CNN's Anderson Cooper has a guest on railing about the state of

[Ilsa]

long term mental health care in this country. He spoke of how people who are taking care of long term home residents are paid a dollar a day less than what he pays to have his pet cared for when he goes out of town.

I wish someone would remind everyone how mental health care was torn apart during Reagan's reign of terror.

[rurallib]

1. Saint Ronnie's revenge.

[melody]

2. I think we should remind people as often as possible of that

Reagan was the beginning of the USA wrecking crew.

[Ilsa]

4. De-funding for mental intitutions, research, etc. And one-third of

the homeless population in the 1980's were persons with mental illness that either couldn't get help, or were tossed out of mental institutions because of funding cuts, per Ronnie.

[stillcool]

3. I seem to recall...

that his brother committed suicide? I think he did a program about it once, and how it influenced him to become a reporter...going to some of the more dangerous places at the time... like Bosnia.

[Demonaut]

5. cruel irony on Ronnie's demise

but a warm bed, meds and caring nurses were readily available

[riverdeep]

6. The biggest mental health facility in the US

is the LA county jail. I heard that from a guest from Anderson Cooper last night, Pete Earley (author of a book called 'Crazy', his son developed bi-po during college). That's where the mentally ill are going (to all prisons), out of sight, out of mind.