Bob Crantz wrote:
Doug,

I agree with most of what you have said.

There is some virtue in fact... not much, most of the time, but some

... Contractors are paid more per hour
than employees.

Not always. If this is the case, the difference is usually made up in
loss of benefits.

... For some people being a contractor is better than being an
employee.


Agreed.

The picture has changed and people's attitudes are catching up. 15 years
ago, if you said to 10,000 workers "would you rather make $10/hr with
benefits or $14/hr with no benefits" they would all have taken more
money. Nowadays the benefit package would sway more, possibly a majority.

IMHO (cynic that I am) the economy is better off handing more dollars to
workers to run out & spend at their own discretion. Let the
profit-raking insurance companies & "risk management consultants" etc
etc compete by offering services directly, "off the shelf" and only to
those who really need it! The money that I gave up last year to pay for
other people's health care could have bought my wife & myself a *very*
nice boat... not an Oyster, mind you... but I shouldn't complain, we
already have a really nice boat...

Regards
Doug King