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I am of two minds on this issue. First I am uncomfortable with government mandates on all citizens, but I can understand that there are cases that require such mandates for the overall maintenance of the Union. Secondly having been involved for years in the healthcare game (and it is such) I applaud the step towards finding a solution to the healthcare funding issue nationwide. I am in no way defending the bill as written in it's entirety, but do support a concept by which the federal government is attempting to create a payor source for madated healthcare provisions. To put it simply, if hospitals are required to provide care to all who show up in their emergency rooms regardless of ability to pay, then there should be a payment source to reimburse for this service.

Given the inability of our legislators to agree to fund that which they mandate, and an unwillingness to do away with the service provision requirement, this bill was a first step towards rectifying this mess. Is it perfect or even good? No, can it be improved, surely. In following the furor that this created, if we look to whose ox was gored, and eliminate for the moment the pure objection on a Constitutional basis, I believe you will find that the private insurors are funding most of the protest publicity. Simply put they do not want any change to a system that has profitted them so handsomely for many years. The most interesting thing to me is that the leaders of the nations largest for profit healthcare and hospital organizations, including Sen. Frist (Family created and owns a big chunk of HCA), who are predominately republican and wealthy are strangely silent on this issue. They know that this will go a long way to redress a problem that has plagued us all. The reality is we are all currently paying for the uninsured's healthcare. This at least asks those who recieve the benefits to participate in paying for them. If I believe in personal responsibility then, then I believe it should apply to all.

This is a hugely complex public policy issue that has ramifications which touch many aspects of American life. I wish it could be explored in a non-partisan method with the goal of improving the country for all. While I am at it I, also wish I was 6'5" tall, looked like Clark Gable and had Bill Gates' money.