So what if we lived in a society in which fire departments only responded to emergency calls from those citizens who “could afford it”? What if the police protected from criminals only those citizens who “could afford it”? What if the firepersons and police persons were not financially eligible for the very life-risking services they were rendering for well-heeled others? What if you called in your emergency and your financial status had to be accessed to determine if you would be helped or left to your own bad luck crisis? This is the slippery slope bottom to where we as a “former” democracy are hurtling. Free market systemization destroys the mandate for the collective protection of a citizenry, the common good. Pay to play is the slogan now. Even pay to be saved! There was a hit song decades ago by Gene Pitney, “A Town Without Pity.” We are a COUNTRY WITHOUT PITY! We are a society that allows 45,000 American citizens to die prematurely each year from lack of humane and affordable healthcare.