You people never cease to amaze me!! You are a supposedly intelligent group, but yet you spout generalities. Where are the facts that scientists are so committed to? Give me credible evidence for your ridiculous claims: "the rich get the best and the poor can just die." Huh?? What third world country do you live in? I work in downtown Las Vegas and I see ambulances arrive to treat the poorest of the poor who fall or get sick and they take them to the hospital. They are not left in the street to die. And they ride in the same ambulance that would be sent for a rich person, like Steve Wynn for instance, if he were to fall ill.

*FACT: Nearly nine out of 10 Americans say they have coverage—and large majorities of them are happy with it.

*FACT: Of the 46 million uninsured, 9.7 million are not U.S. citizens; 17.6 million have annual incomes of more than $50,000; and 14 million already qualify for Medicaid or other programs. That leaves less than five million people truly uncovered out of a population of 307 million. Do we really need to revamp the entire health care system just to provide health care for them? For the amount of money the gov't is proposing to spend we could buy gold-plated health care for that remaining 5 million.

*FACT: Many of those who work for employers who offer health insurance CHOOSE not to buy it because they are in good health and don't think that they need it and CHOOSE to spend their money on other things, knowing that if they really need a doctor they can show up at the ER and get treatment (and taxpayers get stuck paying for it if they don't pay the bill.)

And, BTW, we already have medical care and rationing for certain citizens: Medicare for over 65, SCHIP for under 21, VA for military, Medicaid for the poor. The government's present plan would create even more rationing for a number of reasons (like cut Medicare reimbursements to doctors to help pay for this plan) too much to go into here.

I could go on, but you get the idea... be careful what you wish for -- remember the law of unintended consequences -- the person who may gets less care may be you.

I have a suggestion -- don't jump into the fray if you know not that of which you speak -- your ignorance is showing.

Barbara