In a perfect world the health insurance industry would be liquidated overnight, replaced by a universal care fund, aka single payer. But until last week, the reason for abolition wasn't so clearly phrased by the insurance industry itself. Now they say it plain: "You can't make us cover Tiny Tim."

If the insurance industry wants to boast that it can cut Tiny Tim out of its future, then it should expect the righteous judgment that falls upon the head of each and every Scroogelike creature--a lonesome and cold gravestone. Nor should we forget to pick their corporate pockets thoroughly as we ready their legacies for the burial that their recent history so richly deserves.

For a day or two anyway, Washington danced enthusiastically with the profiteering managers of our health care economy. And from a distance it looked like a partnership that had half a chance. Then the creeps started whispering little things in Washington's ear.

But situations like this are what elbows are made for, and it would be interesting to see who would vote against a little old law of one sentence only. "Any insurance company who refuses to cover a child will forfeit all of its assets immediately to the US Treasury."

Oh, and "God bless us all, every one!"--gm