America has benefited from community financed education, libraries, fire & police. Why not health care?

America was a leader in free public education. Jr Colleges & state universities still provide "socialized" education - substantially free. Libraries, fire & police protection are community paid services to poor & wealthy alike. Communities turn out to hunt for missing or kidnapped children. Why must 35 million Americans have to chose between Cancer care or the rent? So that HMO's can make a profit?

Yes I totally agree with you. America is sadly lacking in the area of health care for its citizens.

When I first moved to the U.S. (I'm originally from Canada), I was appalled at the health care situation in this country. Canada's system has its problems, but at least when you do see a doctor you are not bankrupted in the process. (I still travel to Canada for some health care needs).

This is an issue that needs serious attention. Voters need to become a bit more aggressive.

we are more socialist then most people want to believe

I think you hit the nail right on the head.

It's a sad state of affairs. You deserve the same protection that all other industrialized nations give their citizens.

A College education is very expensive, even a Junior College one. Where do you receive "socialized" education. I would like to live there. The reason for the problem with health care, HMO's have powerful Lobby's in Washington and support political campaigns. It has served them well, to our shame.

And each of these is also provided privately in this country and many times at a higher quality than the public sector. Check most major cities and see which high schools have the highest numbers of national merit semi-finalists and college graduates its usually from the private or parochial schools. And most of those schools have scholarships to give to those families that can not afford to send their children to high school. Many cities, especially small ones, do not have libraries and they are funded by private foundations and open to all. Also in many medium sized or small cities the public service for fire prevention is a volunteer force who raises their own money to pay for equipment and supplies. Even look at the public vs private colleges we have and see which ones most people consider the best. And when people go out to hunt for missing children is is not paid for by the community its done by the volunteer efforts of many in the community and from surrounding communities. Just look at the disasters of public health in foreign countries and over the last 30 years the major decline in the quality of medical care at our one public hospital system, the veterans hospitals.