Health insurance, so far, is not mandatory by law, and we’ve got 16 percent of the population – 47 million or so – without it. Auto insurance is mandatory by law, and according to the Insurance Research Council, 14 percent of drivers nationwide still don’t buy it.

So, again, the question is, do we want or need a nanny state? I don’t want the government telling me what I can eat or how much I can weigh, so I don’t want nationalized healthcare. I don’t need the government stepping in to “save” me from the consequences of my own decisions.

Parker also cites a recent study showing that in many cases people are making the choice not to purchase health insurance:

…According to a new study from the Employment Policy Institute, authored by two economists from City University of New York (one, Dr. June O’Neill, spent four years as head of the Congressional Budget Office), 43 percent of the 47 million can afford insurance and choose not to purchase it.

And that doesn’t even take into account the 10 million that are illegals. Should Americans pay for health insurance for illegal immigrants?

Pulling immigrants out of the equation, we’re left with an uninsured population that can’t afford insurance about a third the size of the widely quoted 47 million. It’s a population that is generally poor, young, uneducated and not working.

We’re already set up to deal with these folks. Either through Medicaid or covering their emergency room visits. The operative question is do we want to further institutionalize this reality into a new national health care plan involving trillions in new taxes and programs.

Her solution is more in line with the spirit of our country’s founding than a nationalized healthcare system:

Open the door to millions of poor kids out of broken families, broken public schools and the cycle of poverty through school choice. Give them the opportunity to go to church schools.

Rather than perpetuating poverty through further institutionalization of the welfare state, expose poor kids to the values and education necessary to enable them to make the right choices for their lives.

There is no future for a nation of victims, whether we’re talking about health care or anything else. But there is a great future for a country of responsible, free people.

I’m wondering, what is the difference between a sexual relationship between two men who are unrelated and two men who are brothers? Why is one acceptable and the other not? If two brothers wanted to get married where gay marriage was legal, what would be the reason for denying it? If the brothers were then allowed to marry, what would be the reason for not letting a brother and sister get married?

Anyway, I was delighted to see that there was a book offered in the Thomas Nelson Book Review club that showed the journeys of Paul in pictures. It is called In the Footsteps of Paul and is filled with beautiful photographs by renowned photographer Ken Duncan. The author/photographer traced Paul’s steps according to the book of Acts and has taken photographs of the modern day places mentioned. It really brings the story alive. The photographs are supplemented with Scripture and quotes from well-known Christians like Billy Graham, Beth Moore and Charles Spurgeon.

It’s not a meaty book that will shed light on doctrines or anything like that. It’s basically a book that you’d put on your coffee table, but with its pictures of Jerusalem, Damascus, Antioch, Athens, Rome and other cities Paul visited on his missionary journeys, it is great for getting a mental image to go along with the narrative provided in Acts. Of course, actually visiting those places in person is even better, but this is the next best thing.

(It starts at about 1:10 into the video. The first part is not too shabby, either. At around 4:05 you’ll see why he’s my favorite singer.)

In fact, if you like that one, check this one out, too:

Here’s a new easy way to raise money for your favorite cause. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they’ll donate a penny to your favorite cause every time you do a search! In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 700 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to the charity or school of your choice. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to your cause!

Here’s the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.

If you don’t have a special cause, I encourage you to enter “Center for Bio-ethical Reform” (a prolife organization).