The nation is closer to a corporatist oligarchy if we're using who rules it to define.

In both regards (fascism and corporatism) private enterprise is too intertwined with legislative affairs.

Vermont:

Health care cost increases are starting to moderate. That is, they are reducing their increase to a rate not faster than inflation. One reason is that generic drugs have come on stream to replace patented ones.

Here is a cite of a WSJ article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204792404577227050656680024.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion

healthcare costs are going up because healthcare by definition is not a free market. it's a market of compliance.

that's why it should be engineered to function for the public good - like the military, post office, fire departments, and police force.

can you imagine if everyone had to hire personal bodyguards or mercenaries to protect their possessions? there would be a constant escalation between citizens and the expense of the services as such.

that's what's going on with healthcare

Could you imagine if everyone had to hire chauffeurs to drive their automobiles for them? And buyers to buy their medical care for them?

you can drive yourself, you can't necessarily defend your property, livelihood, personage, nation or put out massive fires and solve mysteries/crimes unless that is your profession - and then you are quite the renaissance man.

that's why society bands together for these important common goods, and i suppose that further strengthens my point. it's far more efficient for a society that is not made up entirely of doctors to band together to address healthcare than to each buy their own (which as you pointed out is becoming ever more expensive).

despite how frustrating obstinance can be in discussions with you skrum it is also highly amusing to see the mental gymnastics you use to never change your mind about anything

People are very good at defending their own property--they have guns. The Second Amendment guarantees the right **of the people** to bear arms because the Framers knew the importance of an armed people in preserving property rights--sometimes against their own overbearing government. The military becomes important where concentration of force at a point becomes important. That is where government becomes relevant.

Sorry, doctoring does not have any public good/externality problem that necessitates public provision, though it might be desirable.

Try again.

Thrax, you could be visited by a thousand virgins, baring marriage with an 8 ball each, and still hate Obamama. You have zero interest in second level + understanding of policy. You are only interested in your grubby greedy little tiny share of the pie not being shrunk despite it could be expanded.

You're the opposite of a critical thinker. You are exactly the type of person who caused slavery, who continued racism, and now continues religious conservatism.

Congrats!

{{People are very good at defending their own property--they have guns. The Second Amendment guarantees the right **of the people** to bear arms because the Framers knew the importance of an armed people in preserving property rights--sometimes against their own overbearing government. The military becomes important where concentration of force at a point becomes important. That is where government becomes relevant. }}

What if someone tries to car bomb your property, or uses a less conventional method of threatening you/your property than just breaking and entering. There's some things that a gun simply isn't a solution to skrum - I didn't think I needed to state that.

{{Sorry, doctoring does not have any public good/externality problem that necessitates public provision, though it might be desirable. }}

But you just noted that the costs of the same healthcare are rising disproportionately with inflation and wages. So according to you there is a public good/externality problem that the public as a consequence greatly benefits from addressing together.

{{Try again.}}

Try again.