Debate over government-funded police protection heats up: Now that the president and the Democrats in Congress have set a fall deadline for legislative action on universal police protection for all Americans, battle lines are being drawn on Capitol Hill.

On the right are conservative defenders of America’s system of for-profit, private mercenaries. The Democrats are divided among progressives who favor universal, publicly funded police who would protect all citizens against crime, and moderate and conservative Democrats who argue that any citizen security reform should leave America’s existing system of soldiers for hire in place. (Salon.com)

If you thought, “That’s crazy – no one should have to directly buy individual police protection!” then welcome to the majority. You’re one of millions of people who thinks our government can and should provide universal, publicly funded health care.

Read the whole piece quoted above and the next time you find yourself in a health care debate — you know, at your aunt’s annual summer barbecue or something — you can one up your opponent by calling for private police protection. (Or private fire protection, roads, sewers, etc. The list goes on.)

If they don’t like that idea, then they’ve just convinced themselves of the merits of publicly funded health care. All you have to do is raise your glass and change the subject to another agreeable topic, like the weather. Nice.