The penalty for not having insurance in MA is about $900, and it's actually cheaper to pay the fee than to pay for the insurance. I know individuals who have paid the penalty rather than spend more for the actual coverage. I find that incredibly depressing.

Socialist countries such as Denmark are incredibly expensive and the average Dane pays about 51% of his/her paycheck in taxes, but look at the Danes: they're healthy and well tended, have a very high standard of living.

In another thought, if our taxes actually went somewhere, went where they were supposed to, I don't see why we couldn't pay for health care or for our university system. Every European I have met scoffs and is incredulous that we have no universal healthcare and that we pay for university.

And to further drive home frustration, I am one of those who then gets tangential and thinks about the f*ing war in Iraq and the other heinous government spending we've suffered in the last X many years. Big mess, huh!?