Canada may have a better healthcare system than us but BOY are they getting screwed on car and gas prices!

What do you expect in a socialist society? Only the free market can control pricing for consumers.

Yeah sure. That's why our health care cost so much because of free market. Thank god that you can afford heathcare or working in a corporation that give you heathcare for now.

My name for Moore's movie about this would be 'Bad Exchange'

001

Its your personal responsibility to provide for yourself, not the government to give you what you perceive to be an entitlement.

I would much rather pay more to have the best health care, than deal with government regulating ANYTHING. Have you dealt with the VA? Ask any veteran his experience in the VA and you will change your mind about wanting government provide you with health care.

Canada is not a socialist country. Canada's health care system keeps total labor cost competitive with other countries. It is true that automakers are screwing their Canadian customers and that is why many Canadians last year bought their vehicles in the U.S. Unfortunately this is a cumbersome process and requires the consumer to obtain a certificate of compliance which I consider a deliberate non-tariff barrier and part of a sinister plot to defeat the spirit of the Canada/U.S. Free trade Agreement. I want the car companies to treat Canada and the U.S. as a single North-American market and organize their corporate structures and zone offices accordingly. I'm trying really hard not to do business with our economic adversaries but, if North-American car makers continue to screw their Canadian customers, I'll buy only premium European brands. I recall a TV interview some 20 years ago with a top GM excutive where the guy admitted that the reason Canadian car prices are so high is that they "price to market". Well GM, if you think Canadians are suckers and willing to pay higher than U.S. prices, think again.

Lord Qwazywabbit- freemarket economy and Capitalism is NOT for kid's!!
I concur with you good Sir.
They would just be robbing Peter to pay Paul.
We would be paying for the autoworkers medical coverage with our Federal taxes.
So you pay less for cars up front, only to pay it out on April 14th.(US tax day).
Only other way to do it is by nationalizing private industries, as in Cuba, Vietnam, Venezula and cold war communist countries. NOT in my lifetime! Another great point you made is that funny, our healthcare system is in dissaray al the pseudo-socialist's say, yet the who's who of business and industry come here for it! We have the finest overall healthcare system in the world for those who can afford it. I get repulsed everytime I hear of a homeless person dying of pnumonia in the wealthiest country in the world. Thats one of the downsides of a capitalist system. I'm a disabled veteran, 25% service connected. I know the VA system 1984 like the back of my hand. The quality of healthcare there will keep you watching your back as the paitent because things fall through the cracks all the time and the only on who loses is the Veteran. This would not be the way to go. It is also a massive dept. of the government that leaks money like a new Ford leaks oil after 5000 miles. It is a massive problem that there is no quick fix for, and don't get me started on a flat tax.

Lord Qwazyrabbit it's time to do the lawn as it has not rained YET today, and balance the pool chemicles
I will bid you adiou, have a great saturday!

Mike, I sincerely and gratefully thank you for your service to our country, and I am sorry you have to deal with the VA.

When govt meddles in the free market, it totally screws it up and causes terrible hardship on the poor. Competition is the ONLY thing that protects consumers. For example, when the govt issues price controls (Canadian drugs), it creates shortages and hardship, mostly affecting the poor.
Another example is the ATM debacle in California a few years ago. Senator Alfonse D'Amato led a crusade against ATM owners charging fees for "people to get their own money", claiming he was helping the "little guy". In "liberal lost cause" California, it became illegal to charge an ATM fee. Because the ATM's cost money to maintain and operate, guess what happend--all the ATM machines privately owned went out of the state, except for the ones owned by the banks--and the only way to use those was if you had an account with them. This caused a terrible backlash for consumers. They realized they were stupidly following a moron (D'Amato) and learned the hard way that when government meddles in the free market, THE PEOPLE get HURT. Period.

GOVERNMENT CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED TO PROVIDE ANYTHING BUT SECURITY (ARMED FORCES) AND PROTECTION (LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM). ALL THE GOVERNMENT DOES IS VOMIT YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY EVERYWHERE.

Just another thought-- The main reason why American health care is out of control is because of malpractice litigation against health care providers.

In hospitals,lawyers have bred so much fear that patients are less safe. "everyone walks in mortal fear of being sued." New York surgeon Edgar Mandeville talking to John Stossel from 60 Minutes.

Because malpractice suits are completely out of control (class action is even worse), the health care providers have to pay for exorbidant amounts of money on insurance, driving the costs of health care throught the roof. Edgar Mandeville is a professor of Obstetrics who appears on lists of "New Yorks Best Doctors" and has been sued more than a dozen times--and it was always trivial.

ONLY THE LAWYERS GET RICH THROUGH LITIGATION--AND YOU ARE ONES PAYING FOR IT. Just thought you should know.

