If you wanted to turn the United States of America into a socialist country, what strategy would you adopt? Joseph Stalin, the world's top communist from 1924 to 1953, is reputed to have advocated the following strategy to William Z. Foster, leader of the Communist Party USA: "Work for more government intervention and control of the business activities of the people. In this way the American people will accept Communism without knowing it."

Year after year, the health-care debate centers on universal coverage.

It's a laudable goal. But all too often, the single-minded focus on this objective is a distraction from achieving what most Americans really want: inexpensive, easy-to-use health insurance. As currently structured, the American system is ill-equipped to provide this.

The solution to this problem is not a government-run health-care bureaucracy. Rather, it's a private insurance system dedicated to more than just treating the sickest among us. Right now, we have a sick-care system. What we need is a health-care system.

"Character," according to Webster's, is "one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual ... the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group or nation." Character - our very personalities - lies at the heart of who we are, what we think, what we choose, and how we act.

A country, too, has a character, a style of living, a dominating influence in its institutions that drive its culture. What, historically, was ours? What was the character of America?

Yet another bizarre year of Illinois politics has been duly capped by Governor Rod Blagojevich's recent stated opposition to a constitutional convention.

Only in Illinois, perhaps, could voters be shocked into voting yes on the convention referendum because their own governor strongly urged a no vote.