“When Lyndon Johnson signed the law creating Medicare in 1965, he promised that it would transform the lives of America’s senior citizens. … More than 40 years later, universal healthcare is back on the political agenda. But hardly anyone with actual political power is talking about quickly achieving universal coverage with a Medicare-like program to cover everybody. … Instead, Medicare is just as likely to be invoked by the opponents of universal coverage. As far as they are concerned, Medicare is proof that universal coverage can’t work.” [editor’s note: This is posted partly as “opposition research” (presenting the “universal coverage” POV) and partly for its historical information - SAT] (05/12/08)