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Most people that think like that are from extremely car centered cities where the only people that use the inefficient public transit that's available are those that have absolutely no other option
All I have down here in South Jersey is everyone using public transit. Everyone uses the PATCO here to get in Philadelphia to their jobs, and they own cars over here.
There are over 85 taxpayer funded antipoverty programs but the fact is the poverty rate has changed very little since they were first implemented under LBJ. But the standard of living of those considered to be in poverty has vastly increased. So I wonder what exactly people think we should do. Maybe people do not realize when you subsidize something, you get more of it, not less.
This government is. I don't see the governments of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, or even Germany in that way.
There is a backlash coming I think. The Millenials are quite fond of socialism, a very large percentage harbor a venomous hatred for capitalism. They will be voting for awhile. They almost elected one of the more unelectable candidates we have ran in some time. Actually Sanders would likely be our president if the DNC didn't corrupt the process.
Nothing to worry about. The socialists don't vote. They just run around and protest that the world is unfair while everyone else is working.
This may not be such a problem if some of the people in other countries would step it up a bit, but when all of the greatest technological innovations as far as brand marketing is concerned of recent memory have come from the United States, well, that's where the wealth is going to flow. We should be talking about what makes a country of 300 million people the world leader in innovation and marketing those innovations and why does every great new piece of technology always come from the US? Why isn't there a European smart phone that's better than the iPhone or Android? Why isn't there a European Facebook that's better than our Facebook? Why is a continent that the left so idolizes so bankrupt when it comes to actual products for sale outside of a few cars, their economies are weak, their technology is read about in a lab, and really any sort of progress whatsoever seems destined for other countries to pounce upon? The left points to their "progress" as people being subsidized for not working, subsidized for having kids and getting long paternal and maternal leaves, subsidized for housing, and basically it's such a great place to live for handouts. What has that given the world though? Why am I not using anything at present that was developed in Europe? Sure, maybe the initial IDEA was made by a European, but what happened to that?! Why are all computers made by American companies? Like literally nothing comes to mind that ships from Europe and that we all use. Yet every day I use TVs made in Asia or developed in North America, or video game consoles built by innovative Asian or North American companies. Why am I using all Asian and North American devices and technology? What is wrong with Europe that their great education systems and amazing social programs aren't producing much of anything that benefits the world? It's nice they're all able to work only 29 hours a week and get 5 months of vacation a year, but it's rather obvious it's a civilization in decline as they can't make a movie worth watching, despite dominating the film industry before World War II, they can't make a product worth using, and the biggest thing I can even think about that is European is IKEA, cheap, disposable furniture for college kids. Yay, what an innovation.
People love to point to things like the steam engine, the automobile, the computer, "All European." Well why are we not all using some form of European computer, then? Because AMERICAN companies understand how to market and innovate when it comes to actual products. Thus it shouldn't be a huge surprise that American entrepreneurs are going to get rich doing that, because the entire world is buying our products, watching our movies, and looking up to our culture. Nobody sits around in America wishing they could use a French tablet, immerse themselves in French filmmaking, and be like the French. It's a world economy now, so it stands to reason that the innovators and the drivers of the biggest companies that sell the most goods and products worldwide are also going to be the richest people.
I think we all know there are tons of smart people in Europe, but their work ethic doesn't compare to American work ethic on any level. You have countries where the average amount of work per week is incredibly low, their unemployment rates are high, and any sense that you might benefit from the results of your innovation is squashed by high taxes and burdensome regulations, so who can blame them for not working harder?! That is not a society I would want to live in. If having bigger winners also means having bigger losers, then sign me up! A society shouldn't be judged by how many people are exactly mediocre, but how many people are GREAT. History itself is a story of great individuals doing great things, it certainly isn't told about a bunch of mediocre faceless nobodies just sort of existing peaceably enough. "Well yay, our country has no homeless people and everyone is educated, everyone has a basic contented existence." Alright, so what though? If that country doesn't have any great achievements, then I don't care if everyone is fed, clothed, has housing, and has their basic needs met. I would value a society much more highly where the possibility for greatness to arise is the strongest, and that society looks like the US it doesn't look like Europe. Europe is the past, and I worry the US is the present, with Asia being the future. I hope I'm wrong, but the more some people want to make us into Europe, the more this country won't be able to keep up with China or even Japan.
Well said. And yes, Asia is the future. Hard working folks there. My cousin's Thai foreign exchange student laughed at how easy her American classes were compared to her Thai classes. That's gotta open your eyes a bit.
Well said. And yes, Asia is the future. Hard working folks there. My cousin's Thai foreign exchange student laughed at how easy her American classes were compared to her Thai classes. That's gotta open your eyes a bit.
No Asia and China is not the future. Why is Xi together with Putin so desperate to unseat the Dollar as the global currency? Because they fear the Strong Dollar, which will crunch them up and scatter them in the wind. Any foreign nation with too much dollar-denominated loans will be crunched when forced to refinance those loans with more expensive dollars. The East is getting ready to go back to sleep for many years and will have trouble waking up again.
They are the future. In fact, the future center-point of all commercial and financial activity will be the India, with its 1+Billion people flanked by 2 Billion people in Southeast Asia, 1.5 Billion people in Central Asia, and 1+Billion people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C2BP
Why is Xi together with Putin so desperate to unseat the Dollar as the global currency? Because they fear the Strong Dollar, which will crunch them up and scatter them in the wind.
That is not why.
The US Dollar is a function of US hegemony.
Any foreign State not desiring to be subordinate to US interests will naturally seek alternative means to be independent of US hegemony.
They are the future. In fact, the future center-point of all commercial and financial activity will be the India, with its 1+Billion people flanked by 2 Billion people in Southeast Asia, 1.5 Billion people in Central Asia, and 1+Billion people in sub-Saharan Africa.
I respectfully disagree. As I mentioned earlier the East is getting ready to go back to sleep for many years.
Bloomberg:
"In 2008, China’s total debt was about 141 percent of its gross domestic product. By mid-2017 that number had risen to 256 percent. Countries that take on such a large amount of debt in such a short period typically face a hard landing. That’s why everyone—academics, private banks, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the Bank for International Settlements, and People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan—is sounding the alarm."
What China HAS done since is pile on more and more debt. When the Dollar rises and the Chinese stock market collapses, China will not have much leverage to stem to bleeding. They are already heavily indebted for having subsidized all those "ghost cities" to make their GDP grow, in order to continue to attract foreign investment.. China debt to gdp is staggering.
They are subsidizing companies and banks so they don't go bankrupt. Does China have enough money to continue to subsidize corruption for the next 12+ years, as the Chinese economy shrinks?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mircea
That is not why.
The US Dollar is a function of US hegemony.
Any foreign State not desiring to be subordinate to US interests will naturally seek alternative means to be independent of US hegemony.
The overvalued US$ means lower exports, depressed wages, and more debt for us. Meanwhile those emerging Asian countries will export more to the US. They won't be suffering.
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