Healthcare and the Middle East

What a week...the Middle East in turmoil, gas prices rising, and all we
have to talk about is Congress wasting our money on carrying out a charade of attempting to repeal a law they can't repeal. THis is the definition of insanity. Before I go any further, let me state that I wholeheartedly agree with the Federal Judge who declared mandated health insurance unconstitutional. I have always believed that that section of the law was unfair and made no sense. You don't help people by forcing them to buy insurance. Everyone with a calculator and a successful completion of a high school Economics course knows the best option is for a single-payer/catastrophic coverage plan administered by the government. Private insurance companies can still exist to pay for our office visits, routine checkups, etc.. but the government should regulate the cost of these plans. The Laws of Supply and Demand onlywork in an inelastic market when the economy is guided by a limited but effective government. Now on to the Middle East..regardless of whether or not you support the current regimes,extra-constitutional methods and violent protests are never the answer to overthrowing a government that you don't agree with. While the Western nations have democratic government in various forms, most places around the world are not capable nor deserving of it. Even our most staunch ally,
Israel, basically had a Coup de tat when Rabin was assassinated and replaced by a government aligned directly with his assassin. President Obama and the entire government needs to be careful in how we encourage "democracy" in this region. Is there anyone foolish enough to believe that Iraq is a better place now that we have replaced a Dictator, Saddam Hussien, with a Fundamentalist Islamic Republic.
While Saddam was no saint, Christians and other minorities who did not oppose him were accorded protection and even privilages under his regime. There were even Jewish members of the Iraqi parliament. Women were considered equal to men and fundamentalism was mocked and even discouraged. Today, women in "Democratic" Iraq are reduced to the same level in society as they hold in Saudi Arabia or Yemen. Few minorities are protected and Christians and Jews in particular are being persecuted. This is what "Democracy" brings to the Middle East. It is no accident that Syria is the only state in the Middle East other than Jordan where minority and women's rights are respected.
God Bless you and Have a Lovely Week