Maybe I just watched too many Westerns as a child.

I'm pretty sure that the black-and-white Western genre strongly influenced my political outlook. You see, not a one of those cowboys had health insurance. When working the cattle drives, not a one of their employers provided a health plan. No co-pays, no deductibles. And what about horse insurance? You do know that they have insurance for horses these days? It's true, there's a business in Pilot Point that provides that...service. So. Do you feel more ensured of your future?

I need to do some math. I mean, I ought to do some math, but instead I'm just going to speculate - regarding vehicle insurance. I pay a pretty hefty sum to have full coverage on my vehicle. I wouldn't have to have full coverage, but I think, at this point, that I've already paid them the value of my vehicle. If I drop my full coverage and a tornado takes my vehicle away, despite the fact that I've already paid for my car TWICE, I will still be SOL. I guess the insurance people need to make a living. Spread the wealth, yes?

Yes, people, I'm saying that I also disagree with auto insurance. So how much MORE do I disagree with health insurance?? Oh, so very much! Too many Westerns, you say? Why can't I still pay my doctor bill with a couple of chickens? But if you consider how valuable a chicken was at the time, I guess that'd be maybe 3 weeks worth of income in our day, and that's still about how much a doctor visit will cost ya. And that's WITH insurance, yes? But who's winning, I ask you?

Oh. Right.

The chickens.