Thats the free market for you. Keep government out of the equation, and we will continue to benefit from having the lowest fuel prices in the world.

Don't forget the cost of schools as well. It is way cheaper in Canada than the US.
At the end of the day, it balances out.

No, it does not balance out. Provide me with proof that it balances out.

I can prove to you that is not better here in the US.

I repeat, provide proof--give me a link to something that shows it balances out.

Canada is also the only place they are selling the "German Castrol" after Autozone here in the US pulled it off their shelves. THAT Castrol, the one that says , "Made in Germany" on the back is the TRUE SYNTHETIC of all the Castrols they sell. Canada can still at least be proud of that because their cars will appreciate it.

Don't forget the the beautifull woman in Quebec. Can go wrong with that!

You can still live with your doors unlock.
Americans cannot even dream of doing this.

Unless you're driving a german car with a stereo in it...if there is, poof! goodbye! ;)

ahh...but zee French women!

001

I live somewhere in Austin TX. 560,000 in population and I sleep with my doors accidentally open all the time. Never a problem. You have been watching too many news shows and reading comic books. In the innercity is where the problem is. Where are you from dj3787, not here.

I live in Canada and I lock my door! Michael staged that one! One of the many fabrications in his movies. Although Miechael may have some good points on health care. Bottom line, USA health care is way better if you have money and Canada's health care is better if you are poor, unless you are on a waiting list to see a doctor that barely speaks english!

Many homes on the Lake Trail in Palm Beach have unlocked doors when owners are out. Anyone walking by can literally walk in and take a tour of the house without anyone ever noticing and, believe me, this has been done. Of course that is a community with one police officer for every 100 inhabitants. What we need is more cops on the beat to keep our streets and homes safe. Secure condo buildings is the route I took -- one can go south for the winter and not worry about being robbed while away.

One unified seems to work well for other countries. Why can't it work for us in the USA. UK has done in since 1941 -- from sicko. I'll pay higher tax so we (all us who live in USA) can have better healthcare.

Take the incentive of profit from healthcare corporate greed out of the equation then doctors are free to right care to their patients.

I believe it in my heart that most doctors do care for their patient and that the healthcare corporation like Humana and kaiser stop them because the ceo want bigger bonus.

This makes me sad to known that people in a power deciding situation believe more in the dollar than the lives of others.

There is no such thing as "free" health care, quit saying that.

Government controlled healthcare is also not "better" healthcare.

You "take the incentive of profit from healthcare corporate greed out of the equation" and end up replacing it with non motivated employees with little to no incentive. Your hospitals and doctors offices turn in to DMV waiting lines and Amatrak red ink. Selling products and services, such as medicine and health care, is a business and government has never ran a successful business.

Government is not the solution to our health care problem. Government is the problem.

There is a website you can donate more taxes to if you feel you are not paying enough in taxes.

Excuse me, but I would rather choose how to spend my money instead of the government telling how to spend my money.

THANK GOD!! SOMEONE WITH SENSE MAKING A POST. FINALLY.

I disagree completely. This is a big big issue for us in the U.S., and I have followed it quite extensively.

The Canadian medical system provides descent care, not great care. Thats why Heads of State from around the world seek out care in the U.S.--they want the best, and are more than willing to pay for it.

Smokefreak, why don't you say 50% goes to health insurance in order to really make your point . Geez, I wish some of these people wouldn't fabricate their percentages of whatever to make their point. It's starting to sound like tavern talk when so much of the story is made up

Everything is still more expensive in Canada, you buy a book & it can sometimes be up to 2$-5$ more than it would be in the states, & all magazines cost a dollar more.

Some of you know I just moved from Florida to Vancouver B.C. a couple of months ago, & overall I really like Canada except for the fact everything is more expensive. I'm really considering returning to the States; especially after realizing my annual income falls under a 45%-48% tax bracket...Crazy!

Also I figure that if I had bought my 650 coupe in Canada, it would come out to something like 120 grand Canadian...That's M6 money in the states, hell that's R8 & V8 Vantage money.

120 grand Canadian will equal to 60-70ish in US dollars. It's not more just different currency.

It's how they pay for social services, of course everything is more expensive!

120k canadian is equal to 114k US at today's exchange rate...we're have you been?

001

yea, for real...the American dollar hasn't gone anywhere, and may have actually depreciated, while other countries currency values have gone up. This is pathetic.

Germany.

He has been smoking way too many bowls 001 !

^^ ^^
Well once upon a time in the 80's the Canadian dollar was stronger than the American Dollar, it varies all the time but the American dollar is usually always worth more than the Canadian.

Also just to comment on the title "Canada may have a better healthcare system than us but BOY are they getting screwed on car and gas prices!"

