I think you're confusing a 'bleeding heart' with 'economics'. There's a myriad of reasons why this bill is a good thing, and many of them have nothing to do with 'caring about the poor' and more about cost effectiveness. But, apparently it's not good enough for some to just appreciate the lifestyle they lead and the things they have that they have to look down upon the poor, uneducated, miserable lives others' choose to lead. Ignorance is bliss after all, and if they don't realize how sad their existences are and are happy with them - more power to them. I mean, there's always going to be a pecking order in life, and someone has to end up on the bottom right? If they're happy there, what's it matter to me? Nothing I can do other than give them the opportunity to help themselves if they want to. I don't really deal with the welfare crowd regularly, but it makes me feel better that those people you're talking about are getting some of their money taken from them and put towards something more responsible - if not for them, for their plethora of kids. These are exactly the type of people who need choices taken away from them because the choices they make cost ALL OF US in the long term. (And that statement just killed any chance I have at holding any political office for my lifetime, especially taken out of context). Granted, everyone has their own story, excuse, reason, tragedy, whatever that explains why they are the way they are so it's wrong to group individuals into being 'those people', but realistically, 'those people' exist and are an economic burden on the system. The issue is, these poor people that you're referring to, dmagicglock, are getting health care regardless, and we're still all paying for them in the exorbitant fees hospitals have to charge the people who do have insurance to cover the cost of those that stiff them on the bills. So, these people should ante up SOMETHING, and because they won't - the gov't is finally forcing the issue on them. I'm not really concerned about them drinking and smoking themselves to death because they can't get their 'fix' in a hospital bed, so they'll insist they be discharged ASAP and end up killing themselves because of the unhealthy choices they make anyway. I'm just on a bitter rant now. I need to stop...