Comments on: US is a sick country? http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:56:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: alexhessler.com » The Future of Politics? http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-415 alexhessler.com » The Future of Politics? Fri, 14 Jul 2006 15:14:14 +0000 http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-415 [...] I started a discussion earlier about the problem of apathy and the poor state of political participation in the US. I feel that a major cultural change would be the only way to reverse the problems in America’s political system. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, has started a new site called Campaigns Wikia which aims to make just this sort of cultural change. [...] [...] I started a discussion earlier about the problem of apathy and the poor state of political participation in the US. I feel that a major cultural change would be the only way to reverse the problems in America’s political system. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, has started a new site called Campaigns Wikia which aims to make just this sort of cultural change. [...]

]]> By: Alex http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-360 Alex Fri, 12 May 2006 09:00:32 +0000 http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-360 My understanding is that the best thing citizens can do to keep control over their rights is to set up class action law suits if the corporations are breaking the law. Price fixing is a common example. Worked against the record companies in the 90's.<br /><br />Of course the government is supposed to keep tabs as well, but they're pretty poor at that. My understanding is that the best thing citizens can do to keep control over their rights is to set up class action law suits if the corporations are breaking the law. Price fixing is a common example. Worked against the record companies in the 90’s.

Of course the government is supposed to keep tabs as well, but they’re pretty poor at that.

]]> By: will http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-357 will Thu, 11 May 2006 22:59:51 +0000 http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-357 so how do we pry corporations away from the government that is supposed to look out for the poeple? so how do we pry corporations away from the government that is supposed to look out for the poeple?

]]> By: Alex http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-352 Alex Wed, 10 May 2006 14:07:21 +0000 http://alexhessler.com/general/us-is-a-sick-country.htm#comment-352 The main problem with privatisation is that sometimes, as in Ashraf's examples, the companies' profit gains outbalance the efficiency gained. So where a socialised system wastes money in bureaucracy and lack of innovation, a privatised system takes money away from the people in the form of greed and profit.<br /><br />I think the US and the UK both have a pretty balanced system. Though the problems with both systems are what both countries are struggling with. Health care is the biggest example in both countries.  In the UK all of the issues are with keeping the NHS running smoothly and getting everyone what they need without the country going broke. In the US all of the issues are how to stop the private insurance companies from robbing the country blind. If you look at the large industrial companies in the US, they're all struggling to pay benefits which results in job cuts.<br /><br />Another big difference between the health care in the US and in the UK is the likely hood of malpractice law suits in the US is much higher. That's what the health insurance companies are blaming rising prices on, not profits. The main problem with privatisation is that sometimes, as in Ashraf’s examples, the companies’ profit gains outbalance the efficiency gained. So where a socialised system wastes money in bureaucracy and lack of innovation, a privatised system takes money away from the people in the form of greed and profit.

I think the US and the UK both have a pretty balanced system. Though the problems with both systems are what both countries are struggling with. Health care is the biggest example in both countries.  In the UK all of the issues are with keeping the NHS running smoothly and getting everyone what they need without the country going broke. In the US all of the issues are how to stop the private insurance companies from robbing the country blind. If you look at the large industrial companies in the US, they’re all struggling to pay benefits which results in job cuts.

Another big difference between the health care in the US and in the UK is the likely hood of malpractice law suits in the US is much higher. That’s what the health insurance companies are blaming rising prices on, not profits.

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