In Monday night’s presidential debate, when Mitt Romney boldly proclaimed that the U.S. Navy has fewer ships today than it did in 1916, President Obama reminded him that the Navy’s 21st century mission is far different and the fleet’s capabilities are far greater.

But with the election in two weeks, Republicans twisted President Obama’s barbed response to Romney as a grievous insult to the Navy and a threat to the men and women who are continuing to build the world’s most modern naval warfare force ever. 

Max Hall has seen the fight for health care reform from both sides—as an advocate and a patient. In a Point of View (POV) guest column at the AFL-CIO website, Hall (no relation to me) writes how he first saw passing health care reform as part of the principles of fairness he believes in. But later, the issue turned personal for the 30-year veteran trade unionist when, in September, he confronted serious medical issues.