Observations (this, that, and t'other)

The U.S. is the only G-8 nation without some form of universal health care.
[Note: G-8 = U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom.]

All but Russia have longer life expectancy than U.S.

Japan: 82.07 yrs (CIA World Factbook); [82.6 (U.N.)]
France: 80.59 yrs; [80.7]
Canada: 80.34 yrs; [80.7]
Italy: 79.94 yrs; [80.5]
Germany: 78.95 yrs; [79.4]
U.K.: 78.70 yrs; [79.4]
U.S.: 78.06 yrs; [78.2]
Russia: 65.87 yrs; [65.5]

Infant mortality? Again, the U.S. trails:

(deaths/1000 live births)
Japan: 2.80 (CIA World Factbook); [3.2 (U.N.)]
France: 3.36; [4.2]
Germany: 4.08; [4.3]
U.K.: 4.93; [4.8]
Canada: 5.08; [4.8]
Italy: 5.61; [5.0]
U.S.: 6.30; [6.3]
Russia: 10.81; [16.6]

Finally, early childhood mortality:

(deaths/1000 live births, children under 5)
Japan: 4.2 (U.N. Population Division)
France: 5.2
Germany: 5.4
Canada: 5.9
U.K.: 6.0
Italy: 6.1
U.S.: 7.8
Russia: 20.9

Maybe if we started calling it "universal health care" - NOT "socialized medicine" - it'd be more appealing to us rugged individualists!

Note to Dems: take care with names. - Names matter!
Recall: the Republicans gave us the "Clean Skies Act" of 2003; the so-called "Patriot Act"; and, long ago, the "Contract with America".
... and, as W reminds us, we don't torture: we use "enhanced interrogation techniques"!

A digression (... oh, heck - this whole post is a digression!):
Perhaps if the 111th Congress moved quickly to enact universal healthcare, they could simultaneously move to save the Big 3 auto makers - eliminating the need for the Big 3 to provide health care benefits to workers & pensioners!

Have fun!