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Is he Belgian? Or is he an American living in Belgium? Big difference. I'm of Belgian ancestry (Grandparents).
Very nice place. I can see why you love it there. I just don't like the winters there. Also remember, you were on vacation. Living and vacationing are two different animals. I do agree with you on the US beingoverrated. The US is a beautiful country that I love, and give it due credit, but will agree that it is overrated. We as Americans tend to boast too much, while many of us never step foot outside this country.
Those who never leave the USA to visit other countries are always the same idiots saying "We are the best". Doesn't it occur to many that there are many (many) people in this world that you could not pay enough money to move to the USA? I know plenty. I've lived in other countries to know that while this is my homeland, and I love it....others have the right to feel the same way about their homeland...
If you are Belgian then the other shoe must drop. Are you Walloon (French speaker) or are you Flemish (Ditch speaker) ? These two communities don't really like each other much!
Also factor in that we use illegal labor in construction to keep costs down. If you go to Denmark you'll see actual Danes building houses. That costs more. We could do that here as well, but we choose to keep an open border policy to keep out costs low. It gives us the illusion of prosperity. Also, there's simply much less land in Denmark thus, land prices are higher than in the US which contribute to the overall cost of buying a home.
It's not the labor. It's the specs. We throw up houses in this country. They BUILD homes in Europe.
Here in Arizona, I've seen no difference in quality based on who the laborers are.
Spent a few days in Copenhagen and Arhus and I had the greatest experience. I had been doing some research about Denmark especially given the fact that they are overall the happiest people in the world and the most satisfied with their health care system.
Everytime I travel to a different country, I just get this feeling that the US is a very overrated country, it also makes me realize how many lies Americans are told on a daily basis, this whole, "We are the greatest, no one compares to us" is truly a bunch of BS. Beautiful country, very safe, no guns, no homeless people, a very happy bunch of people overall
High taxes, and some evil socialism does not seem to be all that bad after all.
Our heritage is Danish/German and have been to Denmark (the Danes, Scots, and Irish are the nicest people in Europe followed closely by the Dutch).
Reasons for "peace and prosperity" in Denmark-
1. Lack of "diversity"- While diversity is beneficial from a genetic standpoint, cultural diversity is destructive and errosive. When one looks at the economic powerhouses of the globe, they are in nations which LACK "diversity".
2. Work ethic- the "Protestant work ethic" is alive and well in Denmark.
3. educated population- Danes appear to culturally promote and support education.
4. No masses of inner city minorities
5. Low crime rate due to #1,#2, and #4
6. No open borders
7. No NAFTA or China most favored nation trade status
8. No trial lawyer's association
A great place to live is not due to GEOGRAPHY, it is due to the PEOPLE.
It's not the labor. It's the specs. We throw up houses in this country. They BUILD homes in Europe.
Here in Arizona, I've seen no difference in quality based on who the laborers are.
I would agree- Mexicans work their asses off and are just fine in the construction industry. The quality of construction is more dependent on the general contractor and the materials.
Spent a few days in Copenhagen and Arhus and I had the greatest experience. I had been doing some research about Denmark especially given the fact that they are overall the happiest people in the world and the most satisfied with their health care system.
Everytime I travel to a different country, I just get this feeling that the US is a very overrated country, it also makes me realize how many lies Americans are told on a daily basis, this whole, "We are the greatest, no one compares to us" is truly a bunch of BS. Beautiful country, very safe, no guns, no homeless people, a very happy bunch of people overall
High taxes, and some evil socialism does not seem to be all that bad after all.
Highregressive taxes. Those who earn the least in Denmark pay the highest tax rates. That's what pays for all the social program benefits:
That's what I've always thought too. When I have traveled overseas, I have noticed that those countries don't put their citizens through all the TSA crap that we have to deal with in this country. Their countries seem to value their civil liberties more in those countries.
Have you been through London Heathrow? It has the tightest and most stringent security I have been through other than Tel Aviv. I recently flew through Stockholm Sweden and leaving was not "lax".
The security at any particular airport is largely based on the threat at that airport location. Heathrow is in the epicenter of where terrorists are believed likely to try to board a plane.
You put up a blatantly misleading graph with no context at all.
Taxes are progressive in Scandinavia. They are in Norway where my family is from and I spend a considerable amount of time. They are in Sweden where I go almost every summer.
And they are in Denmark. Those making more than about 100k (780,000 DKK) are eligible to have 51% of income taxed. No exceptions for capital gains.
Have you even ever been to Scandinavia? It's so liberal compared to the us you would run away crying.
Have you been through London Heathrow? It has the tightest and most stringent security I have been through other than Tel Aviv. I recently flew through Stockholm Sweden and leaving was not "lax".
The security at any particular airport is largely based on the threat at that airport location. Heathrow is in the epicenter of where terrorists are believed likely to try to board a plane.
Also it should be noted that it is very very difficult and very expensive to get a gun in Scandinavia. Way less people have them so there is less worry.
"European social democracies were only able to develop the programs they did because they used efficient consumption taxes that didn't lower growth as much as progressive income taxes, particularly those on capital income. European countries needed tax systems that could raise a lot of money without hurting growth, and only regressive consumption taxes fit the bill."
The US SHOULD have a VAT tax (coupled with a balanced budget amendment and earmarked "debt free notes" issued with retirement of debt to reduce a potential cash crunch).
A VAT would generate $1.3 trillion and eliminate our current deficits. Of course, we could cut both corporate and personal income taxes (thus stimulating the economy) and still have additional revenue for a "budget surplus", as long as we have a balanced budget amendment that starts with current expenditures and revenues.
Why is a VAT important? EVERYONE shares in the misery of taxation and we do not have a "beggar class" that constantly wants increased taxes to receive more benefits.
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