following up a message from Ross Cassell to All:   
      
   RC> That employer provided healthcare came across as a benefit to   
   RC> attract and retain good help.   
      
   RC> Keep this in mind as you all discuss Obamacare as the best thing   
   RC> since the formation of the solar system.   
      
   Indeed, and, with the changes in conditions as we find them   
   today it no longer works.   
      
   But, as can be seen with our highway maintenance trust fund, government does   
   almost nothing it undertakes efficiently.   
   This is why I've been a libertarian since 1980.   
      
   IF our government was effective at running these programs   
   our highway trust fund wouldn't be broke!  But, we know why   
   it's broke!  We don't have the fortitude to tell voters that contrary to their   
   wishes these highways need to be   
   maintained, and that maintenance needs to be paid for.  We   
   have one of two choices to pay for it.  They are:   
      
   #1.  Hit the trucking companies that bring the crap we   
   consume to our stores hard.  That means no more cheapo crap   
   made in China or elsewhere shipped to you by truck at the   
   same low prices.   
      
   Or,   
      
   #2.  Your fuel tax goes up to a comparable level as that   
   seen in Europe to pay for maintenance of these roads we all   
   use.   
      
   But, that's unpallatable, and the politicians don't have the will to actually   
   lay it out for JOe and Jane sixpack,   
   because they understand Joe and Jane Sixpack are too pig   
   ignorant to educate themselves.  They'd rather watch   
   slapstick comedy or somebody blowing stuff up.  OR, they'd   
   rather watch natioanlly televised karaoke.   
   Pandering to get their votes means that our politicians   
   don't have the fortitude to tell it like it is.  That's how   
   we get a bridge crossing the MIssissippi river which   
   collapses at rush hour in the middle of winter.     
      
   But, notice how quickly we mustered the political will to   
   bail out wall street!   
      
   Just what we need, another political football.   
      
      
      
      
      
   Regards,   
              Richard   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:116/901)