

text: people

text: around

text: her

text: They

text: were

text: survivors

text: They

text: lived

text: among

text: flies

text: and

text: filth

text: but

text: they

text: fed

text: their

text: children

text: and

text: cleaned

text: their

text: tents

text: They

text: made

text: the

text: most

text: of

text: what

text: they

text: had

text: left

text: their

text: lives

text: She

text: understood

text: then

text: that

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: God

text: And

text: that

text: she

text: too

text: had

text: to

text: give

text: thanks

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: not

text: crushed

text: in

text: the

text: rubble

text: and

text: that

text: her

text: son

text: 's

text: injury

text: was

text: not

text: life

text: threatening

text: She

text: understood

text: that

text: life

text: was

text: not

text: done

text: At

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: March

text: after

text: more

text: than

text: two

text: months

text: in

text: the

text: tent

text: city

text: Baduel

text: moved

text: to

text: her

text: sister

text: 's

text: flat

text: when

text: it

text: was

text: deemed

text: safe

text: There

text: Baduel

text: began

text: to

text: feel

text: halfway

text: back

text: to

text: having

text: a

text: proper

text: existence

text: She

text: has

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: a

text: kitchen

text: a

text: bathroom

text: When

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: flickering

text: electricity

text: is

text: on

text: she

text: can

text: even

text: watch

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: television

text: She

text: sleeps

text: in

text: a

text: netted

text: tent

text: set

text: up

text: behind

text: a

text: locked

text: gate

text: in

text: the

text: front

text: yard

text: It

text: zips

text: up

text: tightly

text: Inside

text: are

text: fresh

text: white

text: linens

text: In

text: late

text: April

text: when

text: CNN

text: caught

text: up

text: with

text: her

text: again

text: she

text: could

text: manage

text: a

text: smile

text: but

text: anxiety

text: still

text: defined

text: her

text: face

text: She

text: did

text: n't

text: know

text: yet

text: how

text: she

text: would

text: regain

text: her

text: life

text: In

text: Haiti

text: she

text: says

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: such

text: thing

text: as

text: insurance

text: No

text: one

text: will

text: pay

text: her

text: a

text: cent

text: for

text: the

text: estimated

text: loss

text: in

text: personal

text: property

text: She

text: understands

text: why

text: impoverished

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: camps

text: do

text: not

text: want

text: to

text: leave

text: There

text: at

text: least

text: they

text: have

text: access

text: to

text: food

text: water

text: and

text: basic

text: goods

text: distributed

text: by

text: aid

text: agencies

text: The

text: wealthy

text: fled

text: the

text: country

text: or

text: are

text: able

text: to

text: sustain

text: themselves

text: otherwise

text: But

text: for

text: those

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: the

text: struggle

text: is

text: particularly

text: hard

text: Baduel

text: says

text: Last

text: November

text: her

text: ex

text: husband

text: died

text: unexpectedly

text: He

text: used

text: to

text: help

text: pay

text: expenses

text: for

text: her

text: son

text: To

text: make

text: matters

text: worse

text: even

text: private

text: hospitals

text: in

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: are

text: suffering

text: because

text: people

text: are

text: flocking

text: to

text: public

text: ones

text: for

text: free

text: service

text: Baduel

text: 's

text: monthly

text: income

text: about

text: before

text: the

text: quake

text: because

text: she

text: worked

text: two

text: jobs

text: has

text: dipped

text: to

text: about

text: and

text: rents

text: are

text: sky

text: high

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: demand

text: for

text: housing

text: But

text: she

text: will

text: never

text: return

text: to

text: a

text: tent

text: and

text: tarp

text: encampment

text: Not

text: me

text: she

text: says

text: with

text: defiance

text: Never

text: She

text: despised

text: every

text: moment

text: at

text: Champs

text: de

text: Mars

text: but

text: appreciates

text: the

text: way

text: the

text: experience

text: changed

text: her

text: perspective

text: on

text: life

text: I

text: probably

text: spent

text: too

text: much

text: money

text: on

text: making

text: myself

text: and

text: my

text: surroundings

text: beautiful

text: she

text: says

text: She

text: wants

text: to

text: say

text: something

text: else

text: but

text: the

text: words

text: never

text: leave

text: her

text: lips

text: She

text: hates

text: that

text: her

text: future

text: is

text: so

text: uncertain

text: If

text: nothing

text: else

text: she

text: will

text: leave

text: her

text: job

text: and

text: the

text: city

text: in

text: which

text: she

text: was

text: raised

text: and

text: go

text: to

text: live

text: with

text: her

text: father

text: in

text: the

text: town

text: of

text: Jeremie

text: in

text: western

text: Haiti

text: She

text: has

text: already

text: sent

text: her

text: son

text: to

text: live

text: with

text: another

text: sister

text: in

text: Fontamara

text: away

text: from

text: central

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: She

text: also

text: sent

text: the

text: broken

text: teacup

text: there

text: For

text: now

text: she

text: does

text: n't

text: need

text: to

text: look

text: at

text: it

text: She

text: does

text: n't

text: need

text: any

text: reminders

question: What did she say about it?

answer: "There was going to be no tomorrow."

text: "There was going to be no tomorrow."

question: What event caused her to fall into poverty?

answer: the massive earthquake struck,

text: the massive earthquake struck,

question: When was the earthquake in Haiti?

answer: January.

text: January.

question: Where did Baduel stay at first?

answer: sitting on a low concrete wall.

text: sitting on a low concrete wall.

question: Where did Baduel stay with her son?

answer: a three-bedroom home

text: a three-bedroom home

question: What was Baduel social status prior to the earthquake ?

answer: well-off.

text: well-off.


text:
(CNN) -- Tens of thousands of Congolese refugees fled camps Tuesday in the Democratic Republic of Congo as rebel troops attacked government forces in the area, the U.N. refugee agency said.

