[quote=jstoesz]Seriously…permabear, it is really that simple? What about the unintended consequences? What about people like ucg’s brother? Isn’t it possible that it is just one more step to mass irresponsibility? I guess we already have that, so what is one more government teet to suckle![/quote]
Just to clarify… the person in my extended family that’s using government healthcare is not my brother.

My brother clutched his COBRA benefits when he could no longer work due to cancer treatment. As a family – my sister and I covered his expensive COBRA premiums when he could no longer afford them. Here was a guy who could not physically work due to chemo and the ravages of cancer. He applied for SS/Medicare and they fast tracked it since he had a terminal dx. It was approved a few weeks before he died… but the start date was 3 months after he died.

and burghMan – you’ll appreciate this – he was a diehard rock climber. Spent a summer following undergrad living in a tent in Tuolome. Spent every new years in Joshua Tree. First ascents of some routes on El Cap and Halfdome. Moved to Colorado because the rocks were bigger. The epitome of climbing bum in his youth.