I noticed that several commenters took umbrage the other day when I expressed “sympathy” for National Health Insurance. I chose the word “sympathy” carefully – well, twenty seconds worth – to indicate that I am unclear how such a thing would be done, though I am sympathetic toward it.

The root of that sympathy is that I believe the right to health, like the right to education, is a social good, even necessity. It is basic to making “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” possible.

I am privileged with a fairly decent health plan from the Writers Guild that will accompany me (and my family) for the rest of my life because of years of semi-indentured servitude to arbitrary movie producers. It almost makes that experience worth it (add smiley here) because to feel relaxed about your health care is truly something positive. I would wish it for all.

But how to get there is another matter. I admit – it’s dicey. But frankly, I don’t care if the solution is public or private insurance, a combination thereof or something hitherto unkown. I only care that it works. But you know me – the great supporter of Chairman Deng Tsaio Peng. All together now, the words of the Great Chairman: “I don’t care if a cat is black or white, only if it catches mice.”