Once again, the Republican health care plan will not come up for a vote as promised. This time it’s because Sen. John McCain had surgery.

How much did McCain’s operation cost, and where did the money will come from? Most U.S. senators are millionaires, plus they have very good insurance, but that’s beside the point.

I simply want people to be aware that the kind of health care we all want will never be available to everyone. It’s impossible because too many people will eventually become sick.

More important, at least to me, even the healthy will eventually become old and need a long list of palliative interventions: cataract surgery, glasses, joint replacements, a hearing aid, various pharmaceuticals, such as thyroid supplements and blood pressure medications, and on and on.

Health care can never be fair, adequate and available to every American. The only way to even approach this goal is to sign everyone up at birth and tax them for it just as we are taxed for Social Security.

People would get help staying healthy, with regular checkups, dental care, eyeglasses if needed, vaccinations and so forth. The general population would be healthier and more productive, which would save us all money in the long run.

The second thing we as a nation need to do — and most people I talk to privately agree — is to make it possible to end our own lives in comfort and dignity when we are ready to go. Death is nothing to fear. It is just a transition from one form of existence to another.

Joan King
Sautee