[quote name='ObiWanShinobi']The fact that one can't copy and paste in these threads is mother

ing ridiculous.[/quote]
I can do it just fine...
This is about privatization versus government. That's it.
I don't think you should get to define what is kosher for discussion or not, especially when the real situation has more nuance than that.
The corporation does not have a responsibility to people, just the corporation. When this includes providing good service, then it's there. When this includes screwing over the customers, then it's there. If people get weighted down by contracts and payments, there's not alot of room for change. There have been plenty of victims of corporations and insurance based healthcare for a while. Don't pretend that ma and pa wouldn't prefer better coverage for everyone and guaranteed coverage over maybe/maybe not superior health care.
Yes, but if a corporation has a reputation for screwing over its clientele, it will start to hemorrhage clientele. Corporations' gain revenue from selling services to customers. If they can get away with dealing dirty, they will, but if it becomes known that they deal dirty, folks will stop dealing with them and deliver money to a competitor.
Whereas, with government, we know it deals dirty, just watch the Congressmen earmark our tax dollars away. The choice to change governments is limited, however.
And plenty of people who can't afford health insurance would love a British/Canadian hospital. Plenty of people who insurance didn't cover would love socialized medicine in Europe.
Translation: Plenty of people who do not have XX would want YY, which is XX provided for free!
Believing that a corporation could do it better 100% of the time is pretty ridiculous in itself.
When it comes to money-consciousness and efficiency, such a belief is not so ridiculous.
Hardly, capitalism was raping America in the 1900's. And Theodore Roosevelt, a republican, instilled numerous government programs and monitoring devices to help out the disadvantaged electorate. He also began the national park system to help stop the raping of lands. Intellectual elite or not, there were problems with laissez-faire capitalism at the turn of the century.
Capitalism? Are you telling me Capitalism started the Great Depression?
You're trying to make a difference between a government run organization and the government.
An organization that answers to the government. It is staffed and run by military personell, with its own bureaucracy that, despite a few shortcomings, is quite effective in dealing with the fields of its expertise. The military is subject to its own judicial codes for its members and, while major directives come from the government, its own policies are its own.
First off, the goverment is heavily involved in the promotion, distribution, and health of the internets. While they only funded 40% of the internets since the 80's, they were still the biggest reason for its existence. Another point is that America COULD censor the internets if they wanted too. I'm also positive that the CIA and FBI monitor the internets and record whatever information they want without repercussion. Remember, it's our governments free speech mandate that allows us to view dissenting opinions and lewd material. China infringes on what its people can see, so it's directly correlated to the government. So no, the internet being partially funded by private organizations does not guarantee freedom of expression. It means that we have a goverment allowing us freedom.
Only through government control of ISPs, the way China does, could you censor the internet in such a manner. That is not possible here for obvious reasons. If the government could do such monitoring, it would, because then they would not have to waste resources tracking down child porn mongers detective-style.
The free speech mandate of the government only applies to the phrase "Congress shall make no law..." anyway... there are ways around it. Consider hate crimes laws.
Which political idealogy/economic device does not have a body count? Pinochet ring any bells?
Socialism's body count is higher!
