Sen. Max Baucus strives to conjure a "uniquely American-style solution" to our health care woes. And as we hear, over and over and over again, in the eternal language of campaign speak, "he's always working for Montana." Yes, of course we wouldn't want any weird foreign ideas tainting health care reform, especially the dreaded single-payer system, with its coverage for all at half to two-thirds the cost and significantly better health outcomes.

Surely not when we already have a quintessentially elegant American system of "show me the money," as in: health insurance industry fills Campaigner Baucus' campaign coffers, followed by Senator Baucus drafting the 2009 version of the Health Insurance Industry Welfare Act. As we all know, single-payer is just not politically feasible -- hmmm, now why is that again?

Well gosh darn, I'm with Max. Those foreigners can keep their namby-pamby, cover-everybody, inexpensive, nonprofit systems. It's our patriotic duty to worry about pre-existing conditions, huge deductibles and losing the house. Builds character in a uniquely American way, if you know what I mean.

John Hoffland

220 Adams