Health care overhaul

In principle, I am against government-run health care because the government has a poor record of running programs efficiently and on budget. On the other hand, I fully understand that health services in this country are out of control, are rising at a yearly rate much higher than inflation, shut out many people from reasonable health care. Of course, one could ask: why should we live beyond 70 years old? Some people stay healthy longer. Of course. So why must we keep people on life support or keep treating people who are terminally ill once they can no longer take care or themselves? What is the point. Ok, so we do not like euthanasia. So let us work within the current system.

There is too much partisanship. Our congressmen (of both parties), make decisions based on electability rather than on what is good for the country. How do I know? Because if they were given a quiz on the health care bill, I would wager good money that they could not answer questions as to content.

Before any statements are made as to our current system (whether by the president, or by our representatives), and before I decide what is best, let us get the answer to the following questions:

1) How much do all the insured pay per year to health care insurance providers (total, per insured inhabitant, and per inhabitant, whether insured or not)

2) How much of health care insurance is disbursed to court proceedings to handle suits (frivolous or not), pay lawyers, give rewards, etc.

3) How much of health care is actually given for doctor salaries

4) How much of health care pays hospital procedures

5) How much of health care pays for senior centers, long term care facilities, etc.

6) More breakdown that I have not considered

Only once we know the answers to the above questions, can we answer objectively:

1) why is health care increasing much more than insurance?

2) why should people on government insurance have access to the latest technology that people with expensive health care packages have access to?

3) what are the projected rise in costs over the next 20 years

(I doubt that projected cost increases take into account suing for example)

Given that these questions are not asked or answered shows me how non-serious everybody is about health care reform, and I include the president in this group.

President's stupid comment

I did not hear President's news conference Wed night, but reading the news reports I must say that he made a very stupid comment when asked to comment on the events surrounding the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard professor, in his home Monday, Mr Obama reportedly said:

"Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home."

What makes your remark stupid, Mr. president, is that you did acknowledge not knowing all the facts surrounding the arrest of Mr Gates, yet you issued your judgment about the work of those particular law enforcement officers involved in the incident. Very, very bad and shamefully stupid remark, Mr. President, regardless of anything else involved. You should know better than that!