Kinda looks like France has decided to join our recession.

[donco]

Wonder why so late to the table, could it be because of healthcare? Just wondering.:eyes:

<"After having been one of the rare European countries where economic activity increased in the third quarter, France at the end of 2008, as did its European neighbors, suffered from the negative effects of the financial crisis that erupted last September," Lagarde said in a statement.>


http://www.france24.com/en/20090213-france-will-enter-recession-2009-

[Mass]

1. Well, England has a single payer healthcare as well, so probably no.

However, the safety net is a lot more important in France than in England (and definitively in the US) and it is harder to fire people. So people keep their revenue longer.

[donco]

3. that was the point

I was trying to make.France seems to have managed to dodged the bullet so far.Most likely because of their healthcare.

[Mass]

4. Probably more because of unemployment insurance and not firing people that easily at the first

problem, but I agree otherwise with the general idea. Healthcare is very expensive in France for companies, so it is probably the reason why.

[donco]

6. Could be, never been their.

Been mostly a homer, with the exception of my time in the Marine Corps from 1966 thru 1970.Been to Canada and Mexico a few time though.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. France does not have single payer healthcare

"Americans assume that if it's in Europe, which France is, that it's socialized medicine," he says. "The French don't consider their system socialized. In fact, they detest socialized medicine. For the French, that's the British, that's the Canadians. It's not the French system."
...
Americans often assume that when people get universal coverage, they give up their choice in doctors, hospitals and care. That's not the case in France, Dutton says. The system is set up both to ensure that patients have lots of choice in picking doctors and specialists and to ensure that doctors are not constrained in making medical decisions.

In France, the national insurance program is funded mostly by payroll and income taxes. Those payments go to several quasi-public insurance funds that then negotiate with medical unions to set doctors' fees. (Doctors can choose to work outside this system, and a growing minority now charge what patients are willing to pay out of pocket.) The government regulates most hospital fees. This system works collectively to keep costs down.

When someone goes to see a doctor, the national insurance program pays 70 percent of the bill. Most of the other 30 percent gets picked up by supplemental private insurance, which almost everyone has. It's affordable, and much of it gets paid for by a person's employer.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92419273

[L0oniX]

2. If you dare to out source jobs there they will close down the country and make you stop...

unlike the cowards here.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. Yes, that's why there are Renault plants in Brazil.

:rofl:

[fasttense]

7. Remember the Guillotine?

In France the government is a little more afraid of the people because of how they chopped off the uber wealthy and powerful's heads during the last huge uprising of the people.

They even invented a device to make the head chopping easier.

[donco]

8. Don&#8217;t think is works to well on cake eh?

[Javaman]

9. so let me ask you point blank: are you against national healthcare? nt

[donco]

11. Point blank....NO

I,m for single payer,kinda like what I have now.VA but of course it could use some improvement.

[Javaman]

12. okay then. we agree. :)

cheers.