The Americocentric nonsense is always prevalent in discussions like this, to the point that often the conclusion ends up being that America is so “special” and

The Americocentric nonsense is always prevalent in discussions like this, to the point that often the conclusion ends up being that America is so “special” and “unique” in its issues that any of the solutions other nations have come up with would supposedly never work. In terms of regulation reducing costs, you only need to look at Europe. Regulations in education, housing, medication, cellular networks, utilities, etc. have all driven cost down to one degree or another depending on which specific regulation a country has implemented. “Ah”, says the American, “but now show me regulation in a competitive market” as they rub their lower back in an effort to quell their aches from carrier that goalpost. And then you point out that those examples are of a competitive market. Only for them to pull a “gotcha”, because surely it couldn’t be that competitive if it had a cost reducing effect. The further you entertain, the more they move the goalposts and introduce circular reasoning, because in their mind anything that challenges their worldview must simply not be true.