First of all, that 11 million number may be open to dispute.

From this report:

For children under age 18 years, the percentage uninsured at the time of interview decreased from 10.5% in 2002 to 9.4% in the first half of 2003, continuing the decline observed since 1997. The percentage of children uninsured for more than a year decreased from 8.4% in 1997 to 4.8% in the first half of 2003.

If you look at Figure 1, and then Table 2 in the above document, you notice a few things. First of all, the "11 million" figure, apparently from 2001, was for those who lacked insurance only for part of a year. So, if you change jobs and are without insurance for a month, bingo. There you are. The more critical numbers would be the column for those without insurance for more than a year. Currently at 3.5 million children, out of approximately 70 million.

You also notice that things appear to be improving.

I see 3.5 million uninsured kids as a problem, which might easily be addressed by adjusting existing local and state programs (according to this article, expanded state programs are one source of the improvments shown in the chart). I don't see a crisis. At least not a big enough one to socialize our entire medical system.

I also notice that there is a lot of studies on WHO is uninsured, but damn little information on WHY. Is self-employment an issue? Are people not applying for programs they might be eligible for? Do we have enough information to make a rational analysis? This report suggests that maybe 40 percent of uninsured children may, in fact, be eligible for aid, but just aren't getting it. The report suggests tracking them through other programs. Another paper on this subject can be found here. Note that all these papers are from different dates, so not all the numbers agree.

It ain't as simple as it looks.

And what's the Big Solution? The government is corrupt, and in the hands of Big Money. Corporations are heartless monsters who would rather buy fancy furniture than insure their employees.

Now what?

In point of fact, almost every company in America offers reasonable health insurance to its employees. Even McDonalds. Look at all the people that DO have insurance. Throwing out the whole system isn't the solution.

You know, I always wondered, since the Department of Education is such a waste of space, why Reagan didn't get rid of it.

Yeah, you and me both. Given the dominant paradigm that being against big government makes you an inhuman, uncaring bastard, I suppose he gave in same as most Republicans do now. Hell, if Reagan couldn't put the brakes on the Infinite State, who could?

We have a Republican president. Is spending going down? Even non-military spending? Are we getting entitlements under some kind of control, or adding new ones and inflating old ones? Are the brakes being put on pork?

Are we trying to rethink the way America does things, or are we deciding to chase down marijuana users again?

Cripes. On my bad days I get a choice between a party that is all but socialist, or a party that thinks everybody loves socialism so they try to fake it. The Green Party is solid socialist and nuts. The Libertarians are just plain nuts.

For two cents I'd go down, dig up Goldwater, stick bolts in his neck, hit him with lightning, and run him for president again.