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unlike the US, if you graduate college in Europe you actually get job placement
in your field of study.
in the US, it's like, sorry, good luck out there, and pay off that loan.
US has fallen so far in so many areas, that it is only a myth that it is the best country to live in. That myth may slowly sinking as Americans expand their horizons and travel outside of their country, however it is a well known fact, that most Americans have never been outside their own country so how could they have a clue as to what goes on elsewhere.
What a sad situation.
I don't need to read any further than Nic Kristof & NYT to know it is a load of hooey and to top it off, it is from Social Progress.
The OP obviously doesn't understand what American exceptionalism means.
Want to bet I could design my own ranking, just like Social Progress did to fit my agenda?
Life isn't about being #1. It's about a nation coming together to give everyone combined the best overall quality of life.
You want to compare?
Take the entire population of the EU (all 400 million) ... and compare outcomes with the United States. THAT (the EU) is the entity that can be compared... not some piddly countries of 5 million, which is less than many CITIES in the United States!
We have more people living here ILLEGALLY than the entire population of Scandinavia... COMBINED.
Then you can see what it's like to have a large, diverse population trying to make decisions that affect HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of people who have wide varying perspectives and opinions.
Because guess what: As the EU shows, it really is hard to form a consensus among diverse populations, and to convince people to provide welfare and policies for others at the expense of their own.
Look at how hated Germany is for essentially propping up the EU and bullying everyone into submission.
There are certain things that Europe I think has a better handle on, such as worker quality of life issues. But the constant need to compare your little countries to larger, dynamic ones is kind of lame.
Countries, by the way, which are basically stagnant or falling in population. For all the glory of European way of life, it looks like it's about to get decidedly less "European" this century!
I have been around for quite a while and, among other tings, fought in a stupid colonial war ('Nam 66-67), worked for both the public and private sectors of the economy and have not notices any loss of my personal freedom under President Obama. Pray tell what freedoms have you lost? You can still complain in a most insulting manner about the President. You can still find a job working for some corporate overlord. You can still complain to your local, state or federal government. And you can still VOTE. So what have you lost? Specifics please.
I doubt you did... I've never heard a vet say "Nam" but to address your question how about my right of expectation of privacy?
On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, revealed the extent of the program: Federal government gathers the data from Cessna airplanes and can cover most of the U.S. population.
Imagine for a moment if this news had happened under George Bush I or II? Imagine the screeching, crying and whaling of the left who raised hell about having libraries report what books you read... the invasion of privacy they would screech but when it comes to the incompetent Kenyan in the white house the left simply rolls over.
Have you been there? I have, and talked to the people. I asked them about their high taxes, and you know what the common answer is?
"The government provides the services we want and need".
Well, what about waste?
" We trust that they are spending our money wisely ".
That is NOT the way that conversation would go in Canada or the USA.
I respect your opinion, but my experience tells me that anti-Americanism is a cultural preoccupation bordering on an obsession in Canada. It is just...well... strange. Making fun of Americans, or just quietly judging them, has been a national pastime in Canada. I think this alone is a type of insecurity.
I've been to Canada three times, don't get me wrong, I think the country is decent. Certainly not the best, it is not even going to make my top 10 favorite countries list, but still the country is decent. What I cannot stand is the judgmental attitude towards America as a country. I don't think they really have to.
I think one of the advantages of losing their sense of moral superiority is gaining a better grip on reality. The truth is, Canada was never that good, and America was never that bad.
1. Canada’s non-involvement in Iraq is a MYTH, not a truth.
As a matter of fact, they were involved in the wars in many different ways. One of the ways which they were involved was through their navy. They had thousands of people aboard numerous multi-billion dollar frigates and a destroyer that were involved in leading and protecting and supplying the coalition navy in the initial invasion in 2003, as well as many times since over the years. They have army generals, Canadian army generals, there were three different Canadian generals who held command positions leading the entire war, they were deputy commanders, so number two in command of the Iraq war. There were three of them and they each spent a year to a year and a half in Iraq. There was another Canadian general who led a US base where they trained thousands of us soldiers and sent them off to war in Iraq. We provided war planners which helped to organize the strategy for the wars, once it started.
Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a country where all medical services are free? Wait a minute, you may be saying. We do. It’s called Canada.
Sorry, but no. We’ve been conditioned to think that way and it’s true that basic medical services are covered under Medicare: doctor visits, diagnostic tests, hospital stays, most surgeries, etc. But there are many other healthcare costs that have to be paid out of our own pockets, in part or in whole.
Recently, the BMO Wealth Institute published a report on Canada’s aging population that contained some startling numbers. It found that there are 5.3 million people age 65 and older in this country, or 15.3 per cent of the population. And that number will steadily increase going forward, due in part to the fact we’re living longer.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilyflower3191981
I respect your opinion, but my experience tells me that anti-Americanism is a cultural preoccupation bordering on an obsession in Canada. It is just...well... strange. Making fun of Americans, or just quietly judging them, has been a national pastime in Canada. I think this alone is a type of insecurity.
There is some truth to that. I spend half my time in both countries. What amazes me is how little Americans know of the outside world, and it astounds me how little they know of their own country. They don't know it's geography, climates, much of it's history, can often name less States than I can, certainly less capitals of those States, don't understand their full system of government and often have a very myopic viewpoint.
Most of those are otherwise intelligent and successful people... they just are not interested beyond the news, Dancing with the Stars, or what Fox or MSNBC blathers about.
As far health care is concerned, the simple fact is that Canada spends 33% less of its GDP on health care, with better results than the USA. People live longer.those are the monetary facts, and those are the outcomes. Everything else in between is just talk.
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Making fun of Americans, or just quietly judging them, has been a national pastime in Canada. I think this alone is a type of insecurity. 