Refugees move along a road Tuesday in Mugunga, near Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A press release from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said it didn't appear rebels had targeted the camps, but it reported some were looted after camp residents, classified as internally displaced persons, fled.

Roads to Goma, about 10 miles from the camps, were crowded with refugees and local residents fleeing the fighting, the UNHCR reported. Torrential rain made the movement even more difficult.

"The main road toward Sake was crowded with people; we had difficulties getting through," UNHCR field safety adviser Pierre Nazroo was quoted as saying in the agency's release. "Internally displaced people are moving from site to site, direction Goma."

UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said, "They have been living in extremely difficult conditions anyway. Now they have nothing but what they can carry."

Redmond added, "These are people in poor health; they are soaking wet because of the torrential downpours. They need shelter, they need water, they need a lot of assistance so we're going to have to move quickly to get that help to them because a lot of them are already in a weakened state."

While the Congolese government accused troops under rebel general Laurent Nkunda of staging the attack, a Nkunda spokesman denied the allegation, according to a report from the Integrated Regional Information Networks, a U.N.-affiliated news service.

The spokesman, Bwambale Kakolele, said Rwandan Hutu rebels who also operate in the area were behind the attack, that report said.

A spokesman for the U.N. military mission in the Congo said it was uncertain which group attacked the Congo army outpost near the village of Kishangazi, according to the U.N.-affiliated news service.

"We think it could have been insurgents close to Nkunda who attacked, but we cannot rule out the [Rwandan rebels]," spokesman Col. Pierre Cherayron was quoted as saying.

The UNHCR identified the affected camps as Mugunga I, Mugunga II, Lac Vert and Bulengo, saying about 28,000 had abandoned the first three camps and about 2,000 had left Bulengo.

The UNHCR said 375,000 Congolese in North Kivu province have been forced from their homes in the past year. In the past two months alone, 160,000 have fled their homes amid the fighting between renegade troops and government forces, the agency said.

North Kivu is in eastern Congo near the borders of Rwanda and Uganda.

Congolese President Joseph Kabila has tried to gain a cease-fire with the rebels in the area under Nkunda, but fighting continues as hard-liners among the rebels and in the government have blocked reconciliation efforts, according to the International Crisis Group, an nongovernmental organization looking for solutions to conflicts. E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: Tens

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: Congolese

text: refugees

text: fled

text: camps

text: Tuesday

text: in

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: as

text: rebel

text: troops

text: attacked

text: government

text: forces

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: the

text: U.N.

text: refugee

text: agency

text: said

text: Refugees

text: move

text: along

text: a

text: road

text: Tuesday

text: in

text: Mugunga

text: near

text: Goma

text: in

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: A

text: press

text: release

text: from

text: the

text: U.N.

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: said

text: it

text: did

text: n't

text: appear

text: rebels

text: had

text: targeted

text: the

text: camps

text: but

text: it

text: reported

text: some

text: were

text: looted

text: after

text: camp

text: residents

text: classified

text: as

text: internally

text: displaced

text: persons

text: fled

text: Roads

text: to

text: Goma

text: about

text: miles

text: from

text: the

text: camps

text: were

text: crowded

text: with

text: refugees

text: and

text: local

text: residents

text: fleeing

text: the

text: fighting

text: the

text: UNHCR

text: reported

text: Torrential

text: rain

text: made

text: the

text: movement

text: even

text: more

text: difficult

text: The

text: main

text: road

text: toward

text: Sake

text: was

text: crowded

text: with

text: people

text: we

text: had

text: difficulties

text: getting

text: through

text: UNHCR

text: field

text: safety

text: adviser

text: Pierre

text: Nazroo

text: was

text: quoted

text: as

text: saying

text: in

text: the

text: agency

text: 's

text: release

text: Internally

text: displaced

text: people

text: are

text: moving

text: from

text: site

text: to

text: site

text: direction

text: Goma

text: UNHCR

text: spokesman

text: Ron

text: Redmond

text: said

text: They

text: have

text: been

text: living

text: in

text: extremely

text: difficult

text: conditions

text: anyway

text: Now

text: they

text: have

text: nothing

text: but

text: what

text: they

text: can

text: carry

text: Redmond

text: added

text: These

text: are

text: people

text: in

text: poor

text: health

text: they

text: are

text: soaking

text: wet

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: torrential

text: downpours

text: They

text: need

text: shelter

text: they

text: need

text: water

text: they

text: need

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: assistance

text: so

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: have

text: to

text: move

text: quickly

text: to

text: get

text: that

text: help

text: to

text: them

text: because

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: them

text: are

text: already

text: in

text: a

text: weakened

text: state

text: While

text: the

text: Congolese

text: government

text: accused

text: troops

text: under

text: rebel

text: general

text: Laurent

text: Nkunda

text: of

text: staging

text: the

text: attack

text: a

text: Nkunda

text: spokesman

text: denied

text: the

text: allegation

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: report

text: from

text: the

text: Integrated

text: Regional

text: Information

text: Networks

text: a

text: U.N

text: affiliated

text: news

text: service

text: The

text: spokesman

text: Bwambale

text: Kakolele

text: said

text: Rwandan

text: Hutu

text: rebels

text: who

text: also

text: operate

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: were

text: behind

text: the

text: attack

text: that

text: report

text: said

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: U.N.

