Why is the right afraid of European Socialism? (wages, education, money)
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Germany has about 82 million people in an area roughly the size of MN and WI. UK has 62 million and it's considerably smaller than Germany. France also has 62 million. California, the US' most populous state, has 37 million. These are not small population countries. Many of them have more people than US states. The US has 307 million in total. We went to the moon, we helped defeat the Axis, pioneered all sorts of technologies and medicine, and yet we can't do what other Western, industrialized nations can do?
This whole tack -- that the US is special case really smells like a dismissal tactic more than anything else. Especially when people are cherry-picking small population European nations for their comparisons.
Perhaps the question that should be asked is which area of the world allows the better quality of life for its citizens, USA or Europe?
Which offers Health Care to all folk regardless of wealth ?
Which offers the best all round working conditions ?
Which offers best social conditions, paid holidays etc?
Which offers the best quality of life?
It is always building burning, car burning, looting and mugging. It is to intimidate.
Far from it. Having been in the famous London Poll Tax so called riots of 90 I can tell you no buildings were burned, little looting took place but there was damage and some violence which was commited on both sides.
The media will always attempt to paint a glum picture on such events and place blame on the participants.
It is seldom if ever so black and white. Remember there is nothing that the establishment fears more than the masses taking to the streets.
First off, most European countries are not "socialist." They simply have more social elements in a bascially capitalist system.
Second, there is one HUGE difference between the US and all European countries. The US grants the right of US citizenship to anyone born on US soil. That don't fly in Europe! For example it used to be that citizenship passed though the parents ONLY in Germany, now they have changed the law so that someone born their to parents who have been in the country legally for something like eight years can become German citizens. This was done mostly to accomodate the children of long-term "temporary" Turkish workers who had been born in Germany. On paper these young people were Turkish citizens, but spoke no Turkish and who had integrated into German society and wanted no part of their parents' country. If we were to simply stop granting US citizenship to babies born of parents who are her illegally - and by that I mean have entered the country without making their presence known to US immigration, we would not have to carry the huge burden that we have placed on our own backs.
Third there are little details that don't make it to the news or blogs over here. Example: someone in Germany goes on welfare. The state will step in and make sure someone has a roof over their head and food on the table. BUT the next thing the state does is go down the list of ALL relatives and hit them up for reimbursement. You can even get hit up for reimbursement by the state if an ex-spouse goes on the public dole. So not all of that "welfare" is not coming from taxes - if they can find a relative to squeeze they will. Just sayin'.
Fourth the Germans have something that is at once highly intrusive but which helps contain fraud: everyone, citizen or not has to register with the town clerk. No exceptions. And you cannot do squat without this proof of registration, no bank account, no place to live, no job. It is a lot harder to hide from authorities for any length of time. And this also makes it easy for the state to find the relatives of welfare recipients to hit up for reimbursement.
Fifth the cops can stop you in a vehcle for no cause. Just for the hell of it. Set up a dragnet on a strip of country road and check everyone and their cars. Don't like it? Tough they are the police.
Perhaps the question that should be asked is which area of the world allows the better quality of life for its citizens, USA or Europe?
Which offers Health Care to all folk regardless of wealth ?
Which offers the best all round working conditions ?
Which offers best social conditions, paid holidays etc?
Which offers the best quality of life?
We don't want our economy and society to collapse like there's are?
This one makes no sense to me. Is the poster attempting to make the case that U.S. society and economy are on a more secure and stable footing? Seriously?
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