> You would have to be astoundingly incompetent to make a socialized system more expensive for the USA.

Well we do spend more per capita on education than any other nation (and not have results to show for it) and education is dominated by the government. Our government is astoundingly incompetent. And I see no reason why the government would magically make healthcare cheaper just because it would get EVEN MORE involved.

> Pretty sure your federal government can recognize human rights, and ensure they are respected.

If this is what you're referring to (in Article 25 (1)):

> Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Constitutionally, no. Most of this should be (but of course isn't, given that we have Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, TANF, etc.) left to the states. All powers not explicitly described by the Constitution are left to the states per the 10th amendment in the Bill of Rights. And personally, I would be fine with this. I would rather not have the monolithic and inscrutable federal government we have today. I would prefer to leave it to the states whether or not they want to recognize the U.N. Universal Declaration.