text: military

text: mission

text: in

text: the

text: Congo

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: uncertain

text: which

text: group

text: attacked

text: the

text: Congo

text: army

text: outpost

text: near

text: the

text: village

text: of

text: Kishangazi

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: U.N

text: affiliated

text: news

text: service

text: We

text: think

text: it

text: could

text: have

text: been

text: insurgents

text: close

text: to

text: Nkunda

text: who

text: attacked

text: but

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: rule

text: out

text: the

text: Rwandan

text: rebels

text: spokesman

text: Col

text: Pierre

text: Cherayron

text: was

text: quoted

text: as

text: saying

text: The

text: UNHCR

text: identified

text: the

text: affected

text: camps

text: as

text: Mugunga

text: I

text: Mugunga

text: II

text: Lac

text: Vert

text: and

text: Bulengo

text: saying

text: about

text: had

text: abandoned

text: the

text: first

text: three

text: camps

text: and

text: about

text: had

text: left

text: Bulengo

text: The

text: UNHCR

text: said

text: Congolese

text: in

text: North

text: Kivu

text: province

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: from

text: their

text: homes

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: months

text: alone

text: have

text: fled

text: their

text: homes

text: amid

text: the

text: fighting

text: between

text: renegade

text: troops

text: and

text: government

text: forces

text: the

text: agency

text: said

text: North

text: Kivu

text: is

text: in

text: eastern

text: Congo

text: near

text: the

text: borders

text: of

text: Rwanda

text: and

text: Uganda

text: Congolese

text: President

text: Joseph

text: Kabila

text: has

text: tried

text: to

text: gain

text: a

text: cease

text: fire

text: with

text: the

text: rebels

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: under

text: Nkunda

text: but

text: fighting

text: continues

text: as

text: hard

text: liners

text: among

text: the

text: rebels

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: government

text: have

text: blocked

text: reconciliation

text: efforts

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: International

text: Crisis

text: Group

text: an

text: nongovernmental

text: organization

text: looking

text: for

text: solutions

text: to

text: conflicts

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: who have congo rebels blamed?

answer: Rwandan Hutu

text: Rwandan Hutu

question: who is responsible for attack?

answer: rebel troops

text: rebel troops

question: what has made refugee movement difficult?

answer: Torrential rain

text: Torrential rain

question: Who is attacking government troops?

answer: rebel

text: rebel

question: What about rain makes refugee movement difficult?

answer: Torrential

text: Torrential

question: What makes the refugee movement difficutl?

answer: Torrential rain

text: Torrential rain

question: congo rebels blame rwandan?

answer: Hutu

text: Hutu

question: Who are the rebels attacking?

answer: government forces

text: government forces

question: Where are they fleeing?

answer: Democratic Republic of Congo

text: Democratic Republic of Congo

question: Who do the Congo rebels blame for the attack?

answer: Rwandan Hutu

text: Rwandan Hutu

question: What is the number of refugees?

answer: 375,000


text:
Editor's note: Rudy Ruiz founded RedBrownandBlue.com, a site featuring multicultural political commentary, hosts a nationally syndicated Spanish-language radio show; and wrote a guide to success for immigrants ("Â¡Adelante!" published by Random House). He is co-founder and president of Interlex, an advocacy marketing agency based in San Antonio, Texas.

Rudy Ruiz says people hold on to their views despite the evidence for fear of being labeled a flip-flopper.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (CNN) -- As people shout over each other and tune out diverging views in town hall meetings, the health care debate is proving to be symptomatic of a major ailment threatening our nation:

A contagious culture of closed-mindedness threatens to suffocate our progress as a society.

Why has it become so difficult to even consider changing our minds about important issues?

Here's my diagnosis.

Increasingly, the willingness to change one's position on political issues has been misread as a mark of weakness rather than a product of attentive listening and careful deliberation.

During the 2004 Presidential campaign, the successful branding of John Kerry as a flip-flopper doomed his bid. Fear of "flip-flopper syndrome" is apparently catching like the flu, because today politicians are not alone in their determination to adhere to partisan positions despite the changing needs of our nation.

Nearly everyone's so reluctant to appear wishy-washy that they stand firm even when the evidence is against their views.

Three factors exacerbate this paralysis by lack of analysis: labels, lifestyles and listening.

First, the labels ascribed to many potential policy tools render sensible options taboo, loading what could be rational, economic or social measures with moral baggage. This narrows our choices, hemming in policy makers.

Any proposal including the words "government-run" elicits cries of "socialism" and "communism." Any argument invoking the words "God" or "moral" sparks accusations of "right-wing extremism," "fascism," or "Bible-thumping." Instead of listening to each other's ideas, we spot the warning label and run the other way.

Second, our lifestyles favor knee-jerk reactions. The way we think, work and live in the Digital Age demands we quickly categorize information without investing time into rich interaction, research and understanding.

We're hesitant to ask questions because we don't have time to listen to the long, complicated answers that might follow. And we lack the time to fact-check competing claims. In our haste, it's easier to echo our party's position than drill down, questioning whether party leaders are motivated by our best interests or the best interests of their biggest contributors.

Third, we tend to listen only to like-minded opinions as media fragmentation encourages us to filter out varying perspectives. If you're a liberal, you avoid FOX News. If you're a conservative you revile MSNBC. The dynamic is even more pronounced online, where a niche media source can be found for any outlook.

This silences the opportunity for meaningful dialogue and deliberation that might lead to reformulating positions, forging sustainable compromises, and developing consensus crucial to moving our nation forward on complex issues.

So how can we overcome this challenge, starting with the health care debate? How do we open our minds to the possibility that we could actually learn from somebody else? Here's my prescription.

For starters, we should eschew the notion that changing our minds is a character flaw. To the contrary, experts believe it's a manifestation of higher intelligence. Renowned psychologist Stuart Sutherland wrote in "Irrationality," his seminal 1992 book: "The willingness to change one's mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality not weakness."

