Please do not back away from the "public option" for health care.  I lived in
the United Kingdom for several years, and the American detractors of the UK's
National Health Service have no idea what they're talking about.  The fact
is, under the NHS preventive care is available and urgent treatments are
immediately available - no ifs, ands or buts.  The US's current patchwork of
high-overhead private health insurers and de facto publicly funded emergency
care amounts to economic rationing - which hurts people a lot more than
the NHS's centralised planning.  Sixty-four members of Congress have said
that they will not vote for a plan that doesn't include a public option.
A competitive public option will keep private insurers honest - which is
exactly what's scaring the health insurers' lobby.  Don't give in.