[LBP]

The main concern of the latest senate version is crappy thanks to pro lifer Senator Ben Nelson(Nebraska), the insurance prostitute Senator Joe Lieberman(Conneticut), and a weak Senate leader Harry Reid (Nevada). Hopefully it will get better and closer to the House bill as it progresses to the next step.

re Obesity and Type II diabetes...it's a complicated issue and if you're not one of the lucky ones who can maintain a healthy weight without struggling, it really sucks. You're likely to be earning less, hired less often, judged more etc. Fast food is a problem, school lunch programs are a problem, people who have to work more hours or multiple jobs is a problem when they have less free time to exercise, let alone spend quality time with loved ones, computer games are a problem, lack of physical and nutritional education is a problem....it goes on and on. The solution is to give people opportunities to help themselves not punish them and drive them to worse situations that could cost the public more money because they are uninsured, going to the ER more, having more and more health issues spiraling out of control etc.

We all pay taxes for public education becuase it's a good for society as a whole. If you don't have kids or you insist on sending your kids to private school it doesn't exempt you from paying for public education. There's social security to help take care of our older population because it's good for society as a whole. Similar arguments can apply to a public health care option. Anti trust laws and consumer protection laws are intended to promote fair competition and public safety. Currently there are vitually no checks and balances on insurance companies and left unchecked and unregulated, they abuse the system in favor of making the rich richer and screw the people living on main street.