Of course there is no purely free market anywhere in the world.  Just as there is no pure socialism.  My point is that free market reforms (i.e. deregulation and privatization) have lead to inefficiencies (and so have social programs).<p>If you're hoping for a completely free market, that's like wishing for the second coming of Christ.  I think a pragmatic mix of free and social markets makes more sense.<p>I blame the recession on a more-free market, not a purely free market.  The banking industry needs more regulation.<p>Finally, there are many reasons for our healthcare mess and government is but a small part.  For example, A big reason healthcare in America is employer-based is, back in the 50's, auto, steel, and other huge companies were afraid of union power and government meddling, so they said "we'll take care of the health of our employees."  They opted for a more-free market (not purely obviously) approach.