Let your house burn down and then try to insure it. Total your car, have everyone end up in the hospital and then apply for collision, liability, medical insurance to cover it. Guess what they will tell you.

Mandating health insurance companies to enroll all applicants, regardless of pre-existing conditions, is, like Obama said, “acting stupidly” on behalf of his administration and Congress. It should be decided only between the insurance company and the applicant – with or without pre-existing medical conditions – the conditions, limits and premium if a policy is granted. If not granted, then look for government help.

A 65-year-old who never bought insurance but bought enough booze and cigarettes to ruin his liver, heart and get lung cancer has no right now to join my college group plan. Taking care of him will raise the premiums for those of us who have kept healthy to a point we can no longer afford it.

Breaking all of our insurance companies is what the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress have in mind to put us all under tight government control. Try to think of even one successful fiscally responsible government program.

Bert A. Overland

Spokane