The National Journal had a bunch of health care experts evaluate the various plans for "universal" (actually, expanded) health care from the various folks vying for the Oval Office. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Democrats' plans fare better than the Republicans' if one really wants something that will achieve the stated goals.
I am reminded of a sketch that my friend/hero Stan Freberg used to do with a moon man puppet named Orville. Orville would announce that his people were offering to give Earth a nuclear device. The dialogue (Freberg providing both voices) went like this…
INTERVIEWER: We already have a nuclear device.
ORVILLE: Ours is better.
INTERVIEWER: Why is yours better?
ORVILLE: Ours doesn't work.
I was thinking of that the other day when I was listening to Mitt Romney explain the value of his. He was almost whispering aloud to his supporters, "Don't worry. Mine won't change anything. In fact, it may even make things so much worse that we'll all be able to say, 'See? Government health care is always a fiasco!'"