not broken

We bought our black Grand Prix when it was nearly new with only about 30,ooo miles. We had extra income then and no children. We've added some knicks and scraps and results of some temper fits on the inside and about 150,ooo more miles. On the outside it needs a few fixes too.

But we would be fools to drive it to the junk yard, turn it in for scrap and take out a loan to buy something brand new just because it needs a new gas gauge sensor and the bumper crack fixed or $1500 of .

I can't help but think this applies to quite a few things nationally, not the least of which is health care reform. Having said that, I will disclaim that I am no expert on health care insurance. In the last 9 years, we've had the privilege of using it only for the birth of our children and for their recommended well-baby checks and I count that a huge, gigantic blessing. I seriously shudder to think of having to use it for anything more than that. Many others haven't been blessed in that regard.

But surely, in a country like ours where we have many, many options when we are sick, we shouldn't have to trade in the entire entity where we have lots of choices - some good, some not depending on the person and the situation, for limited - if any choice.

It's like us taking us junking the Grand Prix which has outstanding stability on snow and icy roads and for which we know all of its faults and picking something that each salesman gives us a different story on. One says it came from Florida and had only one owner. The next guys tells us it was a loaner vehicle. While another assures us it was a local trade.

Oh, don't mistake me for saying we don't need improvement in our health care system. Of course, anything created by humans is full of cracks and craters. But why should the whole system be discarded with no regard to its list of good qualities?

There must be some smart people who already have a million good solutions that wouldn't cost us trillions and might even save us at the very least millions.