Tracy,

I guess you're right....

In my persistance to let people think I get too carried away. I'll try and see if and how I could bring my thoughts and views in a different package...

Thanks,

Walter,


>While your messages may contain some thought provoking views, they would be more acceptable (or may at least be considered seriously) if you could somehow refrain from presenting the overall opinion that:
>
>
>"If you don't think exactly as I do, then either you know absolutely nothing of the subject, or you are simply a stupid American."
>
>That is the temperature of most of your messages Walter and it simply makes Americans stop listening.
>
>You might have more success if you pointed to the World Economic Forum reports for 2006-2007:
>http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Global%20Competitiveness%20Report/index.htm
>
>
>>Jake,
>>
>>>You seem to see the free-market as an opressing entity forcing the "little guys" to make profits for the rich. I see is as full of opportunity around every corner and I am damn glad I was born in America where I have the chance to achieve whatever I wish. I feel that being born in this country has given me a much greater advantage over other countries and I am not going to waste that chance. I think people need a better economic education to understand the free market better. Understanding the basic principals of supply and demand would be a great start. Too often I hear complaints about things being unfair for the "little guy". Well guess what, the little guy has the same opportunities as many "big guys" who used to be "little". This country offers the greatest opportunity to become prosperous beyond our grandparents wildest dreams, yet we're such a sniveling society of crybabies that a minor setback becomes a crisis.
>>
>>What do you know about economics and compatative markets elsewhere in the world? I doubt that you know much about that, because if you do, you'd come to the conclusion that this is not exclusively held for the US. For example the scandanavian countries are even doing better than the US in this regard (esspecially finland). At the same time they do have strong provision of social health care and are an example that it can be done.
>>
>>>This has already happened in my family and we paid for it. What a concept huh? Paying for something on your own. This used to be the standard way of things until insurance and single-payor plans came in and took the control away from the individual.
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>>So you want control, even though taking the risk you won't be able to draw up the cash and die as a consequence of that? This is why social health care is there. As a constitutional right rather than a privilage. In this respect the US is in the stone age and backward compared to much of the rest of the western world. As I can see you're trapped in the heritage of greedy insurance companies making big $ and will use their influence to keep social healthcare out of the door, while it is a proven concept in being more efficient than the commercialisation of it.
>>
>>
>>>Each year it gets easier. Plans have been made and businesses started which show great potential. I do not let outside influences that are reasonably within my control affect me. I am in charge of my destiny, not fate, or bad luck, or political parties. Government can still press its heavy hand down on me but hopefully this country, and the rest of the free world for that matter, will elect leaders that understand and recoil at the oppressive power of centralized government and seek to restrain it in favor of more local jurisdiction.
>>
>>I am impressed by your typical american optimism, but I hope you'll not be struck with a severe medical problem that will block your personal goals. I guess you don't feel sorry for that guy who was not so lucky in his life, who was wishing the government was doing more for him to be an active part of society again. I guess you don't feel sorry for those poor people living new orleans who are abondoned from the rest of the US because they were not able to take care of themselves. It seems that you are a big supporter, as some other (US) member stated here, every dog for himself. If that is truly what you want, you might be better off in africa.
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>>It saddens me that people think that backward and want to put the US back into the nineteenth century.
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>>There is a whole world outside of the US. Take a look at it. It is there to learn.