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To: zonder who wrote (15213)	11/9/2004 10:57:36 AM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 116555

Essentially all Swiss citizens have medical insurance simply because it is mandatory, under pain of fines and prison. If medical insurance were mandatory in America, or some other nation, the percentage of those insured would be nearly universal depending upon the penalties. Universal medical coverage lowers the cost of insurance dramatically because the insured are not paying for the uninsured. switzerland.isyours.com Your suggestion that universal coverage is only possible with a smaller population, is an assertion without any logical basis and also quite amusing. .

To: zonder who wrote (15213)	11/9/2004 11:35:00 AM
From: mishedlo	Respond to of 116555

Is Brown bragging here? Is this similar to Greenspan bragging back in March? ============================================================== UK´s Brown says govt will meet its fiscal rules in this economic cycle UPDATE Tuesday, November 9, 2004 10:51:05 AM afxpress.com UK's Brown says govt will meet its fiscal rules in this economic cycle UPDATE (Updates with further comments) BIRMINGHAM, England (AFX) - Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown insisted today that the government will meet its so-called fiscal rules in this economic cycle despite ongoing concerns about the weakness of tax receipts Brown told business leaders here at the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference that the pre-budget report, expected to be delivered early next month, will not be marked by a pre-election giveaway "Britain cannot afford ever again to resort to the old short-termism, whether pre-election short-termism or any other form of short-termism," he said He said the government will stand firm against pressures to link pensions with earnings and will rein back the growth of government spending in the years ahead to bring public finances back onto a more even keel "As we slow the rate of growth of public spending, we will ... continue to meet all our fiscal rules in this cycle and the next," he said Though the government is expected to meet its sustainable investment rule that net debt stays below 40 pct of GDP, there are some doubts about whether it will meet its so-called 'golden rule' of balancing the budget, excluding investment, over the course of the economic cycle, expected to end in 2005/6 Lower than expected tax receipts and a pick-up in government spending in recent years mean the government has little margin for error At the half year stage, the public finances were no better than last year despite the Treasury's projections of a moderate improvement As a result, a number of City commentators are now predicting that taxes will have to rise in the next Parliament. The Conservative Party is likely to fight the next general election, expected to take place in the spring of next year, on supposed third-term tax rises a Labour government would have to enact to make the public finances healthier Brown once again took a side-swipe at the fiscal regime that governs countries in the EU signed up to the single currency "On fiscal policy generally I can tell you that we will learn from, and not repeat, the mistakes of the European Growth and Stability Pact, with its focus on an annual, not long term, perspective and its concern for short term deficits not long term debt," said Brown The Chancellor also said the granting of independence to the Bank of England has allowed the economy to weather the recent global economic downturn better than it would have done before It has also allowed the economy to cope with the difficulties associated with the doubling in oil prices over recent times "In any other decade, a doubling of oil prices would have led to expectations about higher inflation and then higher wage demands," he said "But today, the British people know that our inflation target and stability will be achieved," he added Brown also told the CBI conference that the government will use its time as president of the EU council of ministers to wage a war against unnecessary regulation by putting every costly and wasteful EU regulation to a competitiveness test

To: zonder who wrote (15213)	11/9/2004 11:48:08 AM
From: mishedlo	Respond to of 116555

EU says shares Trichet´s concern on euro; ministers to discuss currencies Mon Tuesday, November 9, 2004 11:52:49 AM afxpress.com EU says shares Trichet's concern on euro; ministers to discuss currencies Mon BRUSSELS (AFX) - The European Commission said it and EU member states share European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet's concerns about the "brutal" rise of the euro against the dollar. And the commission said euro zone finance ministers will discuss foreign exchange movements at their next meeting, on Monday evening "I think the position of Mr Trichet is shared by the commission and the member states -- excessive volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates are undesirable for economic growth," spokesman Gerassimos Thomas said "Regarding the euro group, ... as part of the general economic situation discussion we expect to have some discussion on recent exchange rate developments," Thomas said

To: zonder who wrote (15213)	11/9/2004 11:59:16 AM
From: mishedlo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

put the wall back up? cnn.com In former East Germany, unemployment is at least 20 percent. Western Germans, meanwhile, grumble about higher taxes, the proceeds from which finance reconstruction in the east. That reconstruction has cost more than $1 trillion since 1990. A recent poll indicated one in five Germans, including nearly one in four western Germans, would like to see the wall return.

To: zonder who wrote (15213)	11/9/2004 12:02:35 PM
From: mishedlo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

Lots of bitching today. Bitching at each other and each other's bitches too. Is this international bitch day? If so where is Snow? Perhaps this is just European Bitch Day ============================================================== France´s Sarkozy urges Britain to stop griping against EU Tuesday, November 9, 2004 11:11:55 AM afxpress.com France's Sarkozy urges Britain to stop griping against EU BIRMINGHAM, England (AFX) - Britain should stop griping at the sidelines and take its position at the heart of Europe, said Nicolas Sarkozy, the French finance minister "If you are at the heart of Europe, then there is a chance Europe would look more like you in the end," said Sarkozy, who is leaving his post at the end of this month to take the reins of the leading UMP Party "There is not one European who thinks you have anything to fear from Europe," he added in comments to British business leaders here at the annual Confederation of British Industry annual conference. Europe needs Britain to become a fully-fledged member of the EU and has a lot to learn from the successes of the British economy, especially with regard to unemployment and growth, said Sarkozy France, he said, "must draw the lessons" from Britain's successes One of the major themes of this year's CBI conference has been the economic reform agenda in Europe A number of delegates, including the CBI's president John Sunderland, have urged the incoming European Commission to enact a wide range of policies to make Europe competitive "The vision of Europe becoming the world's most competitive economy remains very much a distant one," said Sunderland Despite being dwarfed by Britain's growth performance in the last few years, Sarkozy said much-needed reforms in France have helped the economy outperform the bulk of its partners in the EU "Today France has one of the most significant levels of growth in Europe, albeit less than you," he said The French economy is performing better than Italy and Germany and the average within the euro zone The French government, he added, is doing its best to grapple with the public finances and will meet its deficit commitments under the European Growth and Stability Pact "This year and next we will meet our commitments on deficits," he said