Roundup: Canadian Healthcare, Gov. Sanford, & Excommunication

• Steve at The Zombie Chronicles once again reminds us why Obama's plan for health care will not be, for lack of a better word, socialist.
  He also lists a succinct dispelling of the myths about Canadian healthcare. For example, most Canadian doctors do not work for the government, and there are no waits for urgent or primary care. Granted, no system is perfect, but I agree with Steve--we need a major change, and the fear mongering gets us nowhere.


• Apparently some friends of Beliefnet's Steven Waldman feel that because Governor Sanford was in love with his mistress, he deserves more sympathy. Really? I think that fact makes his affair a LOT worse--affairs are WAY more damaging when love is involved.

• On Gay LDS Actor, an openly gay and believing Mormon writes about his recent excommunication from the church, as well as his experiences as he continues to attend the meetings and engage in the faith. It is profound, despite your religious (or lack of) persuasion.

My (and Senator Hatch's) socialist tendencies exposed

I can't say I was surprised at the S-CHIP veto, but it was disappointing. Does anyone know how many more votes they need for an override? I promise I'm not a socialist, but sometimes it feels like it. Hmmm. Take money from cigarette buyers and give it to insurance companies, and more kids get healthcare. Hmmm. Crazy idea. What do conservatives really have against it? Are all federal programs considered to be socialist? Public schools, interstate roads, NCLB...wait! NCLB is a federal program, started by Bush--so does that make Bush part-Socialist? Maybe the conservative states (sorry, Utah) should just drop out of the Union entirely and enjoy local government while the rest of our children (dang, that doesn't include my state) can enjoy these liberal health care programs.

Trickle Down Health Care

It’s not working. Republicans don’t want government intervention in health care—only market solutions are biblical(?) enough for them. The problem is that these tax cuts on the mega rich are not working. Why? Because we’re all greedy, that’s why! Aaaarrrrgggghh! And I’m afraid that if most of the poor suddenly became mega rich they would be greedy too!

We need better health care. Barack Obama has some interesting ideas about health care, and how to provide it without the government running it entirely. He even said we shouldn’t be refused coverage based on existing conditions, and that people should receive assistance based on their income! Preposterous! All this will require the rich to give up one of their 13 yachts! Wow, it really stinks to be them.