Doug

First, Happy Christmas, I believe I am still allowed to wish you that.

>>The fundamental flaw of socialism is that while it's goals are laudible and usually considered more 'noble' than capitalism's goals of mere material wealth...<

Socialised care is not socialism, many/most first world countries offering socialised healthcare are overtly capitalist.

>>In all of the world, what country's health care is considered the best?<<

I guess it depends who is doing the considering. ;-) Are you buying a Porsche Cayenne? If not, I imagine it is because you judge that its list of "features" includes things you don't need, or do not wish to pay so much for. Surely we agree that this does not automatically mean that your current car is deficient or that you are anti-capitalist. And surely you would resent having to pay the Cayenne price for your current car.

It is reasonable to apply the same reasoning to healthcare. The US achieves a high level of care but most people are paying the Cayenne price to get the Mercury Mountaineer they want. This (rightly) worries your legislators. I would not be at all surprised to see existing HMO and federal rules, which FWIW are already more soviet than capitalist, starting to more and more resemble the socialised policies you seem to despise.

Regards

JR