nostradamus, you’re quite right in saying that after all the leves of taxes, fees and costs, we are paying just as much, or more than in socialist countries, yet we don’t have the benefits.

Some of my friends in Europe cannot believe how much we pay in property taxes and HOA as well as health care and education. Most Americans don’t realize it but their health insurance contributions at work as well as co-payments are taxes.

The difference with the military installations in Korea, Japan and Germany is that unlike, Iraq, the locals don’t want to kill us. They never did. 4000 Americans never died after the military hostilities ended in Korea, Japan, and Germany combined.

I’m sick of the Bush Administration talking about the heroes in Iraq. Think about what those talented heroes could be doing if their wonderful skills were used in the private sector.