RE: Paying the fine.

That's is the way I read this bill, and also what would be intelligent action under this bill. What I don't understand is what insurance premiums will be when only sick people buy insurance?

I may be missing something, but perhaps this is the plan.

At least it is becoming more widely known that, with the support of the vice-president, the Senate could almost be called a democratic body. Senators are losing some of their cover.

Political competition works better than a two party system. The same principle works in government as in economics.

This isn't a detailed critique, I don't have the data or the time for that. However the article talks about a different family size in Germany, & some other EU nations (2.2 individuals per household) versus (2.6 individuals per household) in the U.S. & Canada. The article implies that this changes the lines per person somewhat. Disregarding the fact that Germany is an extreme case, in the U.S. at least, family size increases at lower income levels, and lower income levels probably equate with lower internet use. I think the article's argument is very weak.

One other observation: The article's complaints about broadband connectivity to employees, due to larger business size in the U.S.- seems reasonable to me. Most complaints on slashdot and elsewhere are from consumers and small businesses. Of course I don't know how you would measure the bandwidth of Google with it's uTube. That would seem to be a third category of bandwidth, neither household consumer or business employee.

I have Verizon DSL, and I seem to remember that they block port 80 for pop email. They claim it is an anti-spam action, and that many email providers do it. That may have something to do with this claimed problem

Every thing in the Federalist paper #62 relates to the nature on the U.S. Senate. You have taken a quote out of context.

Madison was not arguing against economic regulation at all, he was arguing that short terms for politicians would provide bad economic regulation! Also many other thing such as the appointment of senators by the State legislatures would protect small states. He is also claiming that a Semator's longer terms will provide stability in all things including economic regulation. That is were your quote came from. SO WHAT!

I repeat: James Madison accepts that economic regulation is the primary function of government.

Really! He does mention that the vast majority of the population should be excluded from political power,( So they could not regulate the economy.) That was earlier, during the Constitutional convention.Is that what you are hinting at? That earlier quote is included in the article.
FP #10 Principle Task of Government.

"A landed interest, a manufacturing interest, a mercantile interest, a moneyed interest, with many lesser interests, grow up of necessity in civilized nations, and divide them into different classes, actuated by different sentiments and views. The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operation of government."

You are correct. I used a bit.ly link from a twitter message, because when using TweetDeck it gives the expanded url to approve or disaprove. I didn't stop to think that slashdot works differently.

My rule of thumb: Those without power tend to suffer.

I_Voter

Citizen's Political Power in the U.S.

According to the "centrist" "founding father" James Madison - the principle task of government is economic regulation,
FP #10 Principle Task of Government.

The U.S. has solved this problem by removing the significance of honesty from party politics.

Understanding the relationship between political parties, and political rhetoric
in the U.S. What is a Political Party?

I_Voter
My very amateur Web Site:
Citizen's Political Power in the U.S.

AC wrote:
".. they are pushing for their members to not run multiple candidates, but to have the party select them."
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Uniquely, I think that has been effectively illegal in the U.S. for many, many, years. In the U.S. political parties are different - by law!

Can You Define What a Political Party is?

I favor "big" citizenry.

Citizen's Political Power in the U.S.

In Spain you have the right to "at least 1 Mbp/sec," in the U.S. we have the right to 'up to 1 Mbp/sec."

I_Voter
Citizen's Political Power in the U.S.

Done by "private" funding of U.S. campaigns?? Yea maybe, but among other things, it's also done by "outlawing," private member based political parties. This tends to leave money as the primary organizing force in politics.

Uniquely, U.S. parties have few powers other than raising $$ - by law! SEE: What is a Political Party? http://bit.ly/117M0o

ALSO: The U.S.:Pathetic Democracy or Failed Constitutional Republic? http://bit.ly/ftukH

I_Voter