With Hillary officially licking her chops over the White House, and President Bush stammering through yet another State of the Union -- this time before a House and Senate full of ravenous Democrats -- it's time to talk about healthcare again!!

"A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available healthcare. When it comes to healthcare, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. We will meet those responsibilities."

Ah.. It seemed like just yesterday our favorite consonant was ready to hand another of government's social responsibilities over to the free market.

Of course, the Dubbya was talking mostly about tax credits -- not the real reform of the healthcare system that we need.. But still a notable shift from previous years, when his idea of healthcare reform meant creating limitations on medical malpractice lawsuits. Still, immediately following the State of the Union, the right-wing radio zealots were already shuddering from the lame-duck-suddenly-turned-Castro.

I love how these capitalism-fetishists can't deal with the idea of a society providing for its sick regardless of economic situation, but have had absolutely no problem with socialized firefighting or law enforcement. Strangely the 'invisible hand' has still allowed markets to exist for home monitoring and private security guards despite providing a substantial base of protection for our communities on those fronts. I wonder if Rush Limbaugh ever had to subsist for a period sans health coverage (Did he have to buy his stuff on the street??)

But what incentive will future doctors have under a socialized or other cover-all system?? Any time we remove the profit-motive from any system, the quality goes to crap and the good people in that industry to flee, right? By some strange turn of events, police officers and firefighters, not to mention forensic detectives and the like, seem to be highly motivated professionals that somehow manage to do a quality job for us as public servants. But I'm sure they'd do an even much better job if they were only able to compete to solve crimes and put out fires. Not to mention, when your house was burning you could finally feel free to shop around for those most capable of extinguishing the flames.

And noone (save for the comic strip above) ever talks about the dead weight the considerations of healthcare puts on the destiny of an individual in this country. I wonder how many of these laissez-faire-lovers ever had to pass up an important life opportunity because the connections we make between healthcare and matriculation or employment created too much of a tether? I ponder the irony of how many potential entrepreneurs never have a chance to go out on their own, and instead remain chained to a cubicle because the breach of health coverage would be too great a risk? Conversely, do we not see how this contributes to an environment where nowadays mostly only those who are independently wealthy can engage in new enterprises? Imagine what more you could do with yourself if you weren't constantly put in check by the fate of your health coverage? (I'm not even going to get into COBRA, which I can only describe as having a sh!t-filled carrot waved in front of your face, for which you have to pay hundreds of dollars (that you don't have, because you are unemployed) a month.)

And what is to be said about the irrational fear of bureaucracy? As Tom Tomorrow implies, since 0.000000001% of us can probably afford to pay for all our healthcare needs out of pocket, we are beholden to the bureaucracy of HMO's in addition to the red tape of the actual healthcare providers. So why not cut out the middle-man?? I have unfortunately had to go to the Emergency Room a few times in the last few years... And I can tell you, that each and every time a long drawn-out case of he-said/she-said between the health insurance company and the hospital has ensued, typically ending with the passive-aggressive act of a bill for a full uncovered balance being sent to me. Not to mention private practice physicians whose services in the ER apparently aren't considered within the realm of the Emergency Room visit and the respective co-payment, and get billed separately... Or the best: Ambulance services that are not in your network -- such that you'd theoretically have to request an ambulance that is covered by your plan when calling 911. Quality service Canadians could only dream of..

It's high-time for a national healthcare system. I see plenty of cops and firemen on the golf course.. I'm sure the doctors wouldn't leave anytime either...

* BLUE = sarcasm