I suggest that we agree to disagree.

They are a minority. Nothing you have said alters the sad fact that many millions of Americans live in constant health insecurity. This is what marks your country out as different.

‘But your statemtent that “no-one is betting on a recession” is false’

The Wall Street Journal polled economists on the chances of recession - the average is 38%. So it is more likely we won’t have one, according to expert views.

And no, I don’t believe everything I read. But your statemtent that “no-one is betting on a recession” is false, unless those who write about it don’t believe what they wrote, either.

I’m surprised you’re not aware of your own official reports.

http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/05/uninsured-cps/index.htm
‘
‘The 45.8 million uninsured are more likely to be poor and low income than higher income. Figure 2 shows that over half of the uninsured are below 200% of poverty, with 25% below the poverty line and 28% between 100% and 199% of poverty…

…The “ever uninsured” figure is of particular policy relevance because it reveals how many individuals faced the significant financial risk of having a medical emergency that would have to be paid for out of pocket. According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), there were 64 million people who faced at least one month without coverage in 2001.’

No matter what way you spin it, no other developed country has this level of health insecurity.

‘As for the economy, read the papers’

But you don’t believe everything you read, do you… unlike Catron, who regurgitates endless far right gloop from around the world.

Of course, you are stating the peak simultaneous uninsured who have no means or opportunity to acquire insurance. You are omitting those who opt not to have it, and not double conting for people who are transiently uninsured for a short period of time. Otherwise, it is you who is being disingenuous.

CARE provision in Canada is grossly polarized, with those of means getting what you believe to be inferior care in the US. The remaining 100% insured can wait for care, or get what they can in Canada. If the US is so far inferior, why do Canadians come south for care?

Provision of coverage in Canada is not polarized, but provision of actual care is. In the US, provision of coverage is polarized, provision of care is much less so (given EMTALA, charity care clinics, Medicaid, etc.)

As for the economy, read the papers, who each day report fears of recession (Yesterdays Reuters: “Lot’s of people believe a recessions started in December…”) on the front page, and “surprise economic indices” on page 25. Only those with blinders on or an agenda that would benefit from an economic downturn are “surprised”.

The extent of uninsured Americans is extensively researched, and if you can point to another developed country with such gross polarisation of provision - bearing in mind also the extent of underinsured - please do.

As I said, there is a slowdown (and a ‘credit crunch’). No one as far has I know is betting everything on a major recession.

A perfect example of a misleading claim.

The economy? Interesting. As long as there is a conservative to blame, is it s “slowdown” or a “recession.” When there is no conservative to blame, it is a “correction.”

The liberals all pine for the Clinton days of prosperity, when unemployment was higher, GDP was lower, consumer confidence was lower, etc. Of course, the subprime “crisis” which invovles the smallest of minorities of homeowners, is the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the government is bailing out peiople who took out mortgages they couldn’t afford in the first place. Funny, though, patients are still willing to pay cash for my services, and I still cannot find a Wii. I wonder who is buying them in these economically challenging times.

Trouble is, nearly all the examples that Mr Catron comes up with turn out to be false or misleading, such as the one on Avastin for advanced breast cancer. And compared with other countries, the failings of America are orders of magnitude greater - such as the 60 million plus uninsured in any year.

As for the economy, there is no doubt that there is a world slowdown, partly due to one of the most blatantly greedy scams ever in the US, namely the subprime crisis. Will it tip into recession? No one really knows at present.

If we dismiss their failures because our system has failures of it’s own, we should dismiss their successes as well, since our system has those too.

The real problem is trying to debate this issue with people who are clearly as irrational about it as they are the “faltering” economy.

See http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071229TDY02305.htm

Also see this letter in the WSJ:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119665213060911396.html?mod=googlenews_wsj