To further free our minds, we should aggressively treat the three Ls:

Let's lose the labels: from "flip-flopper" to "commie," from "fear-monger" to "right-wing nut job." Trash the diatribe; mull the ideas.

Let's engage in some constructive lifestyle management, slowing down to ponder -- and make independent decisions -- as enlightened people. We cannot allow the technological evolution to rob us of the intellectual strides of the American Revolution.

We must value the art of listening, reflection, comparative analysis, and civil discourse if we're to make the most of our democracy. In the process, we should signal to leaders that we're willing to expand our horizons beyond party lines. Maybe they'll get in front of our parade, collaborating for a change.

Let's request a second opinion and listen to each other. Switch channels. Visit different Web sites. Read a newspaper, while we can still find one. How about stepping into a town hall with an open mind, prepared to converse with people hailing from diverse circumstances? A range of perspectives enriches our viewpoint, empowering us to craft nuanced responses to complex situations.

Ultimately, we must stop thinking that the only thing to think is what we've thought all along. As we learn more about multifaceted matters, our positions should evolve accordingly. Let's accept that it's OK to change your minds.

In the end, opening our minds can only enhance the prognosis for our most cherished patient: America.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rudy Ruiz.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Rudy

text: Ruiz

text: founded

text: RedBrownandBlue.com

text: a

text: site

text: featuring

text: multicultural

text: political

text: commentary

text: hosts

text: a

text: nationally

text: syndicated

text: Spanish

text: language

text: radio

text: show

text: and

text: wrote

text: a

text: guide

text: to

text: success

text: for

text: immigrants

text: Â¡Adelante

text: published

text: by

text: Random

text: House

text: He

text: is

text: co

text: founder

text: and

text: president

text: of

text: Interlex

text: an

text: advocacy

text: marketing

text: agency

text: based

text: in

text: San

text: Antonio

text: Texas

text: Rudy

text: Ruiz

text: says

text: people

text: hold

text: on

text: to

text: their

text: views

text: despite

text: the

text: evidence

text: for

text: fear

text: of

text: being

text: labeled

text: a

text: flip

text: flopper

text: SAN

text: ANTONIO

text: Texas

text: CNN

text: As

text: people

text: shout

text: over

text: each

text: other

text: and

text: tune

text: out

text: diverging

text: views

text: in

text: town

text: hall

text: meetings

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: debate

text: is

text: proving

text: to

text: be

text: symptomatic

text: of

text: a

text: major

text: ailment

text: threatening

text: our

text: nation

text: A

text: contagious

text: culture

text: of

text: closed

text: mindedness

text: threatens

text: to

text: suffocate

text: our

text: progress

text: as

text: a

text: society

text: Why

text: has

text: it

text: become

text: so

text: difficult

text: to

text: even

text: consider

text: changing

text: our

text: minds

text: about

text: important

text: issues

text: Here

text: 's

text: my

text: diagnosis

text: Increasingly

text: the

text: willingness

text: to

text: change

text: one

text: 's

text: position

text: on

text: political

text: issues

text: has

text: been

text: misread

text: as

text: a

text: mark

text: of

text: weakness

text: rather

text: than

text: a

text: product

text: of

text: attentive

text: listening

text: and

text: careful

text: deliberation

text: During

text: the

text: Presidential

text: campaign

text: the

text: successful

text: branding

text: of

text: John

text: Kerry

text: as

text: a

text: flip

text: flopper

text: doomed

text: his

text: bid

text: Fear

text: of

text: flip

text: flopper

text: syndrome

text: is

text: apparently

text: catching

text: like

text: the

text: flu

text: because

text: today

text: politicians

text: are

text: not

text: alone

text: in

text: their

text: determination

text: to

text: adhere

text: to

text: partisan

text: positions

text: despite

text: the

text: changing

text: needs

text: of

text: our

text: nation

text: Nearly

text: everyone

text: 's

text: so

text: reluctant

text: to

text: appear

text: wishy

text: washy

text: that

text: they

text: stand

text: firm

text: even

text: when

text: the

text: evidence

text: is

text: against

text: their

text: views

text: Three

text: factors

text: exacerbate

text: this

text: paralysis

text: by

text: lack

text: of

text: analysis

text: labels

text: lifestyles

text: and

text: listening

text: First

text: the

text: labels

text: ascribed

text: to

text: many

text: potential

text: policy

text: tools

text: render

text: sensible

text: options

text: taboo

text: loading

text: what

text: could

text: be

text: rational

text: economic

text: or

text: social

text: measures

text: with

text: moral

text: baggage

text: This

text: narrows

text: our

text: choices

text: hemming

text: in

text: policy

text: makers

text: Any

text: proposal

text: including

text: the

text: words

text: government

text: run

text: elicits

text: cries

text: of

text: socialism

text: and

text: communism

text: Any

text: argument

text: invoking

text: the

text: words

text: God

text: or

text: moral

text: sparks

text: accusations

text: of

text: right

text: wing

text: extremism

text: fascism

text: or

text: Bible

text: thumping

text: Instead

text: of

text: listening

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: 's

text: ideas

text: we

text: spot

text: the

text: warning

text: label

text: and

text: run

text: the

text: other

text: way

text: Second

text: our

text: lifestyles

text: favor

text: knee

text: jerk

text: reactions

text: The

text: way

text: we

text: think

text: work

text: and

text: live

text: in

text: the

text: Digital

text: Age

text: demands

text: we

text: quickly

text: categorize

text: information

text: without

text: investing

text: time

text: into

text: rich

text: interaction

text: research

text: and

text: understanding

text: We

text: 're

text: hesitant

text: to

text: ask

text: questions

text: because

text: we

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: time

text: to

text: listen

text: to

text: the

text: long

text: complicated

text: answers

text: that

text: might

text: follow

text: And

text: we

text: lack

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: fact

text: check

text: competing

text: claims

text: In

text: our

text: haste

text: it

text: 's

text: easier

text: to

text: echo

text: our

text: party

text: 's

text: position

text: than

text: drill

text: down

text: questioning

text: whether

text: party

text: leaders

text: are

text: motivated

