I can't get an operation, but I can get four kinds of Coke with cherry in it

When it comes to health care in the United States, we operate pretty much by the law of the jungle. I've been without any kind of health insurance for about a year and half. If I had to go to the hospital for a few days, I'd be on the hook for $9,000 just for the room. My stepdad has been to the hospital recently without insurance. He thought he was pretty well set financially and this pretty much wiped out that notion. People in the U.S. go bankrupt all the time becaue of a health problem.

Luckily I'm starting a new job with full benefits, but frankly, people shouldn't have to live in dread fear of getting sick in a supposedly civilized country, in the world's "greatest democracy." I'll have to be a good boy, keep my mouth shut, work like a dog, take mountains of crap and kiss a lot of ass or I can say good bye to my diabetes medication.

There are clinics here though where poor people and people without insurance can go see a doctor and maybe get some meds cheap. God bless the people who work there and do their best to eek funding out of a government that believes it shouldn't get involved with helping people (e.g. Katrina).

I'm moving to Canada first chance I get.

One thing we do have in abundance in the U.S. though is soft drinks. I swear they are always coming out with something enw and clever and delicious. Anybody had cherry vanilla diet Dr. Pepper? Or Lipton green tea with citrus? Or a Sobe No Fear energy drink? Or a black cherry Fresca? Or a ruby red Squirt? And these are just the mainstream sodas. We do a mean trade in micro brewery style pop as well like Jones and Shasta. I could go for a Kickapoo Joy Juice or a Sioux City Sasparilla.

But if I could afford to get my hernia fixed, I'd be much happier.