A letter to the editor that expresses what many people think:

Too many politicians promise government programs to take care of our needs in order to get elected, so we think: Why take on the responsibility ourselves since the government will do it for us? I’ll buy another big-screen TV instead of health insurance. Forget car insurance, the inevitable accident will be the other guy’s fault. Take my driver’s license away? What driver’s license?

I fear universal health care promises made by state and federal office aspirants will be just like the ubiquitous promises about public education: Blame the teachers, but don’t blame the students or parents. Such rhetoric gets votes but does not address absenteeism or classroom time wasted readying students for yet another government-sponsored accountability test.