text: by

text: our

text: best

text: interests

text: or

text: the

text: best

text: interests

text: of

text: their

text: biggest

text: contributors

text: Third

text: we

text: tend

text: to

text: listen

text: only

text: to

text: like

text: minded

text: opinions

text: as

text: media

text: fragmentation

text: encourages

text: us

text: to

text: filter

text: out

text: varying

text: perspectives

text: If

text: you

text: 're

text: a

text: liberal

text: you

text: avoid

text: FOX

text: News

text: If

text: you

text: 're

text: a

text: conservative

text: you

text: revile

text: MSNBC

text: The

text: dynamic

text: is

text: even

text: more

text: pronounced

text: online

text: where

text: a

text: niche

text: media

text: source

text: can

text: be

text: found

text: for

text: any

text: outlook

text: This

text: silences

text: the

text: opportunity

text: for

text: meaningful

text: dialogue

text: and

text: deliberation

text: that

text: might

text: lead

text: to

text: reformulating

text: positions

text: forging

text: sustainable

text: compromises

text: and

text: developing

text: consensus

text: crucial

text: to

text: moving

text: our

text: nation

text: forward

text: on

text: complex

text: issues

text: So

text: how

text: can

text: we

text: overcome

text: this

text: challenge

text: starting

text: with

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: debate

text: How

text: do

text: we

text: open

text: our

text: minds

text: to

text: the

text: possibility

text: that

text: we

text: could

text: actually

text: learn

text: from

text: somebody

text: else

text: Here

text: 's

text: my

text: prescription

text: For

text: starters

text: we

text: should

text: eschew

text: the

text: notion

text: that

text: changing

text: our

text: minds

text: is

text: a

text: character

text: flaw

text: To

text: the

text: contrary

text: experts

text: believe

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: manifestation

text: of

text: higher

text: intelligence

text: Renowned

text: psychologist

text: Stuart

text: Sutherland

text: wrote

text: in

text: Irrationality

text: his

text: seminal

text: book

text: The

text: willingness

text: to

text: change

text: one

text: 's

text: mind

text: in

text: the

text: light

text: of

text: new

text: evidence

text: is

text: a

text: sign

text: of

text: rationality

text: not

text: weakness

text: To

text: further

text: free

text: our

text: minds

text: we

text: should

text: aggressively

text: treat

text: the

text: three

text: Ls

text: Let

text: 's

text: lose

text: the

text: labels

text: from

text: flip

text: flopper

text: to

text: commie

text: from

text: fear

text: monger

text: to

text: right

text: wing

text: nut

text: job

text: Trash

text: the

text: diatribe

text: mull

text: the

text: ideas

text: Let

text: 's

text: engage

text: in

text: some

text: constructive

text: lifestyle

text: management

text: slowing

text: down

text: to

text: ponder

text: and

text: make

text: independent

text: decisions

text: as

text: enlightened

text: people

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: allow

text: the

text: technological

text: evolution

text: to

text: rob

text: us

text: of

text: the

text: intellectual

text: strides

text: of

text: the

text: American

text: Revolution

text: We

text: must

text: value

text: the

text: art

text: of

text: listening

text: reflection

text: comparative

text: analysis

text: and

text: civil

text: discourse

text: if

text: we

text: 're

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: most

text: of

text: our

text: democracy

text: In

text: the

text: process

text: we

text: should

text: signal

text: to

text: leaders

text: that

text: we

text: 're

text: willing

text: to

text: expand

text: our

text: horizons

text: beyond

text: party

text: lines

text: Maybe

text: they

text: 'll

text: get

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: our

text: parade

text: collaborating

text: for

text: a

text: change

text: Let

text: 's

text: request

text: a

text: second

text: opinion

text: and

text: listen

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: Switch

text: channels

text: Visit

text: different

text: Web

text: sites

text: Read

text: a

text: newspaper

text: while

text: we

text: can

text: still

text: find

text: one

text: How

text: about

text: stepping

text: into

text: a

text: town

text: hall

text: with

text: an

text: open

text: mind

text: prepared

text: to

text: converse

text: with

text: people

text: hailing

text: from

text: diverse

text: circumstances

text: A

text: range

text: of

text: perspectives

text: enriches

text: our

text: viewpoint

text: empowering

text: us

text: to

text: craft

text: nuanced

text: responses

text: to

text: complex

text: situations

text: Ultimately

text: we

text: must

text: stop

text: thinking

text: that

text: the

text: only

text: thing

text: to

text: think

text: is

text: what

text: we

text: 've

text: thought

text: all

text: along

text: As

text: we

text: learn

text: more

text: about

text: multifaceted

text: matters

text: our

text: positions

text: should

text: evolve

text: accordingly

text: Let

text: 's

text: accept

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: OK

text: to

text: change

text: your

text: minds

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: opening

text: our

text: minds

text: can

text: only

text: enhance

text: the

text: prognosis

text: for

text: our

text: most

text: cherished

text: patient

text: America

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Rudy

text: Ruiz

question: Who said that its become unfashionable to have an open mind about issues?

answer: Rudy Ruiz

text: Rudy Ruiz

question: What labels obscure the real choices?

answer: flip-flopper.

text: flip-flopper.

question: Waht is a sign of rationality?

answer: willingness to change one's mind in the light of new evidence

text: willingness to change one's mind in the light of new evidence

question: What labels does Rudy Ruiz use?

answer: "right-wing extremism," "fascism,"

text: "right-wing extremism," "fascism,"


text:
(CNN) -- Five years from now, there's an excellent chance you won't have the same health insurance you have (or don't have) right now. That's because members of Congress are gearing up to reform the U.S. health care system, and unlike in 1993 when then-first lady Hillary Clinton tried her hand at changing the medical system, this time  the important players -- doctors, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers -- seem to be on board. You heard a lot about health care reform this week, and you'll be hearing even more in the months to come. It's an incredibly confusing, complex issue, so in this week's Empowered Patient, we break it down for you with 10 frequently asked questions about health care reform.

