Slingshot-

I just couldn't bring myself to read that entire long post, sorry.  I think you and I actually agree on most things.  As a libertarian, I am for anything that increases freedom and against anything that decreases freedom.  I am for taxes that pay for police, military and courts because these increase freedom.  Every other tax decreases freedom.

As I am also a physician, I should probably comment on healthcare. Costs are so high because of government interference in the free market. The price structure and physician reimbursement is so screwed up, who knows what the true free market price should be.  A quick example.  Did you know that a Dermatologist (removes moles all day long) makes about 3 times what a general surgeon makes? A radiologist makes about twice of all of them to sit in a room and read films all day. No long hours, no nights, no weekends, no being called in ever. 
This is all the consequence of government dominated healthcare.  Pressure groups get little changes to the law that greatly benefit their people at the expense of the poor patients. Get government out of health care completely and watch things normalize. No Medicare, no Medicade, no friggin ObamaCare. No more price fixing. Government dominance, that's the real reason healthcare costs are through the roof.

BTW, the exact thing can be said for education costs. Ugh! Don't get me started on that one!

Respectfully submitted,
Neofelis