The saddest fiction about America is the idea that we are a democracy, and that the majority rules. In fact, we are a republic with democratic elections. The majority does get to say who will represent them, but those representatives are there to make sure all voices count, and that the minority does not get stuck paying for and living under the rule of something they are opposed to. Not only do our representatives fail to do this, but the citizens reward them for that failure by re-electing them. Whether Canadian health care works well in Canada or not, whether UK health care works well in the UK or not, it is not for the US government to reform health care in the US. Especially not when so many Americans have spoken up to say they do not want to pay for or live under that system. It's not just some people's opinion… it's the laws of our government.

These are the words of President Lincoln, who President Obama has shown so much admiration for: "You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."

I told them I'd worked with Holocaust survivors for 15 years and asked if either of them knew any, you know, like people who were slave laborers in Auschwitz or hopped off a train to Treblinka. The reply, "people in hospitals." Finally, exasperated, I told them, "You wouldn't know a Nazi if one came up and bit you in the ass," then kicked the Obama poster of couple of times (it was laminated so I didn't do much damage). They then proceed to whip out their cell phones and threatened to call the police. I told them go ahead, and I hope the guy that shows up is as black as the ace of spades. I then walked off, but I'm sure they didn't call the police, since they believe the U.S. is a police state.

There are still numerous explicit (yes, sexually explicit) Bush/Osama photoshopped images floating around the net. I guess you forgot about those, but you'd probably blame those on the "paucity of imagination in the conservative camp" as well…

Morons.

That's not an African man, that's a Melanesian man. Specifically, a warrior from Papua New Guinea.

Kind of adds that extra layer of stupid, doesn't it?

This just shows the world the level of ignorance in the US government.

Another example is France, where public health insurance is complemented by private insurance. Public insurance assures everybody, and encourages preventive treatments to avoid higher hospital costs later. Private coverage is paid by people who work, or all those who can afford it.

What's not fair about France's system is that costs are linked to salaries. The more you earn, the more you pay. In the US, rates are based on age, sex, and family.

The biggest problem in the US is that medicine is big business. Doctors don't go into medicine just to treat sick people, they go into a field where they can get rich.

In France, a doctor's visit costs around 25 euros. Prescribed medicine is free, covered by insurance. In DC, the cost just to see a doctor can be around $100. The examination and prescription costs are added to that.

People in Washington can't have an intelligent debate about anything because the vast majority of them are illiterate and ignorant of the rest of the world.

All against public health insurance are doctors, insurance companies, and drug companies that don't want cost controls because it would reduce their profits. Politicians don't serve the population, they pass laws to protect the industries that financed their campaigns.

As for this poster, all I can say is NICE LEGS, dude!

A quick note to Jim, I think there is a huge difference in the way that US citizens and UK citizens see tax paying. I imagine you probably think my tax is quite high, but I enjoy a perfectly reasonable take home salary. What I also get is not only access to superb, expert health care when I need it (and when I was a child, I had to have 9 operations, so I needed it!) but I am also happy in the knowledge that when I *don't* need it, my tax is going to support people in my community who could not afford private health care, or would not be given the option in their part time jobs, in the states.

It also horrifies me that two friends of mine who had a young daughter, and lived in San Francisco, lost their jobs in the last tech sl.ow down, only for their young daughter to become seriously ill with pneumonia, and need nearly $2000 worth of treatment, which they had to borrow.

What if they hadn't been able to get that $2k?

For me, there's no option. THere's the decent, honourable way to treat all citizens, irrespective of income or 'rank', or there's the socially devisive and dangerous way of pegging health support to wealth. You do know that America's child mortality rate is higher than other developed world countries as a result, right?

Meanwhile, the photo above illustrates the paucity of imagination in the conservative camp. Want to criticise healthcare reform, so *that* is what you come up with? You pathetic bunch of childish, ignorant, reactionary thugs.

Look at the systems in other countries (like up here in Canada) and tell me they don't work, that is BS. Sure our wait times can be a bit longer, but only for those who can wait, and it is mainly because of a shortage of staff.

That you were able to put this spin on this is wholly worth the disgust I felt when I saw this message in my inbox this morning. I'm happy you were able to turn this shit into gold.

As Atmosphere's last album title suggested:

"When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold"

Keep up the good work,
Alex