It's a continual source of amazement -- though not amusement -- that members of Congress have clawed and ripped one another just to produce the current weak-tea, overly complex "health care reform" plan, when a simple, cost-effective system is already on the books.

That would be Medicare, which far more easily could be extended to cover everyone. All it would take is a couple of votes in Congress and the president's signature. There, done, next problem.

Yes, we would have to raise taxes to pay for it, but how much, exactly? Surprisingly, probably not that much when all the math is figured -- and whatever the cost it would be worth it to have a mounting crisis behind us as a nation.

Most Americans with private health insurance, paid for by them and/or their employers, will accept paying higher and higher premiums every year -- along with higher and higher deductibles. Yet they squawk at the possibility of higher taxes to pay for guaranteed medical coverage for all. This is insane.

Many private plans for employees or individuals now have a $1,000 or $2,000 annual deductible for medical care, and many employees pay at least half that much out of pocket each year. Does anyone believe that the taxes required to expand Medicare would be that high for individuals? No, not even close.

Currently, employees and employers each pay 1.45 percent of the worker's salary for Medicare, so figure it out for yourself. If someone is making $100,000 a

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year, that is $1,450 for Medicare right now. Add $500 to $1,000 more, and perhaps the whole country could be covered and have guaranteed coverage no matter what medical condition or job status.

If that much more in taxes sounds like a lot, consider what your employer and you are paying for your health care now and what co-pays and deductibles cost you. This isn't funny math, it's 2 plus 2 equals 4.

Medicare also is in a position to control soaring medical costs in that it can set a national or regional rate for care and procedures, issue bulk purchasing contracts for medications and services; and in conjunction, federal and state governments can regulate wasteful practices and duplication of services.

And just having the 47 million who lack coverage today in an insurance plan, rather than relying on the emergency room when they get sick, would save millions because of preventive care and lower overhead costs at clinics. Paperwork as well would be significantly reduced, and also made less complex and shifty if there were standard forms for everyone -- and for physicians and hospitals to wade through.

Expanding Medicare would not even mean the end of private insurance companies, which seems to excessively worry opponents of health care reform. The firms could sell basic and cadillac supplemental plans, just as they do for millions on Medicare today.

Why exactly are we talking about anything else? No other reform plan out there makes any kind of sense in comparison.