Owen's covering the latest news on Gov. Doyle's "health plan"... which is really just a committee to study the "problem".  This is one of those basic issues where liberals and conservatives will always disagree.  The more I study the problem myself (and I currently work in the insurance industry), and the more I read about people's solutions... the more I realize the simple fact that there is no middle ground here.  It's unfortunate, but true.  The reason that there is no middle ground is really quite simple... which I find somewhat ironic given the complexity of the issue itself.

Advocating for socialized medicine requires that you care more about people that you don't know, than you care about yourself or those you love, in order to provide for completely equal care.  Advocating for fixing our current system requires that inequity in health care continue to exist, and that some people receive better care than others.  In other words, it means I don't care that much about you.

And for as mean as it sounds... to be honest... I don't care about you.  I mean, in the sense that we're all human beings, and I don't like to see other humans suffering... I do care.  And if I could invent a solution where everyone always got the best level of care possible, I would... in a heartbeat.  But this isn't some futurist movie on the Sci Fi channel.  This is real life.  And if my caring about complete strangers means that people I know and love may not get the best care that they can get, then I'll live with not caring about you.

That's not to say that I'm not a generous person.  There are several friends of mine, and family members who will attest to the opposite.  But that's because I love them, and want to see the best for them.  And if I'm the one who is in a position to help them, then I always try to be there to provide that help.  But if I have to choose between helping people I love, or helping a complete stranger... I'll choose the one I love every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

And that's the basic rub with socialized medicine.  It requires me to lower the standard of care for myself and my loved ones in order to raise the standard of care for strangers.  While that may be beneficial for those who are currently below the average of care... I'm not below the average of care... and I'd like to stay that way.  For you see... I'm not in this for the entire human race.  I'm in it for myself and those I love... which is great if I love you... and if not... well... I just don't know you that well.