This thread continues to be so moving. Barry's justifiably angry words don't leave a lot to be said. I keep saying this and I fully accept I am being perhaps naive and certainly repetetive, but why - WHY - is national health not here. Much that has been referenced in this thread would have been solved to a large extent by national health. There will always be people born into wealthier families than others -- that is acceptable. BUT if the people born into the poorer families started out with at least the level playing field of THEIR HEALTH, how much fairer would things be.....? I continue to find it totally appalling that one must make life style decisions, job decisions based on medical coverage. My eldest girl has medical insurance because she 'works' for my company; my younger girl is dancing around her home because she has just been offered a full time job with benefits. My son, who is no student, will lose his medical insurance once he turns 19 unless I can squeeze out a 'job' for him in my company also.......THIS IS WRONG......it is just wrong.The thing that Barry speaks of so eloquently - losing one's livelihood due to illness......it isn't right, it cannot be right, it will never be right -- yet we continue to tolerate it.......