I believe the state should protect its citizens and their property, and as an extension of that provide civil and criminal justice, and provide esential, large scale infrastructure (like roads). Providing other stuff (national health care, welfare, etc.) should not be done by the government. The state, as you have shown, will just screw it up.

Now, in London, the policy target response time for an emergency call is 20 minutes. That's right, ring 999 and shout "Argh, I'm being stabbed" and they'll get the cops to you in 20 minutes or so. (Only today in the paper there is a report of a murder trial in which the victim was knifed to death whislt his 999 call was on hold, for god's sake. I'm telling you, it won't be long before you dial 999 and get a recorded message saying "Sorry, all of our policemen are busy. Your call is important to us. Press 1 if you are being shot, press 2 if you are being raped....")
Perhaps Americans aren't so crazy about guns, eh? Did you know that New Hamshire, where you can carry a concealed semi-auto rifle/handgun/what-have-you w/o any sort of license, has the lowest crime rate in the USA? I heard its because you can assume everyone is armed.

I find it slightly ironic, that for all your heavy taxes, the state doesn't provide such services better than the USA.

Crazed Rabbit