Debate without deleting

Some people like to delete comments they don't like. I'll delete offensive comments (like if OC starts calling me a racist again), but I don't delete comments just because I disagree with them.

With THAT in mind ... Danger, from all the way over in the ME, linked this over at Protein Wisdom and it's well worth a read and a discussion.

Over at Bob's joint, the discussion of healthcare came up, and I was the big fat meanie 'cause I want to ration folks out of the health care system. I guess that's the crux of the argument, right? I'm against everyone (aside from our Government employees, of course) being thrown into one giant system and ALL care being rationed, and "for" individual choice. But that leaves out (or "rations", goes the argument over in Bob's comments) 50 MILLION PEOPLE !!ELEVNTY!!111

Or are there?

2005 analysis by the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 6.4 million of that "50" (really 45.7, but rounded up by the teleprompter) are actually Medicaid "undercounts." They are on one or two of the government healthcare programs but inaccurately reported their status on the Census.

Another 4.3 are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP but haven't signed up.

9.3 are non-citizens.

10.1 have incomes more than 3 times the poverty level.

15.6 are adults between the ages of 18 and 34 without kids.

10.6 do not fit into any of the above categories, and may actually be closer to the "real" number of those in need of affordable healthcare.

I don't want to hear that 46 million figure any more. It's bullshit.