Sometimes, you really do have to wonder about people.

When it comes to health care reform, the behavior of the desperate lunatic fringe is explained easily enough, I suppose.

For a variety of reasons, depending on which faction of lunatics we're talking about, the idea that we might actually get it done at last is scaring the bejesus out of them. And, as Dr. Len Nichols pointed out, all bad behavior is a product of fear.

Apparently, fear is also something the lunatics are determined to share.

The nut-cases that occupy the fringes, left or right, are never more than marginally interesting, though. Much more intriguing to me are the otherwise normal people who seem to believe them.

It has me in quite a puzzle to understand why anybody at all believes them.

I mean ... come on! Euthanasia? Rationed care? Puh-leeze!

Setting aside an unimportant little document of which you may have heard, called the U.S. Constitution, I'm wondering what the Democrats have done in living memory that would make these tales in the least bit credible?

Elected Democrats, that is. The left has its very own lunatic fringe, I do recognize that.

My point is this: they may not agree with the current leadership at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue but I wonder why so many people find it easy to believe that they are monsters?

In spite of the nut cases, there is a very good chance that health care reform will happen this time. Once it's a done deal, it shouldn't take too long for the currently terrified to realize how silly they've been.

I wish I thought it would be a lesson to them to be a bit less gullible next time — but I doubt it.