Note: The current United States’ rankings on life expectancy, water quality and infant mortality are 24th, 39th and 41st respectively falling behind countries such as Bosnia, Cuba, Panama, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

If we really have “the best health care” on the planet, why doesn’t it show itself? Why are we not even in the top fifty when it comes to prenatal care?

Juan, I’ve been screaming about term limits for all congressional critters and local politicos for years now, with no success at getting the measure on the ballot here. Too much resistance from the entrenched pols and their handmaidens, and the local citizenry still seems comatose most of the time. But they may finally be waking up, and even though I realize that term limits are far from the panacea as some supporters claim, I feel strongly that it’s the only way to get the special interests and gerrymandered congressional folks out of office when they’re way past due. If a politico has proven their past effectiveness in office to their constituency, they can always run for a higher office.

Medicaid- This whole system has become a complete money sink. People deserve healthcare, what people do not deserve is the huge overhead costs of running this system, the trickle down of money/services to the end user is deplorable. When taxpayers fund this program with 40B and only 10B is actually benefitting the people in need, a reorginization of program is immedialy necessary. This not only goes for Medicaid, but Medicare, Veteran Healthcare and a managarie of other governmental programs which do nothing but it up its budget in operating expenses.

At one time these programs were good programs, however, it has become apparant that over time it has cost taxpayers more to run these programs administrativly then the benefit to the public.

On the off topic, I think ALL of Americas “assistance” plans need reformation, we have so many defunct and costly systems (Unemployment, Job Centers, Public Assistance, Education Departments) which are outdated and are costing us ALOT in which we see nothing but worsening of the situation coming out of it.

And I wonder if we’re getting to the point where a bunch of red states could be sufficiently polarized to go ahead and try a significant reform. Term limits for Senators and Congressmen, Balanced Budget, doing something about Raich.

We’ll see, but it’s clear the status quo is hopeless.

Does this not tell you something?

This health care story is, without question, much more central, the stakes are higher, and the urgency is paramount.

Of course, Obama doesn’t want us to be thinking about that. He wants us to be thinking about Russia, Palin, and perhaps even unemployment and Israel. We can focus on healthcare after he’s got his law and he needs us to ignore whatever he’s pushing at that point.

Hoyer is laughing at the idea of reading the bill before voting on it. Much less it being available for me to read 72 hours prior to the vote. This is a crisis that just can’t wait those three days. Like the stimulus, which basically has barely even taken effect yet.

Why can’t they rush through their health care bill with a sunset provision? Honestly, I wish every mere act of congress had a sunset provision. That would be a pretty cool amendment to the constitution.