A Vigorous Exchange

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-NY, leaves Joe Scarborough speechless as he makes the point we've all been making: exactly what service do health insurance companies provide? How do they contribute to our healthcare system, other than skimming profits off the top for themselves? Originally created to spread risk, they've moved so far away from that model that now they operate solely as parasites on the healthcare system.

Scarborough's best answer seemed to be, "because we believe in private enterprise in this country." I'm sure that's a tremendous comfort to the family of Kimberly Young, a 22-year-old Ohio resident who put off going to the doctor because she didn't have insurance. She died of swine flu last week. But at least free enterprise lives.