If there's one thing Democrats and Republicans agree on, it's that our healthcare system is in chaos. He's the laughing stock of the civilized world, to be honest. The World Health Organization, part of the United Nations, ranks the United States 37th overall, just ahead of Slovenia and Cuba, and just behind Dominica and Costa Rica. That's right, ladies and gentlemen; the World Health Organization ranks the mighty United States just above communist Cuba. In political science there is a term called the iron triangle. The best example is the current defense posture in the United States. The three players are defense contractors, the Department of Defense, and U.S. senators on the defense spending committees. The Department of Defense appeals to all contractors saying they need a new model of airplane. This spending must be approved by a Senate committee. So, these contractors, to get absurdly large contracts, work with senators in backroom deals to create jobs in their states in exchange for passing the spending. The biggest loser: taxpayers. The healthcare industry is eerily similar. The three main players are pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and insurance companies. Pharmaceutical companies charge insanely high prices on their drugs, so they can make more money. This price, however, is largely covered by your insurance. Hospitals, meanwhile, negotiate deals with these same companies for appropriate rates. Insurance companies then increase their rates accordingly, but add a little higher. Biggest Loser: Anyone worried about their health. Do you want your health to be at the center of that triangle? Unfortunately for us, healthcare workers are in the pockets of the people with the power... middle of paper. .....it will cause massive expenses even if they are not aware of the facts. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a robust plan that includes the public option will actually reduce the deficit. I'm not the only one. Indeed, in December Reuters published a poll with a surprising figure: 60% of Americans want a public option. Nearly every poll released by an impartial agency has shown that a majority of Americans want a public option. The problem: Most incumbent Democrats don't believe the numbers. Why? Because their campaigns are funded by these healthcare companies to the tune of $550 million a year. Personally, I think a single payer system would be the best healthcare system this country could have. For now, however, a public option will suffice. It's not perfect. But it's much better than the current proposal, and centuries better than what we have now.