Overhauling health care  is key to U.S. economic stability, President Obama tells doctors Monday.

1. Why is health care reform such a hot issue right now?

Fewer and fewer Americans have health insurance, and therefore cannot afford good medical care. Nearly 46 million Americans have no insurance, and 25 million more are underinsured. One major reason for this crisis is that many employers have stopped offering insurance to employees because of the high cost. In the United States, total health care spending was $2.4 trillion in 2007 -- or $7,900 per person -- according to an analysis published in the journal Health Affairs. The United States spends 52 percent more per person than the next most costly nation, Norway, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. There's little debate that health care reform is necessary -- President Obama, Republican and Democratic members of Congress, the American Medical Association and America's Health Insurance Plans, which represents the insurance industry, all have agreed the system needs to be changed, although they disagree on how to do it.

2. So let's start with Obama. What are his plans for revamping the system?

A central point of the president's plan is to create a government-sponsored health insurance program that would be an option for all Americans, similar to how Medicare is now an option for Americans over age 65. He has also said he'd "like to see" prohibitions against insurers discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, and incentives for people to use preventive services and wellness plans. Obama outlined this plan last week at a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and on his Web site.

3. How does the president plan to pay for this?

Obama said he's already identified "hundreds of billions of dollars" worth of savings in the federal budget that could help finance health care reform, such as rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. He's also proposed reducing tax deductions for high-income Americans.

4. What do the Republicans think of Obama's plan?

In particular, they don't like the idea of having a government-sponsored health insurance program for all Americans. They fear employers would opt for the government-run insurance over private insurance because the government option would most likely be less expensive, but Republicans say it would also be lower quality. For information, see House Minority Leader John Boehner's Web site.

5. Since they don't like Obama's ideas, how would Republicans like to reform health care?

Republicans think Obama's plan is costly and will make health insurance more expensive, not less. In a plan outlined this week, House Republicans proposed individual tax breaks for buying health insurance and "pools" of states and small business to get lower-cost health care plans. They also proposed increasing incentives for people to build health savings accounts, allowing dependent children to stay on parents' policies until age 25 and encouraging employers to reward employees for improved health.

6. I'm happy with the insurance I receive from my employer. What would health care reform mean for me?

If you receive high-quality health insurance from your employer, Obama said, his plan won't change that, and you can still keep your insurance and your doctors. Republicans, however, said that if Obama gets his way, there's a good chance your employer will stop buying the private insurance you have now and instead opt for the less-expensive government plan.

7. I have a pre-existing condition and can't get health insurance. Will health care reform help me?

You have a terrible problem and you're in good company. Millions of people who don't get insurance through their employer try to get insurance on their own and are turned down because they have a pre-existing condition. Obama said at the Green Bay town hall meeting that under his reforms, no insurance plan "would be able to deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions," but he didn't explain how he would force insurance companies to insure people with pre-existing health problems. Similarly, Boehner wrote on his blog that "quality health coverage must exist for every American, regardless of pre-existing health conditions," but did not explain how he would pay to insure people with pre-existing conditions.

8. How do doctors feel about health care reform?

The American Medical Association said while it believes in health care reform, "the AMA does not believe that creating a public health insurance option ... is the best way to expand health insurance coverage." The AMA has told members of Congress that doctors fear a new government-sponsored health insurance program would reimburse them at Medicare rates. "Medicare reimbursement rates have not kept pace with the cost of practice," AMA President Dr. Nancy Nielsen told CNN earlier this week. "Our Medicare rates are back at 2001 rates, and the reality is, that's not where our rent is, that's not where the electricity is. The system for paying doctors is a broken system, and everybody acknowledges it." Other doctors' groups, however, support the idea. The American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Physicians Alliance and other groups put out a statement of support this week for Obama's plan. "Having the choice of a public health insurance plan will help make health care more affordable for patients, foster greater competition in the insurance market and guarantee that quality, affordable coverage will be there for our patients no matter what happens," they wrote in a joint statement..

9. Obama has mentioned high health care costs in McAllen, Texas, several times. What's up with that?

According to research conducted at the Dartmouth Institute, the average per person health costs for McAllen are sky-high compared with costs in other cities. In McAllen, the average Medicare beneficiary spends $15,758 per year, while the average Medicare patient in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, spends $6,412 per year. Another comparison: The cost in Miami, Florida, is $18,170, compared with $7,478 in Portland, Oregon. Dartmouth researchers believe doctors in high-priced cities tend to refer to specialists more and are more likely to put patients in the hospital rather than handling their problems on an outpatient basis.

10. How do health care costs in the U.S. compare with costs in other countries?

In the United States, every person spends on average $6,714 for health care. That's significantly higher than in the United Kingdom, where $2,760 per person is spent; or in France, where the cost is $3,449 per person; or in Canada, where medical costs are $3,678 per person, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. While some would argue that medical care is better in the United States than in these other countries, others would say the opposite is true. For example, the United States ranks 50th in life expectancy, and 180th infant mortality (meaning 179 countries have higher infant mortality rates such as Angola and Turkey and 43 countries have lower infant mortality rates such as France and Sweden) according to the CIA World Factbook. For more on international price comparisons,  see this segment Â» on CNN Newsroom.

