Come on... do you really think a mature market has ANY desire for REAL competition?
Hmmm... maybe you think economics is some kind of science!!!!

Quote:
competition needs to be the regulator of insurance costs, not the goddamn government.

Theoretically, perhaps. But when the game is fixed, competition is unnecessary. Unfortunately, the government does not have the capability or the collective will to separate itself from those who guarantee personal wealth for the power brokers.

Look around the world, learn some history and don't insult me with make believe numbers. It must be nice to believe in fairies and pixie dust. Our civilization is on the verge of a social, intellectual and economic dark ages! Human creativity, motivation, innovation, originality and ingenuity thrive in a free and open capitalistic society. Socialism, communism or any other form of
political/governmental servitude only diminishes these great attributes from it's people. It's interesting how you have avoided any of the points I've made thus far, but instead, have decided to suggest I am somehow inhumane. There are not tens of millions of people without healthcare in America...80% have it and most love what they have. Some don't feel they need it (ah, to be young and immortal) and the others will not be denied at any hospital I know of in the USA. Can we make it more affordable and create guidelines and laws that decrease inefficiencies, clamp down on opportunistic law suites and penalize corporate abuse...certainly. Guess what Dave, it doesn't have to be run by the government and cost trillions of dollars we don't have! Are you really that weak of a person that you would look for answers from a large intrusive government. A government that would control your health care, your economic status, your fundemental rights, your education, your lifestyle, your freedoms? Not having a wife or kids does afford you the freedom of not having to care all that much about the price that must inevitably be paid for trading in your individual greatness for the good of the collective. It's a lie that has never worked, will never work and is embraced only by those that choose subserviance over independant individualism. How many times does history need to slap you in the face..mankind needs to be free! The alternative is what you see happening in Europe...a slow decline into oblivion: no cohesive identity, reduced creativity, domestic lethargy and unrest, economic decline etc... Government has never run anything efficiently....it wastes money, talent and a nations collective ability to sustain itself. Big government corrupts absolutely and eventually transforms into a cancer that spreads itself into the daily existence of each and every one of it's dehumanized and subserviant citizenry. You are ignorant sir, and politicaly blind. By the way, how's that bachelor pad working out for you...used to be rainforest right? Are those tube amps behind your tall speakers? You would fit in real well with the ruling class of your "Social Heaven"...you capitalist pig you

Of course their stuck in ice, don't you understand how this AGW works? The planet will have to suffer through an ice age first, before the warming kicks in....silly

2 out of 3. You're improving.
Not by much though.
Now here's one for you... can you show anywhere where I claim to be American or I'll expect an apology from you.
Not hat I expect you to have the balls to apologise, but there it is.
Your jealousy about Australia sneaks past your attempt at dark humour.
Not surprising really as we can show you lot how to run a country the size of a continent without running up a debt bigger than your ego!

Your fear of governments might have played back when some people (shall I pick out Thomas Paine and Englishman)dicided fereedoms were worth protecting, but now that we have something not one of your founding fathers dreamt of... and no it's not tube amps... it's multinational corporations that have more power than governments and have minions like you running around defending THEIR freedom and thinking you are in the best of all possible worlds...
The result is that you can't imagine someone with money wanting everyone to have a share of the national wealth. It is in fact you who are unable to do anything for yourself/ves whereas those of a different frame of reference enjoy benefits you can only feel even more jealousy of.
The idea that the government is against you is just so much laughable propaganda.
But I guess you tea-potters need to make a noise about something!
So please carry on, the American age is over and their is certain schadenfreude watching you bailing like crazy while still claiming to be top country.
Enjoy your debt!

I'm sorry I wasted my time on you For a brief moment, I thought maybe we could have a cogent, intelligent discussion (you sound disjointed-substance problem maybe?). It never ceases to amaze me at the "Audacity of The Wealthy" regarding other peoples wealth and freedoms. Don't let them evil republicans put an end to the Queen's reign...."Long live the queen, she aint no human being. There aint no future, in England....Man!" - sex pistols But then you knew that, didn't you...that's why your in Australia. FYI, we independant types work hard for our money and give freely to our fellow citizens in need. We don't need phony humanitarians to waste our money on government run anything....talk about inefficiency! Oops, there I go again, making sense. Here's to your taxes going up Don't want to let anyone feel the pain of their poverty....they might decide to work harder and contribute something valuable to society.

I would have guessed that it was ONE.
So let's look at your reply:
"I could torture you until you say you're American but that won't make it so"
I'll take that as an apology or as close you are up to making.
Thanks!
"You can take that "big corporation" device in your hand and shove it up your ass"
So that's anotrher of you right wingers with a fascination for anal sex... OK.