Well, not exactly. It's better than the government getting other people's money from the government.
With regards to:
Roundabouts: Yes, they're fantastic. They should be everywhere.
No Commercials: No, not to do with the government. We pay ?140 a year (per household) for a TV License which goes to the networks. Worth every penny not to have a show stopped every 4 minutes for commercials.
Primary/Secondary Education: Not to do with taking peoples money through the government. What I mean is that they tend to push academics a little more in children, such that 15-16 year olds here are at about the same level academically as 17-18 year olds in the US. I found this out first hand the hard way when I came here straight from high school to go to university.
Subsidised Higher Education: It works a lot like inter-state HE in the US. If you're resident in a state you get reduced fees. Same in the UK except it's across the entire country and there's an upper cap no matter what school it is. Statistically, people with degrees tend to earn more and it can't be a bad thing that more people are educated. Let's put it this way, I personally would not have been able to study medicine to become a doctor in the US, due to the cost. And those that statistically make more money, will statistically pay back more into taxes. And having a more people in higher education can only be a good thing for a society.
Healthcare: This, obviously, isn't as straightforward. No I know plenty of people have pretty strong views on the idea of "Socialized Medicine". No, it's not perfect. Neither, frankly, is the US model of healthcare. I've lived in both countries, I've experienced a variety of scenarios regarding healthcare coverage such as Veteran's family health insurance, employer's health insurance, NO health insurance, NHS coverage (the UK healthcare) and private healthcare IN the UK. There are a lot of myths and untruths with regards to both models; i.e. that in the US, ER's won't accept you after a car crash unless you have insurance or that in the UK they're rationing out band-aids in communist-style hospitals run by politicians with an iron fist. Hopefully people will realise it's nothing like that. People pay their taxes, and it comes back to them if they need it. "Pre-existing condition" is not really a term that strikes fear into patients here.
Socialized Medicine is not quite how some people perceive it to be. 'Rationed Treatments', is an entirely overblown and exaggerated opinion. It's certainly no different than being refused by insurance companies. And that's another thing, you don't HAVE to use the NHS. You can have private health insurance just like in the US. A lot of the times, it's the same doctors that work for the NHS, and often even at the same hospitals. You just get a better waiting room; one with a leather sofas and a cappuccino machine.
A lot has to do with my own beliefs; that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. For me, it's different from just 'sponging off the government'. I wouldn't expect everyone to share my same passionate beliefs about healthcare; I wouldn't have chosen to study medicine if I didn't have these beliefs. If you're truly sick, you see a doctor. You can't plan for everything, and God forbid if something serious were to happen, you shouldn't be forced to make further life-changing decisions like, "should I sell the house to pay for treatment?" And yes, I know in the US that life-saving treatment MUST be given, but a serious life-changing condition does not have to be life-threatening to have a massive economic impact in one's life. And people still have to weigh out, "can I afford to get better" and I don't think that is an appropriate consideration to have to make.
By all means, get lazy dead-beats off of welfare and back to work, keep the government out of our personal lives and stop terrorists from bombing our countries. But if someone's sick, treat them. End of.
I'm not looking to really change anyone's strong socio-political views on the subject, I just wanted to bring my own experience to the table.
On another note, Rip I have a lot of respect for you. I like what you do and how you do it. I've got your book, I've starting SS now and am loving it and looking forward to going every session. You've got a lot of followers here too. I only really realised this after I read up on SS and started noticing and asking the other guys at the gym. There's even some Crossfit guys here too. You bring some 'Texas charm' all the way here that I miss a lot from home. I look forward to the rest of the program. Thanks.
-Sami