In the Chicago Tribune on Sunday August 2nd, there were seven letters to the editor published concerning health care. Two of them were pro-single payer, and the rest didn't mention it specifically.

One letter suggested that sin taxes be raised even further, and should include not only alcohol and tobacco but fast food with high fat and high sugar contents, and also speeding and drunk driving offenses. It's an interesting idea, except that I think they're already sort of doing this. Perhaps the letter writer has never sped in his life, but those tickets are expensive already! (not that I've got THAT many of them...only 4 or 5 in my entire driving life...)

Another letter talks about health care from a small business owner perspective, how he cannot afford medical insurance and has to pay out of pocket. He states that what he wants is a reasonable and affordable premium that he can pay to give he and his family peace of mind.

A couple of letters talk about the exorbitant costs of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals. The second of these letters, written by Barb Orze, ends with this quote:

"I strongly doubt that Americans are ready to drop "for-profit" from their vocabulary, even as it pertains to the business of health care. And, as long as health care is for-profit, costs will never go down." (emphasis mine)

Truer words have never been spoken. After all, how could they?