"People are astonished, however, that the US Congress would prefer to make a giant giveaway to the private health insurance industry by getting THEM millions more customers, instead of providing the entire American public with a universal public option such as exists in much of the rest of the world."

Exactly, LH. Except it's not that astonishing when you consider that there are ten lobbyists in Washington for every member of Congress.

And Bobert - I feel you, I do - it's wonderful to have an intelligent man in the White House. It's too bad he's continuing and even exacerbating so many of Bush's policies.