Larry, I don't know why the US has such a high murder rate compared to other "civilized" countries. It is certainly true that America was formed with conflict. It is also true that we have many diffuse cultures here which maintain independent identities. But any link between murder rates and our ability to own guns is conjecture. Canada's statistics on those two issues alone would shoot down that theory.

We also have more hamburgers consumed than any other country per capita. I don't think it is linked to murder. We also have more bathrooms in our homes per capita than most of the world. I don't think that is linked to murder rates.

However, it is pretty hard to not compare the price spent on health care per capita with the fact that 40 million Americans have no coverage. The life expectancy and birth mortality issues are rather unarguably associated with health care. Wait times for procedures and appointments with health care providers seem likely to be linked to health care.

It sure seems like a discussion of specific issues should try to draw on factual information on those issues.

Regards, Jake

R. Craig Clark
jakearoo(at)cox.net