Healthcare with an occupy tie in

[i bleed green]

Economies of scale make any socialized medicine approach non-workable here in the United States. The two largest entitlement programs (Social Security and Medicare) are teetering on the edge of insolvency and WILL crash and burn in the next 20 years when the baby-boom generation fully enters both programs. Where is the money going to come from to fund such a system? In Canada my tax burden would approach 45-50% depending on which province I live in. Sorry, but I'm not about to take a 10% hit to pay for someone else's insurance. That doesn't even begin to deal with how much is going to be necessary to try and salvage Medicare and Social Security. You might be ok with a nominal tax rate of 60-70% but I'm not.

Also...if your 34 million Canadians face 12-18 month waits for services...how do you think that'll translate to 315 million people?

You'll die in line.

Obviously with a bigger population there would be more money for health care, and more beds and doctors etc. so its all proportional. You still have 315 million people now, and the hospitals and equipment for a population that size. The only difference is how it is getting paid for.

My rants aside, everyone is making some great points, and I am enjoying reading everyone's point of view.