I'd disagree with saying the Canadian health care system is actually better than in the States. It's just different but not for better or worse, the media & Hollywood like to get carried away with the whole health care issue in the States (Namely movies like John Q), but I doubt they've seen or had a taste of the waiting rooms in Canada.

In Canada whether you have money or no money, it's back of the line for everyone, no jumping ahead courtesy of Benjamin Franklin or in Canada’s case, Robert Borden.

So better health care for the rich and sh_t for the 90% of the population... Good health care system !

In the US it is important to do as much as you can for yourself. Better healthcare, legal representation, a nice house, nice cars....it all costs money! Succede and make money, have nice things, don't and you won't. Why give away anything to someone who has not done anything in life to better themselves? If I work harder I deserve more! What prison are you typing this post in the1mikehel, or should I say how many years did you live under communist rule? Those are the type of people that expect something for nothing.

Mike, its called entitlement. People who have not, want it spoon fed to them. America was founded on Judeo-Christian morals, with a huge emphasis on the free market, and INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

America is truly the land of opportunity--a penniless immigrant can come here and make a fortune--it has happend millions of times.

"IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME" GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1774

Please tell me the bill, and provide me a link to this story that you are talking about.

I am absolutely against dictatorship like Cuba. But how comes a centralize healthcare system is working for UK since 1941 and currency is stronger US.

UK economy is nowhere being poor. I'm not saying that we should have free healthcare. It's control thru taxes and without being over price.

The current healthcare system isn't working why not try something new that other nations are using and it is working.

of all the talk radio stations, AirAmerica broadcasts more lies, fearmongering, and an outright socialist anti-american agenda.

AirAmerica is complete bullshit, just like Rush Limbaugh is full of bullshit.

I went on to the AirAmerica website looking for any information on this said law that you say Bush passed (You know, it has to go through the Senate and the House too) I didn't find anything on it, but I did find a discussion about whether or not democrats should get rid of the word "liberal" in favor of "progressive" because it has been demonized.

All of the people on that board, on both sides are imbeciles. Total idiots. If you are going to be on a politics board you should at least something about what you are talking about. Democrats should get rid of "liberal"- it never should have been applied to them to begin with. Nobel Prize winning economist F.A. Hayek examines this in The Road to Serfdom and basically it was intentional and little more than a lie to make what were then [30s or so] socialist movements more appealing- despite the fact that they are completely incompatible.

The word liberal is derived from the world liberty. Despite the fact that the system itself had existed before, the first sparkings of the modern philosophy of government that is liberalism were the works Hugo Grotius. It was not until John Locke came along that it was actually cemented as such, however.

Liberalism is the supremacy of individual equality, individual liberty, and limited government. Capitalism with its emphasises profit, private property, and a free self-regulating market is liberalism applied to economics.

Ronald Reagan was a true liberal.

None of those AirAmerica morons [both sides] mentioned this and it isn't a superfluous distinction either.

Huu76: "Technically they aren't even expected to be loyal to Canada. &#$*@! Liberals!"

Ok Huu76, I like your comment.

"huu76" Even after all the tarrifs you'll pay on bringing an American bought car into Canada, at the end of the day, you'll still have saved about 4-5 grand.

Exchange rates have nothing to do with Canadians paying more..they already have their standard of living earning Canadian dollars. The American dollar is depreciating against many currencies in the world...hence it costs more for us to go out of the country vs. a foreigner coming here

Unlike the US, they actually have a functional public transportation system.

Canada has better heathcare than the USA???? - Maybe more people can get healthcare (the poorest of the poor), but its not better. The chance you'll actually see a doctor when you are sick in Canada is 1 in 10 or worse...pregnant women typically have to wait for 3 to 6 weeks before they even get to see one. I have family friends up in Canada and have heard all of the horror stories.

In terms of gas prices, Canada taxes the heck out of all of their energy industries and they also have restrictions/additional tariffs on a bunch of foreign energy import companies which doesn't help either.

Montreal has 3.2 million people.

I live 5 minute from downtown Montreal.
The municipality where i live in has the second most crime rate. (i have verified that information with the police station)

Montreal is poor city compare to north american standard. Montreal has between 40 and 50 homocide a year. That is very low guys!

Relax with your your comments bimmermike2!

I lived in both countries and the American health care system is not perfect but it is much better for the average hard working person. However if you are a worthless bum from a 3rd world country with 10 kids who "just arrive in country" and did not or will not contribute their share in taxes to society, Canada is definitely the place for you, here the average hardworking Canadian will be taxed to death to pay for you and your families healthcare and when either of you need serious treatment you will be put on long waiting lists for treatment or diagnosis. The Canadian government will never admit how many Canadians die because they did not receive treatment early enough or were diagnosed too late due to long waiting lines.

Oh Canada!!!