> A failure to equate enthusiasm for "government-run" with
> social democratic aspirations makes little sense. Americans
> have plenty of good evidence that government can be
> untrustworthy and corrupt, so opposition to "government-run"
> does not equate with rightwing views, just skepticism of the
> efficiency and fairness of government decisions.
I think you are trying to rationalize it - the distrust of government has no rational basis other than right wing populism. If you think about it, the government runs probably one of the most efficient ventures on this planet - from the Bureau of the Census to the Department of Defense. Government run research programs, such as NASA, are the major source of most technological innovation in this country (true, given away to corporate profiteers, but is another story). The US court system - top notch. There would be no interstate system without the government. In a word, there is plenty of evidence of government efficiency and top notch quality (political leadership is another story) - all you need to do to see it is to open your mind.
So in this light, the irrational hatred of government that most US-sers harbor regardless of political orientation (just recall a recent discussion on this list) is simply mind boggling - and can be explained only by knee-jerk populism, which is invariably nationalistic and right wing.
If you think that it is the popular support that will bring a single payer system to this country, you will probably be waiting for it until you die. If we get such a system in the future, it will almost certainly be instituted from above, by government and corporations trying to cut health care costs, not by popular support and action. If anything, there will be a strong popular opposition to such a system.
As Doug aptly observed, the normal state of mind of the US populace is delusions and confusion - and these almost invariably turn to the right when push comes to shove.
Wojtek