The best single thing the Dems could have done was to make insurance available across state lines, but it had two things going against it; it was on the Republican list and it didn't cost a dime. This bill did not "reform" health care at all (medications and procedures will continue to cost more) it just created a bigger bureaucratic beast, plenty of new "legal" opportunities for lawyers, and a little less in the pocket of taxpayers and those eager youths that didn't have to pay previously.

We agree on the end result.  But our views on the next step are far divergent.  Indeed, your aims are simplistic and unworkable, but I have no doubt they will be tried eventually.

The best thing would have been to scrap it altogether until the economy a was on its feet; in the meantime it could have opened up Medicaid to  more of the uninsured and lowered entry to Medicare.

 unworkable only because  those of us with  pretty good insurance and congress with Cadillac plans don't give a shit. 

The problem with Medicare and Medicaid are similar to Social Security. They are dependent upon population growth.  Is it any wonder that they are shrinking during the same period where the average couple is having 2.05 kids (population equilibrium LINK) while there is still an increasing population reaching the age of a benefactor?  In short supply remains relatively constant while demand goes up.

No, Unworkable because everyone cannot be in the top 5%.  It is an impossibility.  And no amount of good intentions is going to change the laws of the universe.

I believe it was Margaret Thatcher that said, "The problem with Socialism is you run out of OTHER people's money." (or something similar).

So Stevendedalus, would you suppor that the UHC should also force them (congress) to be on the VERY same as they propose?

“The problem with socialism is that you eventually,
run out of other people’s money.” – Margaret Thatcher

The Laws of the Unuverse according to the doc: The hell with everybody as long as I'm on top. Or is it the law of big banks?

Interesting you say this Stevendedalus.  Don't you find it ironic that the most capitalistic country (in terms length of time and quantity) is the country with the highest immigration rate?  If you destroy that which was the tool to build up you have nothing to build with once it is gone. 

Right now many of the Mexicans and other migrants are leaving the US.  Why?  Because of economic down turn, there aren't any jobs.  This is even greater of a gamble than was the dependent upon population growth from birth rates.  Besides it's not like the immigrants are all trying to become legal, now are they?

Dont I wish!  No, I am not on top.  But I am smart enough to know that everyone cant be on top.  There is always going to be a top and a bottom, no matter how good the intentions.  Period.  America has the best health care (note I did not say the best insurance).

It all comes down to a limited resource that must be rationed.  In a capitalistic society the rationing method is money.  You can get excellent health care for no money.  But you cant get the best for no money.  And everyone cant get the best.  There is not enough of the resource to go around.

Until congress realizes that, and starts working with that maxim (or law of nature if you wish) in mind, anything they do is only going to make it worse.

many people (myself included) hate HMOs!  But it was Ted kennedy and the democrats that gave us HMOs!!!!  This next thing is only going to be HMO+.  You dont improve a bad idea by increasing it.  And that is all they are doing.

Doc, congress won't be happy until ALL Americans can have mediocre health care, themselves excluded.

I know - classic liberal ideology.  Make everyone poor and equal.

This legislation will not improve health care.  It will just make sure no one gets any excellent health care any longer.