It is interesting that when there are two documents developed by two different parts of the Legislature of this country that it comes down to trying to reconcile differences and come up with one version that will satisfy none and make many angry.  But that is the way things are done in trying to craft laws about health protection in the United States.

The two versions, one from the House of Representatives and one from the Senate are compared in the pages of the NY Times this morning.  On the face of it the language of one is NOT repeated on the other.  There are differences which are critical and trying to iron them out will take time IF the two parts of the American Congress can drop the philosophical differences of the political parties as well as the entrenched meanness of some of its members.

I can read fairly well and I compared the two columns and there is nothing there that, to my mind, cannot be rewritten, eliminated or added in order to get a complete law on Health - before the lawmakers depart on vacation.  But, the vagaries of individual prejudices or preferences will probably obfuscate the clarity that is needed to create a national health plan.

What is galling to me is that it comes down to politics in the end.  The Democrats have a filibuster proof majority but some are timid because they fear the dire forecasts of the Republican minority that a fair and complete coverage of health care for all Americans and those living in our borders, will somehow wreck this country.  Individual costs of health care wreck the fortunes of people who are sick or dying and need help.  Let them go to the Emergency Room nearest them is not the answer.  There is no answer in a country as rich as ours.

It is time for final trading on the two versions by the two houses of our country's Legislature.  No one will get everything each wants.  No one will be completely satisfied with the result.  This is America where there is NOT lockstep agreement on everything the government wants or individual lobbying groups demand.

The give and take is interesting.  The process involves real trading between regional representatives, political fears, religious objections and financial projections.  In a country formerly prosperous as the greatest power on earth, the drive to provide health protection for all should be a 'shoe in'.  Unfortunately in the trade off soon to come - blood will be shed and it probably will be yours or mine.