Iamon lyme: No. When Raygun started off dropping taxes the US debt started rising. Nice cuts for the rich, but no way for the economy to absorb it, this was left untreated for decades.

"There would undoubtedly be less evasion and fraud under a fair tax system, because fewer people would feel the need to protect themselves."

LMAO.... LMAO .....

"I've already told you how many politicians have wanted government to take over the healthcare industry. That's why they won't allow tort reform, because they want the government to be in control of it."

No, that's paranoid. Our Gov just tells our NHS trusts that they have standards to live upto, and that they are accountable if those standards are not met. The hospitals pretty much are run by themselves or the local NHS trust.

"Tort reform would put a cap on awards, and bring them more in line with reality."

Who profits from the current tort laws.... lawyers, insurance firms and the middle men. Each wanting to take their piece of any payouts. One gets a million.. the other has to get 1.5 million, because it has to be bigger or better.

"Where does the UK get it's money? Does it earn it engaging in private enterprise or from taxation?"

........ ..... both.

"We could have delt with the problem of over inflated prices by dealing with the cause. But now we will have to deal with less accessibility and poorer health coverage."

You have been for years already.

""[ Seemingly common sense principles and morals have no part of modern 'merchant' banking. ]

Well no kidding! So who needs to have common sense these days if the government can be made to pick up the tab?""

Small problem with one bank in particular failing. It'd caused a domino effect in the rest of the industry.... With the amount of lending done interbank.

" Lying is a moral issue, not an efficiency issue."

Really... It can cause a great deal of inefficiency in the business world. Especially if you end up with a deal worth far less because of the lying. Or, like in the case of the Madoff investors.... screwed.