Over at the HHS website, you can find out that Medicaid

is health insurance that helps many people who can't afford medical care pay for some or all of their medical bills.

Good health is important to everyone. If you can't afford to pay for medical care right now, Medicaid can make it possible for you to get the care that you need so that you can get healthy – and stay healthy.

The proposed $10 billion cut to Medicaid from the federal government has many governor's desparate for solutions. As Jay Rockefeller points out in the article, a simple solution to this problem--along with Social Security and Medicare--would be to get rid of Bush's tax cuts for the super-rich and hyper-rich. (Why don't we at least ask if they are willing?)

I could go on about Medicaid, but there is something interesting about the congressional GOP attitude which can be summed up by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR): "I don't think just jacking up taxes is the answer here." Well, then what is? No matter how your views on big government/small government, you have to concede that increased taxes on people who can afford it would "fix" Medicaid and allow the impoverished to receive medical care.

I don't like taking the specks out of other peoples' eyes, but since they seem so fond of trying to take the specks/logs out of mine, I feel somewhat inclined to comment. If you take a look at chapter 25 of Matthew in the Christian Bible you'll notice something pretty unprecedented for Jesus to say. Beggining in verse 31 he starts a story that essentially tells those who do not help the poor and look after the sick to go to hell. That's a pretty bold statement, even for me. I don't believe in fire and brimstone, but when people put personal wealth above the greater good and basic humanity, well it's hard not to route for such a place. Imagine if we has such strong advocates for those in need today?

There are many in need that we can help--and you don't need Bill Frist's bogus and reprehensible "diagnosis" to know they can be helped. We're going to have to ask ourselves if we care enough to do something about it. Otherwise, we can all go to...