The equality talked about in the Declaration of Independence is meant to be equality under the law. It does not make any statement about financial equality, or social equality, etc. The term 'men' means males who are not slaves, as slaves were considered property, and women certainly had to fight to eventually get the rights that the original 'men' had from the get-go. The Declaration goes on the say these rights include 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happeness' but it's obvious that those are not all-inclusive.

We consider slavery to be horrendous nowadays, but in 1775 it was common and accepted by virually all societies everywhere with few exceptions. We have come a long way on that.

Nothing in the universe is really equal, unless it's atomic particles. Humans are obviously not equal, and are simply not born equal, unless it's under the law in civilized countries. Even that concept is not practiced in reality--just look at the celebities who go to 'rehab' instead of jail like the rest of us, etc.

To narrow the topic a bit: Canadians are pretty happy with their form of national health care--surveys all attest to that. About 85% of American are also pretty content with the system here -- again surveys back this up. Note that in either system the users must pay one way or the other, by taxes or by insurance premiums, so there isn't a free lunch in any system.

Now note this: "The first and foremost duty of any nation is to look after its citizens." I read that with some trepidation. I don't believe that 'look after' means the same thing as 'protect'.

Personally, I do not want the Government to look after me, as I prefer to do that for myself. However, I do want the government to protect me from all enemies, foreign and domestic. For that I will willingly pay my taxes. The US military is consistently the most respected and admired government enity in America by the citizens. The US Congess ranks a bit above child-molesting murderers, and is still sinking.

National philosophies change over time. America has about 30 million uninsured folks who would like coverage. Of course, they get treatment if they need it -- that's a simple fact. Thet can go into any ER and get attention. How they are treated there varies, but the uninsured are not without medical help and treatment, albeit rather expensive treatment, as ERs are high-bucks operations.

Full circle -- is health care a new right? Not yet in the USA, but it's getting there. My feeling is that aside from the military, the US Government is bloated and wasteful and generally incompetent. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are all going broke in the not-too-distant future, just as examples. I feel a great unease with these same incompetent people getting their paws into the health care system.

I may be wrong about this, and if so, I will stand corrected, but it seems to me that Canadians generally have a higher regard and more faith in their national Government than most Americans do. This may well be because they have a more efficient and responsive national Government, or it may be because they are [it seems to me anyway] a more respectful and polite people.

In any event, I don't trust the US Government to oversee any part of the national health care system. I believe that may be the real crux of the argument. Until the US Government can prove to the citizens of the US that it's smart and competent enough to oversee the health system in America, I want them to stay away from it. Expensive and complex as it is, it isn't broken yet, and I for one would like to keep it that way.

Fire, the wheel, and the I IV V -- foundations of civilization.