CNN's Jennifer Pifer Bixler, Marcy Heard and Sabriya Rice contributed to this report

text: CNN

text: Five

text: years

text: from

text: now

text: there

text: 's

text: an

text: excellent

text: chance

text: you

text: wo

text: n't

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text: the

text: same

text: health

text: insurance

text: you

text: have

text: or

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: right

text: now

text: That

text: 's

text: because

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: are

text: gearing

text: up

text: to

text: reform

text: the

text: U.S.

text: health

text: care

text: system

text: and

text: unlike

text: in

text: when

text: then

text: first

text: lady

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: tried

text: her

text: hand

text: at

text: changing

text: the

text: medical

text: system

text: this

text: time

text: the

text: important

text: players

text: doctors

text: insurance

text: companies

text: pharmaceutical

text: manufacturers

text: seem

text: to

text: be

text: on

text: board

text: You

text: heard

text: a

text: lot

text: about

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: this

text: week

text: and

text: you

text: 'll

text: be

text: hearing

text: even

text: more

text: in

text: the

text: months

text: to

text: come

text: It

text: 's

text: an

text: incredibly

text: confusing

text: complex

text: issue

text: so

text: in

text: this

text: week

text: 's

text: Empowered

text: Patient

text: we

text: break

text: it

text: down

text: for

text: you

text: with

text: frequently

text: asked

text: questions

text: about

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: Overhauling

text: health

text: care

text: is

text: key

text: to

text: U.S.

