(V): It's a cartoonish cliche that all docs are fabulously wealthy, and why you think life and liberty is laughable is disturbing. We supposedly have a right to live and the right to be free, unless our government decides otherwise.

The pursuit of happiness means you have the right to go about your business without undue interference. The effect this has had here is people were free to invent new things and market them, but in order for that to happen they had to be free to fail as well. Not everyone fails, and not everyone that fails continues to fail.

Wealth didn't just drop into Americas lap, it developed over time because people were allowed to grow businesses and invent new things. Too much government control over peoples lives has the opposite effect. If enough of your income goes towards a government that uses your money to control every aspect of your life, then where's the motivation to do something other than the usual day to day grind?

(V): you devote 4 years of college plus 4 years of med school plus 2 years of internship plus a couple more years of med grad school ( if you specialize) plus 300,000 to 500,000 dollars of debt, and then someone will listen to your complaining

Vikings: I have friends who are doctors. They live in modest homes, work long hours, and one travels to Sudan to assist in a ministry there (at his own expense). The left loves to vilify those that work hard and earn money as a result.

Vikings: My point being is not specific to the doctors but over the rate that health insurance costs have sky rocketed way above the rate of inflation in the USA.

from 1999 to 2009 US inflation was 28.8%, wages for the average joe by just over 38%....... Health insurance premium costs have risen by 131%.

It seems (as lamon says) a "cartoonish cliche" that no-one in the conservative camp questions this. Here in the UK we would. We do when it comes to large companies that have monopolies, and put pressure on our government to rectify 'profiteering'.

The rise in premium costs suggests someone in the USA health insurance system is profiteering.. It's not the patients.

(V): then you should stay on topic because here is your quote

"Hey.. that doc there!! Does he need a new 50 foot pool? Isn't 30 foot big enough!!"

Vikings: Whoopee... I used a metaphor for the health rates going up.. one could say brokers, stock owners, managers, directors, etc, etc.

Get my drift?

(V): we all get the drift, you used a metaphor for jealousy

Vikings: "we" as in a royal "we"?

No, not of jealousy.. of greed.

I hear primary care in the USA is lower which would help cut health costs, various peer groups have noted many procedures are not needed, but you get to have them as they cost.

(V): being worried about what someone else has earned is jealousy, and the fact that you ignore what that person has had to go thru to achieve it proves it

Vikings: I ain't worried. I ain't ignoring.

But fraud is fraud. Like the dentist who charges for work you've not had done.

Or our honest *cough* bankers, who now in the UK have been caught out conning customers out of billions through what is described as systematic intent to defraud their customers.

Looks like some of bankers will face criminal charges over their conduct. Should I congratulate that?

(V): well congratulations, you successfully changed the subject again, start off with doctors then go to dentist and end up with bankers. But wait, you forgot business owners and ceo's.

jealousy is a pathetic thing to live with

Vikings: Never heard of making comparisons, doesn't mean you've changed the subject.

"jealousy is a pathetic thing to live with"

Is it? What does it feel like???

Vikings: Jules never could stay on point.

(V): IMO, a single payer system wouldn't work in the USA, too large a population of middle to lower income people, the tax burden would be huge and eventually crumble.While the tax burden is fairly large in Canada, we have a 10th the population, and less poverty.

The Col: I doubt it'll ever be such, a mixed market is more likely. You guys in Canada still manage to spend less of your GDP then the USA does on health care.