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... those were two good posts Titus. I had forgotten the specifics of Bush's proposal, and it was the first, and only viable solution out there. Namely because it was honest in that "someone" would have to pay in without a return, such as you and me & Jambo, but balanced out with the facts that it would freeze at that amount, let us opt out, and we could invest up to 20% of our income tax free - I'll take that deal too. Good point and I hope someone will bring it to fruition.

About Health Care, that was spot on - the lowest common denominator. In fact a popular conservative host took your exact simile and said, "you want to know what Universal Coverage is like, just consider the DMV except add kidney dialysis."

And that leads to your third point - the complete inability of the GOP to communicate in colorful and impacting ways. Discussing the "type" of coverage instead of the cost, or at least adding them together would be a vast improvment of the argument. I'm convinced that when conservatives both famous and ordinary cry out in the night for another Reagan they miss his ability to communicate. That aspect is the sole skill pushing Obama. No 1st term senator with zero name recognition is a viable candidate for president without an uncanny ability to sway audiences through speak. I've lamented at Bush's in particular (and my party in general) inability to communicate to the American electorate, it is his/the party's greatest failing, no question.

One last thing, actually two - yes, the spell check sucks, not as if that would bother Titus, but it does. Second, if we can agree that universal government ran programs inevitably must play to the lowest common denominator as you aptly pointed out, then we should be able to agree that this is the problem with failing schools. Why not introduce a vaccine into this disease by using competition for those federal dollars. Give parents vouchers that can only be used at accredited institutions. Keep in mind that this is particularly popular in the inner cities and every time it has appeared as a referendum or poll, it does well. Weak schools will either preform or die and our the dollars will follow the child, rather then the other way around.

I sense you're growing quite conservative in your older age Titus (I wrote "er" instead of just "old" as some sort of a mercy killing I might add ... he,he).

Later ....