On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:18:24 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:41:26 GMT, Ross Herbert
wrote:

On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 15:29:34 GMT, Joerg
wrote:

Also, they are definitely not on par WRT
services such as health care. If you get really sick over there
your
chances of dying are quite a bit higher than in the US. Most
certainly so in the UK.


I suppose you haven't seen Michael Moore's Sicko....?

Quite frankly, it seemed pretty truthful to me and I would hate for
the Australian health care system to go the way of the US system. In
fact GW and little Johnny Howard are such good mates that the US -
Australia FTA which was negotiated recently has a hidden agenda
item.
If the US allows access for Australian farm produce we have to relax
our very generous Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Over here we pay
very little for a long list of drugs which are assessed for
inclusion
on the PBS and the big drug manufacturers don't like it. They are
doing their damndest to put a spike in the wheel by way of the FTA,
so
that we have to pay as much for the same drugs as you do in the US.
And GW is pushing the agenda through his little lap-dog Johnny
Howard.

Ummm? Who elected this lap dog? Why don't you put the blame back
where it belongs?

That will all be taken care of this November when Kevin Rudd is
elected prime Minister. Unlike your current leader, who was initially
elected on a very dubious vote count, we at least elect our leaders by
way of 95% of the voting public. Of course, I am not saying that
compulsory voting means all votes are cast by "thinking voters", but
even an invalid vote (I don't support this action, btw) is valid since
it can represent lack of confidence in all candidates.

GW's main supporter in Iraq, Tony Blair has gone and now it won't be
long before Johnny is gone and Australian troops in Iraq will be
pulled out. Don't worry, they will most likely be moved to Afghanistan
where we are still supporting the US.

You didn't indicate that you support the health system in the US so it
can be inferred that you agree Sicko represented the comparitively
true situation in the US.


The way everyone blames GW for everything, you'd think he walks on
water ;-)


Nah Jim, it's just that GW is a world leader whose decisions have such
a dramatic impact on the economic and social aspects of other
countries - in many cases to their detriment - that it is hard for
people such as myself to stomach the fact that he was in fact elected
by approximately 30% of the voting population of the US.