[camaraderie]

Sck...
1. I don't know where you are getting your numbers from but the "agreed upon" # with no insurance is 47 million...which includes illegal aliens, people who CAN afford their own health care and those who are presently eligible or government health care (medicaid/schip) but do not use it. After these reductions the net number of uncovered Americans is approximately $12 million abut 4% of the population...but 60 SOUNDS way better. This 4% could more easily and effectively be dealt with through the device of a health insurance "credit card" that would allow them to buy private insurance rather than another bloatocracy.

2. Unemployment in Europe at the present moment is almost exactly the same % as in the USA but it is also VERY different. In Europe it is much more difficult AND much less profitable to do layoffs than here so the ramp up of layoffs due to the recession/depression is slower and longer than in the USA. Unemployment rates in Europe are less volatile than in the USA and thus slower to react to a downturn AND more resistant to recovery. thus a 10% Euro rate means people will be outof work a lot longer. It also means that recovery will be slower since companies will be reluctant to hire until they are SURE the prospects are good for long term recovery. Finally, the Euro recession is arguably even deeper than ours at a fundamental level.

We DO need fundamental health care reforms...and I've outlined a number of areas where dems and reps COULD find common ground to reduce costs significantly and right the wrongs of the current system. What we do not need is another boondoggle for trillions of dollars that will destroy the quality of health care in this country while nominally covering everyone equally.