will this nation prevail response to a board post 01 10 2010 cheapcollegehealthinsurancestudent com
The following was posted in one of my Linekdin forums;
"I wish our nation were more socialistic in terms of what it should provide its citizenry: better roads, transporation, free health care, tuition-paid schooling through the college level, regulation that works on behalf of labor, not against it, are just some examples.
Perhaps, if the majority of Americans could really compare both the quality of life and standard of living to that of the Western European democracies, "Socialism" would take on a more postitive perception".
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My response was; With all due respect to Mr. ****** and with respect to the level of "socialism" that is acceptable to Americans.
When it comes to the roads ¨C these are not socialistic endeavors.Far from it. These are "user pays" projects. Gasoline and Diesel Motor Fuel Taxes should be adequate to maintain the US Highway system. Local and state roads share in these funds, however as they are under the control of the Congress and its departmental cronies, the monies that are collected are mis-used and are mis-directed.
With respect to transportation, I assume you are referring to air and rail. Both of which are "for profit" operations. Which, due to federal regulation and the influence of unions have seen declines to the point of insolvency. NOTHING is shipped VIA air or rail for free. The fuels used to power these methods of transportation are also heavily taxed. The problem is, once again, the government.
Free Health Care ¨C nothing sir; is free. Not even in the countries that allegedly provide it. PLEASE ¨C review their income and VAT tax structures, then think of their overall condition in the world. They are no better off than we are.
There are roughly 35 Million Canadians and 308 Million in the US. Is there really any fair way to draw an accurate comparison? If it were so great in Canada due to their free health care, then why is there not a mass migration of people from the US to Canada to take advantage of that benefit?
"Tuition paid schooling through college"? Why not 2 years of mandatory military service in exchange for an Associates degree on completion of your schooling paid for by the GI Bill? Then the student can make up their mind in the furtherence of their education, rather than take up space in a classroom where there is no benefit for taking up space.
"Regulation that works on behalf of labor, not against it"? Do you have any idea as to why Chrysler and GM are in such sad shape? Legacy payments.
Look at Caterpillar ¨C what portion of their hourly wage goes in support of the legacy payments?
Look at any unionized company, and ask their senior managers why they are moving off shore, or to states that are "at will" employment states. The answer, I am sure, would devastate your theory. While good in their principle ¨C the unions have taken us to the brink of, if not into, financial disaster in their legacy demands on employers.
As a reminder, we fought a war in the 1770's to remove the Western European influence from the daily lives of the founders, why then would we want to be remodeled in their image.