[Superman]

Lendaddy, I said nothing of socialized medicine. So, there is nothing for you to defend. And if there were, you might be wise to offer your own defense rather than ask me to do it for you. Nevertheless, and in the interest of bipartison peace, and since this OT forum seems to be turned upside down this morning I'll offer this (please be seated for your safety):

My answer is "B- Less." Capitalism is an interesting and powerful fuel. Supply/demand and "enlightened self-interest" are useful mechanisms. One of (arguably the only) the benefits of applying capitalism to an industry is the deluge of capital. When the telecommunications industry was deregulated a couple of decades ago (with the promise of lower phone bills due to increase competition and getting GOVERNMENT (spit spit spit) out of the equation), the result eventually has been sharply increased phone bills and tremendouse complexity in trying to understand our phone bills, and the alternative services and costs offered by our carriers' competition. The thing that has spurred this explosion of technology and options is...you guessed it.....PROFITS. Make your own opinion about whether these new phone services (and costs and added stress from having to reply to faxes within one hour and voice mail within fifteen minutes) are a good thing or a bad thing. What I am pointing out is that when the opportunity for profits presented itself, the market was absolutely drowned in investment capital. R&D went wild.

If our health care system had been socialized all along, advances in medicines and medical procedures would not have come as far as they have, not nearly. On the other hand, it might be possible to have both. At any rate, this is my admission. Hope you are still conscious. Probably just a bad dream. A flaming liberal could not possibly exist who understands commerce and government.

Finally, I'm going to remind us once again that I have not figured out how this most important and useful of all capitalist tools, deregulation and the resultant capital injection, can be a good idea for the electric power industry. If our electric power generation and transportation systems are in need of repair or upgrade, let's do it WITHOUT adding profits, unnecessary wars between companies like we have in the deregulated airline industry, etc., etc. And no one has been able to show me how electric power deregulation will help the taxpayer or the residential consumer. It will help the investor. Period. And the extra money he gets will be the extra money you and I pay.