That's funny because in Canada we've had 8 years of balanced budgets and have greatly reduced our enormous debt... and we would be considered largely socialist...
Imagine that...
The free market is good for somethings but the one thing it is definately not good at is looking after poeple. If the item being sold is cheaper to make and sell, even if it is harmful to the environment and people in general, it will win out... The priorities are wrong.
Just look at the history of leaded fuels for a prime example of this...
http://www.radford.edu/~wkovarik/ethylwar/