Taxes, economy, living standards, presidents (Chicago, abuse, program, state)
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The only countries with more people than the USA are China and India. (Didn't the former Soviet Union have more residents before it dissolved?) China and India are not strikingly excellent examples of good governance, either.
GINI and HDI indices are imperfect. The GINI does capture inequality relatively well, but HDI favors small little countries in central-west Europe or Scandinavia, or city-states in Asia, etc that make Chicagoland look like a major world economic player. Comparing the US to Sweden or Switzerland is a rigged game.
The GINI does capture inequality relatively well...
Relative to what?
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Originally Posted by M TYPE X
...but HDI favors small little countries in central-west Europe or Scandinavia...
Principally because they are beating out people such as say, us. Ii isn't statistical bias that causes our life expectancy to be 4½ years less than that of Japan or that puts our educational enrollment numbers behind those of Kazahkstan...
Yet, there are millions who, without this "safety net" took chances and succeeded.
Ever read the story of Henry Ford?
Are we in the same circumstances today as the 1880's, 1890's? Last time I looked at the data, intergenerational income mobility has decreased in the United States over the last few decades.
And as said, many, many, many times, pulling out examples of those who made it, really doesn't prove that that is the experience of the majority of people.
That access to information - to try something new - to take a chance is easier and less risky than ever before
It's not less risky than before. Health care is a lot more expensive. If someone back in the 60's had an operation, they could pay the bill off in a year, maybe two. Now, unless they are very wealthy it would take a decade. (And that is just a minor hospitalization, like a c-section or an appendectomy).
The cost of housing in proportion to the median income in America has risen disproportionately to wages.
Anyone who thinks the Internet is some panacea is deluded.
I am getting very weary of being bombarded by your questions, as if I were an undergraduate attending a lecture. Knock it off, or I'm going to ignore your posts, okay?
He's exercising standard procedures for critical thinking. If you don't ask yourself difficult questions, then you aren't exploring the issue critically and thoroughly.
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The standards to which I referred -- as you very well know -- are the different expectations under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol applied to different countries.
There is absolutely no reason why we could not have gone back to the table to forge a better deal. But we didn't.
Are we in the same circumstances today as the 1880's, 1890's? Last time I looked at the data, intergenerational income mobility has decreased in the United States over the last few decades.
And as said, many, many, many times, pulling out examples of those who made it, really doesn't prove that that is the experience of the majority of people.
I was referencing those taking chances TODAY without such safety nets.
And, inasmuch as you don't like "examples", is it because some fear even trying? Think about it - many who have "made it" (so to speak), in TODAYS world, did so by taking chances - without your "safety nets". How is it they were willing to take a chance and others are not?
Sorry if any of this undermines any of that rugged individualist, self-made man sort of idea that some seem to have, but it's still true that Big Government has been there riding shotgun with you all the way. It's just that they've scaled back on you a bit just here of late...
The notion of rugged individualists is exaggerated. In backwater towns out west, when your house burned down, the entire town came together and shared to burden to rebuild your house. The exaggeration is just a disguise for selfish greed.
He's exercising standard procedures for critical thinking. If you don't ask yourself difficult questions, then you aren't exploring the issue critically and thoroughly.
Well, it is possible some, such as yourself, consider these boards as a sort of "debating" forum (and take them way too seriously) while others see these boards as merely imperfect and for fun?
The notion of rugged individualists is exaggerated. In backwater towns out west, when your house burned down, the entire town came together and shared to burden to rebuild your house.
I was referencing those taking chances TODAY without such safety nets.
And, inasmuch as you don't like "examples", is it because some fear even trying? Think about it - many who have "made it" (so to speak), in TODAYS world, did so by taking chances - without your "safety nets". How is it they were willing to take a chance and others are not?
Many who took chances, had a built in safety net. Few were $40K wage earners with no accumulated assets willing to take food out of the mouths of their children in order to risk it all.
And frankly, innovation and entrepreneurship is greatly stunted by the right to calamity.
You have stated that you did it all on your own, and opted out of the system. Well good for you. Perhaps that experience is why I find you to be so bitter. I will also point out to you, since you mentioned something about 3 decades in your post, that your ability to do that now, if you were 20 years old (NOW), is very different then the circumstances just 30 years ago.
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