In this country, the people own the government. Its ours. Argument over.

The House of Representatives came back off its one week recess to resume the debate on various appropriations bills.

This week saw the House pass the military construction/VA appropriations bill as well as the agriculture appropriations bill. These are the funding bills that were completely ignored by the Harry Reid/Nancy Pelosi-led Congress of last year.

Two years ago, in June 2009, the American economy emerged from recession, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. But as this week's Economist noted, with typical British understatement, "The recovery has been a disappointment."

Florida health-care officials hit the road this week to hold hearings about the new Medicaid overhaul -- and got an earful about granny dumping and endangered mom-and-pop pharmacies.

The Agency for Health Care Administration, which held 10 hearings from Pensacola to Fort Myers, can do little about many of the objections. In passing the overhaul, lawmakers required that seniors enroll in managed-care plans and decided against giving special treatment to independent drug stores.