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When I was in Denmark in 2008 doing my radio show for a week from the Danish Radio studios and interviewing many of that nation’s leading politicians, economists, energy experts, and newspaper publishers, one of my guests made a comment that dropped the scales from my eyes.1
We’d been discussing taxes on the air and the fact that Denmark has an average 52 percent income-tax rate. I asked him why people didn’t revolt at such high taxes, and he smiled and pointed out to me that the average Dane is very well paid, with a minimum wage that equals roughly $18 per hour. Moreover, what Danes get for their taxes (that we don’t) is a free college education and free health care, not to mention four weeks of paid vacation each year and notoriety as the happiest nation on earth, according to a major study done by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.2
Neither one of those can take place without big corporations hijacking the government.. You criticize the actions taking place while asking for more of it..
Explain this. Explain how we can't have universal healthcare and free college education without a corporatist government? I don't follow your logic.
Here is the bottom of line of what you want: Equality. You want everyone equal, across the board, no matter where they come from, walk of life, etc.
I hate to tell you this: Life is not rainbows and fluffy clouds. Life is hard, mean, dirty, and nasty. The only person who is going to take care of you is YOU. If you truly think people want to help you, you are sadly mistaken; they will step over you, while you are dying in the streets and not think twice.
You will always have a small portion of society who will help, however, the vast majority of people do not care about you, your ideals, your family, or your cat.
The problem with socialism is you are forcing people to do something, they don't want to do. Human nature will over ride your sense of "equality." Hence, every socialist country in this world is falling apart, as we speak. Look at California and Mass. Both the most "socialist" states in the union; they are near bankrupt.
"They problem with socialism is: In the end, you run out of other peoples money to spend." Margaret Thatcher.
Just look up social democracy. It'll answer all your questions. And see if sweden,denmark and norway are falling apart.
To put it another way, whenever we have a problem, the historical answer has been to throw government at it until it goes away. .
Yes, and most of the time the problem never goes away. We just keep growing government in the hope that it will solve the problem.
Consider these programs which have not achieved the desired result;
1. War on drugs - no comment needed.
2. Social Security - did not solve the retirement savings problem
3. War on poverty - it's just as bad as it ever has been with no end in sight.
Big government will just keep getting bigger until the producers can no longer support it. That's what is happening in some European countries. The question is, when will "Atlas Shrug?"
Companies don't have to be held to my standards. I just think employees should have a greater say in their work place. Is that a crime, is that so wrong? Is it so wrong that people should have some say in their work environment? I understand there will be bosses and then regular subordinate employees. However I think employees should have the right organize and negotiate their pay, benefits, off time, etc.
My main problem is the centralization of power and wealth. That breeds corruption. You say "competition breeds winners" but centralization of power and wealth stifles competition. My problem with fat cat suits single handily running giant corporate titans is that they have far too much say over our government and basically they have the government by the cajones. The founding fathers weren't too found of large powerful entities who answer to essentially no one either.
We need to pry power from the top end of the spectrum and bring some to lower end, it's one way to ensure democracy. Otherwise we'll keep finding ourselves in situations like 2008 where our tax money is being pissed away to giant unethical businesses that gambled with their money and lost. The swindlers and fat cats laugh all the way on their golden parachutes while we the people are stuck with the bill.
But no, regulations and laws are "socialist" so we dare not enact those right?
Employees do have a say. They can work there, or they can leave.
You do realize that the centralization of power you're describing is the govt, don't you?
Yes, and most of the time the problem never goes away. We just keep growing government in the hope that it will solve the problem.
Consider these programs which have not achieved the desired result;
1. War on drugs - no comment needed.
2. Social Security - did not solve the retirement savings problem
3. War on poverty - it's just as bad as it ever has been with no end in sight.
Big government will just keep getting bigger until the producers can no longer support it. That's what is happening in some European countries. The question is, when will "Atlas Shrug?"
Sometimes life is more complex than "rightists" make it out to be. The War on Drugs was a CONSERVATIVE idea and a poor idea from the start. Social Security was supposed to be a temporary program and needs reworking yes. The war on poverty, good idea, horrible implementation. Other nations like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, etc seem to thrive with high taxes and many progressive social programs.
Interestingly the biggest spender in the US is the DoD, a department which conservatives love. And as far as spending goes nothing can really touch the lovely "war" on terrorism. You want to shrink government? Lets start with the DoD.
Employees do have a say. They can work there, or they can leave.
You do realize that the centralization of power you're describing is the govt, don't you?
Yes, only government. There are no giant transnational corporations or anything.
Also "it's your job, love it or leave it," is simply not a feasible option for most people. It sounds nice and simplistic in theory but reality is lot more complex than that. There are a thousand factors that could lead to a person simply not being able up and leave a job. Where they live, the local economy, family issues, health issues, education levels, etc. could all stop a person from leaving a job, even a bad job.
Last edited by SoCalbound12; 11-28-2010 at 02:56 PM..
Just look up social democracy. It'll answer all your questions. And see if sweden,denmark and norway are falling apart.
The reasons why a country has a high standard of living are quite complex. It's interesting how many "big government" people play the Denmark card, when they probably don't understand why Denmark works well for those people.
Denmark is a very free country and supports free trade and capitalism. Consider these comments from Wikipedia;
"Denmark has the best business climate in the world, according to the U.S. business magazine Forbes."
So, it is nothing like many other European countries like France and Spain.
Denmark also has a huge amount of oil. So you have a highly educated, stable country with over 90 percent of the population being indigenous and a stable supply of oil. What they don't have (as compared to the USA) is a huge number of uneducated immigrants and a demographic profile that includes people that have historically had low education and health experience.
To compare Denmark to the USA is a useless exercise.
Explain this. Explain how we can't have universal healthcare and free college education without a corporatist government? I don't follow your logic.
The government does not produce ANYTHING.. Even NOW they dont.. The government contracts these services out to private corporations because private corporations do it cheaper.. The more you call for governmental x, y, and z, the more influence private businesses have and the more you get exactly what you oppose, a select few dictating policy for the rest of us..
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