Presumably, a car insurance vendor wouldn't insure a Porsche that was already damaged in an accident.

Depends on the damage. If the paint got scratched and the bumber was busted, why wouldn't they offer PIP and theft insurance? Even if the transmission ran a little funny, why would they care?

I don't think a Porsche dealer will ever tell me: "I doesn't matter how much you're willing to pay for it, we won't sell you a Porsche because you son has Autism". I have, however, been told exactly that by every private health insurance provider I've called.

I agree that this is a problem we should solve at the public policy level. The analogy is a poor one, though. Presumably, a car insurance vendor wouldn't insure a Porsche that was already damaged in an accident.

Well, we do. In the same sense we have free access to Porsches. Just bring money.

I don't think a Porsche dealer will ever tell me: "I doesn't matter how much you're willing to pay for it, we won't sell you a Porsche because you son has Autism". I have, however, been told exactly that by every private health insurance provider I've called.

But do you really believe that we have free access to health care?

Well, we do. In the same sense we have free access to Porsches. Just bring money.

So are you advocating we do away with the FDA and make all medications OTC?

No to the first, kind of to the second. The FDA regulates OTC medicine too. I'd even be okay with still having to buy certain medicines from a pharmacist. I also think that requiring prescriptions for narcotics is a good thing. But generic penicillin? When I know I have a sinus infection, why can't I just go to the pharmacy and spend $4 to get better, instead of paying $104?

And there is a difference between saying access is a right and healthcare itself on somebody else's dime is a right.

Okay, we're in agreement there. But do you really believe that we have free access to health care?

You brought up potable water though no me.

And there is a difference between saying access is a right and healthcare itself on somebody else's dime is a right.

The question wasn't "is access to healthcare a right" but is "healthcare a right"

I'm sorry, you're going to have to explain that difference to me.

but then I don't think the government is mandated to provide potable water either

The government also doesn't prevent you from accessing potable water directly. I can get a bottle of antibiotics for $4 at Walmart, but first I have to pay over $100 for a doctor to write me a prescription for it. That is a problem.

Stoopid question time. AFAIK, it is illegal to conduct a phone survey, poll, or sales pitch after 10 PM, local time. If this is true, then neither of these polls can accurately be called nationwide polls since the debates ended after 10:30PM, Eastern Time. Anybody able to clarify this for me?

I've never heard that rule before, and I used to work for one of those phone survey companies. But most likely these respondents agreed ahead of time to do before and after interviews, so there wouldn't have been any legal problems with it.

Access is something we already have by law not the constitution and I am not so sure that you can say healthcare is part of life, but then I don't think the government is mandated to provide potable water either-it may be in a governments best interest to do so, but then my city charges me for my water, and the charge is based on how much I use.

Healthcare is a right? In what portion of the constitution?

I would think that "Life", being listed in the Declaration of Independence as a "natural and unalienable right" would be sufficient grounds for saying that access to healthcare necessary for the continuation and quality of life is also a right.

Would you consider access to potable water a right? It's not listed in the constitution.

However I have decided that some people will see their guy as the winner no matter what and others pick the winner based on style (I agree Obama wins on style). When you listen to the actual answers though, I think I learned I definitely do not want Obama as president-mostly because I agree with very little he says.

Healthcare is a right? In what portion of the constitution?

January 30, 2008.

Ha ha! Brilliant!

When's the last time CBS and CNN called a debate for the Republican candidate?

January 30, 2008.

Now can we please stop feeding the troll?

CBS used a demographically representative sample. Do you have a specific issue with their methodology then, or just with their conclusion?

I asked this before and never really got an answer.
When's the last time CBS and CNN called a debate for the Republican candidate?