Public opinion shifts in favor of health care overhaul

According to the latest Associated Press – GfK poll, the American public is split evenly – with 40% in favor and 40% opposed – on federal health care legislation. 

This comes just weeks after a September poll reported that 49% of Americans opposed congressional health care proposals while just 34% supported them. 

Such a change in public opinion could give Democrats in the house and Senate the push they need to refor m the health care system.  However, they still face strong opposition, especially among senior citizens and Republicans. 

Many experts credit President Barack Obama’s speech to congress last month for the change in public opinion. 

My Take:  I’m not sure I agree with the proposals on HOW health care should be reformed, but to me it’s mind-boggling that some people still oppose any type of reform at all.  It’s a broken system that leaves millions sick for the sake of insurance companies’ profit, and it needs to be completely overhauled. 

Appellate Court to rule on Carousel Center legal battle

A State Appellate Court will rule in the coming days on whether banking conglomerate Citigroup has the legal right to cut off funding on its construction loan to Destiny USA, reports News10 Now. 

Citigroup has stopped funding the project that would expand the Carousel Center mall in Syracuse, citing cost overruns and delays.   They believe their deal with Destiny is a simple construction loan that allows them to do just that.

Destiny, however, claims that Citigroup controlled an entire package of funds for the project from a variety of sources, and now, after collecting $123 million from the arrangement, has decided to end its involvement with the project.

My Take:  I hardly ever go to the mall, so I don’t care one way or the other whether Carousel gets expanded.  However, I do sympathize with anyone who thinks they’ve been cheated by a bank in the last year. 

The Cleveland Browns trade Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets

New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has a talented, albeit troublesome, new target, ESPN reports. 

Sanchez’s team acquired former first-round pick Braylon Edwards on the heels of yet another off-the-field incident for the wide receiver Monday night. 

Edwards reportedly assaulted a friend of NBA star LeBron James outside a Cleveland nightclub this week, and has been involved in numerous other incidents during his tenure with the Browns.

The fifth-year player has caught 238 passes for 3,697 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career. 

My Take:  Good for the Browns.  This guy seems like a moron, and he's not producing on the field.  I would have considered releasing him outright, but they managed to get good value in return from the Jets.