"Government Medicine Should Horrify Americans."

So argues Deroy Murdock, who demonstrates in chilling detail that death rates are higher -- and the standard of medical care lower -- in the single payer systems of England and Canada. Countries that Obama wants to emulate here:

As he told the AFL-CIO in 2003: "I happen to be a proponent of single-payer, universal health-care coverage. . . . That's what I'd like to see."

And why a public option just for medicine? Wouldn't government clothing stores be best suited to furnish the garments Americans need to survive each winter? And why not a public option for restaurants? Shouldn't Americans have universal access to fine dining?

All kidding aside, government medicine has proved an excruciating disaster in the U.K. and Canada. Our allies' experiences with this dreadful idea should horrify rather than inspire everyday Americans, not to mention seemingly blind Democratic politicians.

In fact, just the two words -- "government medicine" -- look creepy together.

Creepy enough to call for an alternative redesign of the Obama Joker poster, perhaps?

I don't know whether this is allowed (and I meant no disrespect to the orginal artwork), but I thought this called for the greening of the government medicine joker, and I thought his coat probably ought to be white.

I guess the red spots on the joker's coat reflect the fact that having the government in charge of medical care "won't be easy."