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[acrimone]

Perhaps - but you don't think it's a little bit of overkill to smack down from consideration an entire social program that has been successfully implemented in many countries because of what Congress may, but almost certainly won't, require?

I thought I already told you, I was just answering your question, not making a policy proposal.

[bewildered]

So Scheherazade says "And acrimone, I don't think it's right to keep millions from basic health care because we're afraid the government might try to institute mandatory physicals...something I seriously doubt would pass, anyway."

To which acrimone replies by quoting a Fox News report that John Edwards has proposed mandatory physicals.

Leaving aside the question of whether Fox News is a reliable reporter of what John Edwards is up to, I do think we need to consider whether John Edwards should be confused with "the government."  In fact, I'm not even sure he should be confused with a viable Democratic candidate.

And like Sch., I too "seriously doubt" the now NON-candidate John Edward's proposal-- even if J.E. in fact WERE "the government", "would pass."

But then I also don't anticipate a fix to the medical care problems in the US.  There may be 47 or so million Americans uninsured, but I'm guessing that this won't translate into Congressional action on a truly universal program.  Too many of those 47 million aren't voters, and too many voters are more concerned with taxes and "choice" to DEMAND that their Congress-person support a universal plan, and though many who ARE insured are concerned about medical inflation, I don't see that trumping their fears that "the gumment will make me go to the doctor they tell me to go to... or will make me get a physical that I actually want, even if I don't want it."  And as for the Congress-folks, I think they have more immediate worries than the voters, namely their pay-masters.  I may be wrong, but I think that a) it WILL be a 2008 presidential election issue and b) it WILL still be a 2012 presidential election issue.