text: economic

text: stability

text: President

text: Obama

text: tells

text: doctors

text: Monday

text: Why

text: is

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: such

text: a

text: hot

text: issue

text: right

text: now

text: Fewer

text: and

text: fewer

text: Americans

text: have

text: health

text: insurance

text: and

text: therefore

text: can

text: not

text: afford

text: good

text: medical

text: care

text: Nearly

text: million

text: Americans

text: have

text: no

text: insurance

text: and

text: million

text: more

text: are

text: underinsured

text: One

text: major

text: reason

text: for

text: this

text: crisis

text: is

text: that

text: many

text: employers

text: have

text: stopped

text: offering

text: insurance

text: to

text: employees

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: high

text: cost

text: In

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: total

text: health

text: care

text: spending

text: was

text: trillion

text: in

text: or

text: per

text: person

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: analysis

text: published

text: in

text: the

text: journal

text: Health

text: Affairs

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: spends

text: percent

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text: per

text: person

text: than

text: the

text: next

text: most

text: costly

text: nation

text: Norway

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Kaiser

text: Family

text: Foundation

text: There

text: 's

text: little

text: debate

text: that

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: is

text: necessary

text: President

text: Obama

text: Republican

text: and

text: Democratic

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: the

text: American

text: Medical

text: Association

text: and

text: America

text: 's

text: Health

text: Insurance

text: Plans

text: which

text: represents

text: the

text: insurance

text: industry

text: all

text: have

text: agreed

text: the

text: system

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: changed

text: although

text: they

text: disagree

text: on

text: how

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: So

text: let

text: 's

text: start

text: with

text: Obama

text: What

text: are

text: his

text: plans

text: for

text: revamping

text: the

text: system

text: A

text: central

text: point

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: plan

text: is

text: to

text: create

text: a

text: government

text: sponsored

text: health

text: insurance

text: program

text: that

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text: be

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text: option

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text: all

text: Americans

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text: option

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text: also

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text: like

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text: prohibitions

text: against

text: insurers

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text: against

text: people

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text: pre

text: existing

text: conditions

text: and

text: incentives

text: for

text: people

text: to

text: use

text: preventive

text: services

text: and

text: wellness

text: plans

text: Obama

text: outlined

text: this

text: plan

text: last

text: week

text: at

text: a

text: town

text: hall

text: meeting

text: in

text: Green

text: Bay

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text: and

text: on

text: his

text: Web

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text: does

text: the

text: president

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text: 's

text: already

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text: of

text: billions

text: of

text: dollars

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text: of

text: savings

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text: the

text: federal

text: budget

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text: finance

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text: Republicans

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text: n't

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text: idea

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text: a

text: government

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text: government

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text: insurance

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text: government

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text: less

text: expensive

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text: would

text: also

text: be

text: lower

text: quality

text: For

text: information

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text: House

text: Minority

text: Leader

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text: Boehner

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text: Web

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text: do

text: n't

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text: Obama

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text: Republicans

text: like

text: to

text: reform

text: health

text: care

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text: think

text: Obama

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text: plan

text: is

text: costly

text: and

text: will

text: make

text: health

text: insurance

text: more

text: expensive

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text: less

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text: a

text: plan

text: outlined

text: this

text: week

text: House

text: Republicans

text: proposed

text: individual

text: tax

text: breaks

text: for

text: buying

text: health

text: insurance

text: and

text: pools

text: of

text: states

text: and

text: small

text: business

text: to

text: get

text: lower

text: cost

text: health

text: care

text: plans

text: They

text: also

text: proposed

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text: incentives

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text: people

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text: health

text: savings

text: accounts

text: allowing

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text: children

text: to

text: stay

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text: age

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text: reward

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text: improved

text: health

text: I

text: 'm

text: happy

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text: the

text: insurance

text: I

text: receive

text: from

text: my

text: employer

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text: would

text: health

text: care

text: reform

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text: you

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text: high

text: quality

text: health

text: insurance

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text: your

text: employer

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text: his

text: plan

text: wo

text: n't

text: change

text: that

text: and

text: you

text: can

text: still

text: keep

text: your

text: insurance

text: and

text: your

text: doctors

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text: however

text: said

text: that

text: if

text: Obama

text: gets

text: his

text: way

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: good

text: chance

text: your

text: employer

text: will

text: stop

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text: the

text: private

text: insurance

text: you

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text: less

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text: plan

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text: a

text: pre

text: existing

text: condition

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text: ca

text: n't

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text: health

text: insurance

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text: company

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text: insurance

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text: their

text: employer

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text: to

text: get

text: insurance

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text: their

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text: and

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text: down

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text: they

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text: pre

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text: the

text: Green

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text: coverage

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text: the

text: basis

text: of

text: pre

text: existing

text: conditions

text: but

text: he

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text: force

text: insurance

text: companies

text: to

text: insure

text: people

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text: pre

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text: Boehner

text: wrote

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text: his

text: blog

text: that

text: quality

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text: coverage

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text: exist

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text: every

text: American

text: regardless

text: of

text: pre

text: existing

text: health

text: conditions

text: but

text: did

text: not

text: explain

text: how

text: he

text: would

text: pay

text: to

text: insure

text: people

text: with

text: pre

text: existing

text: conditions

text: How

text: do

text: doctors

text: feel

text: about

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: The

text: American

text: Medical

text: Association

text: said

text: while

text: it

text: believes

text: in

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: the

text: AMA

text: does

text: not

text: believe

text: that

text: creating

text: a

text: public

text: health

text: insurance

text: option

text: is

text: the

text: best

text: way

text: to

text: expand

text: health

text: insurance

text: coverage

text: The

text: AMA

text: has

text: told

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: that

text: doctors

text: fear

text: a

text: new

text: government

text: sponsored

text: health

text: insurance

text: program

text: would

text: reimburse

text: them

text: at

text: Medicare

text: rates

text: Medicare

text: reimbursement

text: rates

text: have

text: not

text: kept

text: pace

text: with

text: the

text: cost

text: of

text: practice

text: AMA

text: President

text: Dr.

text: Nancy

text: Nielsen

text: told

text: CNN

text: earlier

text: this

text: week

text: Our

text: Medicare

text: rates

text: are

text: back

text: at

text: rates

text: and

text: the

text: reality

text: is

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: where

text: our

text: rent

text: is

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text: 's

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text: where

text: the

text: electricity

text: is

text: The

text: system

text: for

text: paying

text: doctors

text: is

text: a

text: broken

text: system

text: and

text: everybody

text: acknowledges

text: it

text: Other

text: doctors

text: groups

text: however

text: support

text: the

text: idea

text: The

text: American

text: Academy

text: of

text: Family

text: Physicians

text: the

text: National

text: Physicians

text: Alliance

text: and

text: other

text: groups

text: put

text: out

text: a

text: statement

text: of

text: support

text: this

text: week

text: for

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: Having

text: the

text: choice

text: of

text: a

text: public

text: health

text: insurance

text: plan

text: will

text: help

text: make

text: health

text: care

text: more

text: affordable

text: for

text: patients

text: foster

text: greater

text: competition

text: in

text: the

text: insurance

text: market

text: and

text: guarantee

text: that

text: quality

text: affordable

text: coverage

text: will

text: be

text: there

text: for

text: our

text: patients

text: no

text: matter

text: what

text: happens

text: they

text: wrote

text: in

text: a

text: joint

text: statement

text: Obama

text: has

text: mentioned

text: high

text: health

text: care

text: costs

text: in

text: McAllen

text: Texas

text: several

text: times

text: What

text: 's

text: up

text: with

text: that

text: According

text: to

text: research

text: conducted

text: at

text: the

text: Dartmouth

text: Institute

text: the

text: average

text: per

text: person

text: health

text: costs

text: for

text: McAllen

text: are

text: sky

text: high

text: compared

text: with

text: costs

text: in

text: other

text: cities

text: In

text: McAllen

text: the

text: average

text: Medicare

text: beneficiary

text: spends

text: per

text: year

text: while

text: the

text: average

text: Medicare

text: patient

text: in

text: LaCrosse

text: Wisconsin

text: spends

text: per

text: year

text: Another

text: comparison

text: The

text: cost

text: in

text: Miami

text: Florida

text: is

text: compared

text: with

text: in

text: Portland

text: Oregon

text: Dartmouth

text: researchers

text: believe

text: doctors

text: in

text: high

text: priced

text: cities

text: tend

text: to

text: refer

text: to

text: specialists

text: more

text: and

text: are

text: more

text: likely

text: to

text: put

text: patients

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: rather

text: than

text: handling

text: their

text: problems

text: on

text: an

text: outpatient

text: basis

text: How

text: do

text: health

text: care

text: costs

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: compare

text: with

text: costs

text: in

text: other

text: countries

text: In

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: every

text: person

text: spends

text: on

text: average

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question: who is opposed to obama's plan ?

answer: Republicans

text: Republicans

question: What is a priority for President Obama?

answer: Overhauling health care

text: Overhauling health care

question: How much more does the U.S. spend per person?

answer: $7,900

question: Which party thinks the plan is too expensive?

answer: Republicans

text: Republicans

question: What is the main priority of the president?

answer: Overhauling health care

text: Overhauling health care

question: What type of program does Obama want?

answer: government-sponsored health insurance

text: government-sponsored health insurance

question: what did obama say is a priority?

answer: create a government-sponsored health insurance program

text: create a government-sponsored health insurance program

question: What does obama want?

answer: Overhauling health care

text: Overhauling health care