In oregon there are currently ~ 4 Health insurance providers allowed to sell healthcare, yet there are 1300 nationwide. Wouldn't deregulating healthcare allow for the free market to prevail and benefit us all? Just a thought.

Deregulation brought us to the mess we're in. Free Market Capitalism died October 29th, 1929.

It's repeated attempts at revival bring about the same results.

AARP advertises great rates that might help me get some insurance that could possibly help me live a little longer. Sorry not available in WA

Depends, were they responsible people in thier working life and saved for retirement or were they planning to live on SS and get medicare?

I know, atleast in my industry, competitition lowers prices significantly. It goes the same for Goverment work as well, the more bidders, the lower the prices. I would be willing to bet by that logic that Deregulated healthcare would benefit all. Look at what competition has done for the prices of Cable TV.

And how many other free market capitalists countries are out there surviving right now?

.....fixed it for ya.....

Well, we could just start with the European Union. Most of them have already ended their recession. Japan seems to be doing pretty good. Canada also seems pretty content.

Again, Alan, you're on the wrong side of the facts.

Deregulation of health care is not an option, its health care not shoe sales.

A viable public option is needed for those that are not living beneath the poverty level. You shouldn't fall in the gap between insurance premiums you cant afford and public care you cant qualify for just because you show some initiative and have a job.

Make the insurance companies work for their money.

That's why Japan is in the middle of a huge political upheaval, due to a moribund economy? You might want to try reading the news. Canada is saying it is going to have to make changes to deal with unsustainable health care costs, Europe has even higher unemployment than the U.S., but if all that is your idea of recovery, please feel free to dream on......

Actually, France and Germany exited their recession using a similar "cash for clunkers" program. That pesky ol' government intervention again.

Alan, is Japan a failed nation? Germany? France? Any other socialist European Union country? Didn't think so.

Again, I reiterate, you're on the wrong side of the facts. But you are consistent in that.

I'd like to know why all the people who claim the free market = awesome, and health care/public option (worst name EVER) = socialism aren't loudly campaigning for the abolishion of medicare and social security?

The free market is really good at some things, but it's absolutely TERRIBLE at resolving situations which have concentrated benefits and widely dispersed costs. (examples: commercial gill net fishing, power plants which pollute, or uninsured folks using the emergency room)...

Japan's doing pretty good: Japan Jobless Rate Hits Record
Published: 8/27/2009 11:34:26 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg

Japan’s unemployment rate rose to a record 5.7 percent in July and deflation worsened, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Taro Aso on the eve of an election that polls indicate his ruling Liberal Democratic Party will lose.

The jobless rate surpassed the previous worst of 5.5 percent last seen in April 2003, the statistics bureau said in Tokyo.

Companies from Toyota Motor Corp. to Japan Airlines Co. are scaling back and cutting jobs as sales weaken at home and abroad. Exports fell 36.5 percent in July, a tenth monthly drop, as demand from all of the nation’s major markets deteriorated.

The unemployment rate is the highest since the government began collecting the data in 1953, a year after the U.S. military occupation ended. The LDP has governed Japan for all but 10 months since 1955.

France's unemployment rate is at 9.8% and climbing.
Germany's unemployment rate is at 8.3% and holding steady on the graphs.
U.K. is at 7.8%, showing a steady increase on the trend.
Canada is at 8.7% and steady to slightly increasing on the trend.
U.S. is at 9.7%, steady to slightly increasing on the trend.

From gohardley: "Well, we could just start with the European Union. Most of them have already ended their recession. Japan seems to be doing pretty good. Canada also seems pretty content."

Oh yeah. Looks like everyone is doing just fine.......

As the French would say, "Imbecile!"

And your initial premise that socialist countries have failed remains patently false. The fact remains that Japan and several countries of the European Union--using mass government intervention--exited their respective recessions before the United States.

As the informed on PP say, "Alan is a phucking idiot!"

Fixed it for ya, hardley.

You're welcome to hang my signature line around your neck, if you really don't get it....

Oh, snap! Boy, you really got me on that one, Alan. Gee, I just didn't see that coming at all. Aren't you just the clever one. And so original. Congratulations?©



Not.

Poor Alan; continuously clueless. Slither back to snivelheader, and take Aaron with you. You both are about as devoid of fact as it gets. I haven't seen stupidity like yours since Krusty (Rory) hung out here.

Fish on! Nancy fish! Is this a great hole or what?! Quick Glenn, grab that net. You want to bonk it or do a release???

Ya see, just another example of just how clueless you really are. See, the way the whole innertubez forum thingy works is, the first one to post--that would be me--is considered the one trolling for idiots--that would be you replying to my post.

Seems embarrassingly elementary that you need this spelled out for you. Maybe you should just stick to bending nails.

Hanky, are you tired of getting spanked by KK? Don't make me start piling on. Follow the context; my post was the first and only one that Alan responded to. Ergo, the context of "the first to post" deals with the exchange between Alan and me.

Jeebus, no wonder you can't understand the proposed health bills. Which is it, lead poisoning, or too much radiation?