After uploading to the cloud, i lost access to some of my songs. The library still shows the information and there is a cloud download icon but the font color would seem to indicate it has been deactivated (i.e. nothing happens when I click on it).

Question

After uploading to the cloud, i lost access to some of my songs. The library still shows the information and there is a cloud download icon but the font color would seem to indicate it has been deactivated (i.e. nothing happens when I click on it).

Answer 1

Problem closed (although not resolved).  After working with Apple support, no resolution was found.  I asked for a refund of the iTunes match purchase price, which was granted.  Interestingly the support tech, who was very nice if not particularly helpful from a technical point of view, spun the "resolution" of refunding my iTunes match purchase price as a positive one, here is a quote from the final email
"I'm glad to hear that you're not having issues with the songs you've purchased.  Nothing makes Apple happier than to hear that our customers concerns have been rectified."
It is notable that I never had an issue downloading music directly purchased thru the iTunes store, the only issue that existed was downloading songs that I ripped from my CD collection and "matched". 
I'm happy that I received my money back, however I wish that the iTunes Match service worked for me (I was looking forward to this service).  I'm most upset at the time I wasted trying to fix this problem.
I'll now download music the old fashioned way: syncing with iTunes directly.