Body Count

Americans are too fat to join the military. Insert joke here. And before we Canadians get too huffy and self-important, we’re not exactly a svelt nation either. But Canadians can feel good about this. Toyota is opening a new plant in Woodstock, Ontario, even though the Americans were offering double the subsidies. Why? Because the Ontario population is better educated, more easily trained and benefits from socialized medicine.

How does that work? Well, state run medicine means the employer pays less overhead insuring its employers. Toyota ran the numbers and realized the US subsidies would quickly be eaten up by higher insurance rates. Socialized medicine is a competitive advantage, despite what the libertarian zealots will tell you. Good roads, safe neighbourhoods, a clean environment and proper education are also competitive advantages. So don’t ever believe a North American tycoon or magnate when he tells you he “made it on his own” or that “government gets in the way of business.” Government and communities are what allow for these competitive advantages. This is why corporations must pay taxes. Ayn Rand knows where she can shove her objectivism.

According to CBC, the London death toll now tops 50. Now, 1.6 Americans are killed in Iraq each day. According to IraqBodyCount.net, the number of Iraqi civilians killed each day (assuming equal distribution of deaths over the past 2 years) is 35. If you use Lancet‘s fugures, the daily average goes up to 136. I have no stats for civilian deaths in Afghanistan. I imply nothing. I merely provide the figures. You’re all smart people; you make your own conclusions.