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What do most European nations do better than we do in America?
* Provide health care to many more people at a level of quality equal to what average (not wealthy) Americans receive for half the cost that we pay
* Educate their youth to the level of our college sophomores, two years earlier than we do
* Use far less energy and other resources per capita than we do
* Dispose of far less garbage per capita than we do
* Achieve greater socioeconomic equality without depriving citizens of their right to choose an occupation and receive just rewards for their efforts
* Spend more on basic scientific research that will lead them into the future of the global economy rather than blowing it all on a massive military
* Maintain neutrality with respect to the internal affairs of sovereign nations while the USA consistently meddles, conducts covert operations and invades them
Those are just off the top of my head.
For those of you knee-jerk "love it or leave it" people who are about to write "Why don't you move to Europe", please send me the funds to do so. French lessons would be a plus. Thanks in advance!
Its sheltered freaks like this who give the city of Austin a bad name.
Regardless of details I sometimes find it a bit odd when I read posts that suggest not changing from the past just in order to maintain the way things used to be, to keep doing things in what people assume is the American or European way, not to develop in a certain way just because another country or region has developed in that direction first.
I find that dangerous. Systems evolve, they need to evolve in order to keep up with new challenges etc. The goal is not to stay the same under any circumstances just for the sake of staying the same, but to find the system that works best for as many people as possible. Naturally such a system will comprise elements from various older systems.
OUR Country is who it is because of our constitution, that is who we are!
The Constitution was created specifically to limit the powers of the government because as the government gains power, the citizens lose it.
Many of the European countries are now finding that their model is not working and can't be sustained. They're trying to reverse the trend. Why would we follow the model that has created significant trouble for many of them? (Before I spark outrage, I do think we need safety-nets for those that really need it. I think that a responsible society should do that.) Many forms of government have been tried. The most successful to date has been the Constitutional government of the US. It has allowed for tremendous prosperity, innovation, and generosity. Yes, there are people that have difficult lives. Despite impressions, the reality is that this is also the case in Europe.
Both continents have all kinds of means to help people, we just do it in different ways. After all, Europeans and US-Americans are actually quite similar, although neither side wants to admit it. For instance we are very similar in our values and morals, with the same extremes on both continents. Let's not forget that there are a lot of hardcore capitalists in Europe, too, and that there are proud communists in the US, too.
OUR Country is who it is because of our constitution, that is who we are!
Sure, but constitutions are just provisions written by humans, usually a long time ago. Probably every country has one, no matter what they call it and which provisions they include. But in no case is it some holy book that may not be changed and adapted. There usually are high hurdles to changing constitutions, but it is not at all impossible.
Both continents have all kinds of means to help people, we just do it in different ways. After all, Europeans and US-Americans are actually quite similar, although neither side wants to admit it. For instance we are very similar in our values and morals, with the same extremes on both continents. Let's not forget that there are a lot of hardcore capitalists in Europe, too, and that there are proud communists in the US, too.
What do most European nations do better than we do in America?
* Provide health care to many more people at a level of quality equal to what average (not wealthy) Americans receive for half the cost that we pay
* Educate their youth to the level of our college sophomores, two years earlier than we do
* Use far less energy and other resources per capita than we do
* Dispose of far less garbage per capita than we do
* Achieve greater socioeconomic equality without depriving citizens of their right to choose an occupation and receive just rewards for their efforts
* Spend more on basic scientific research that will lead them into the future of the global economy rather than blowing it all on a massive military
* Maintain neutrality with respect to the internal affairs of sovereign nations while the USA consistently meddles, conducts covert operations and invades them
Those are just off the top of my head.
For those of you knee-jerk "love it or leave it" people who are about to write "Why don't you move to Europe", please send me the funds to do so. French lessons would be a plus. Thanks in advance!
Tongpa-nyi gets quite nasty responses, just because he or she quotes statistics, that are not exactly a secret anyway Does the truth hurt so bad? Would be more constructive to reply by quoting statistics on the things the US is doing better than Europe.
Because we are a Republic, not just a Democracy, which means our Founding Documents give us individual rights that would be eroded away to nothing in a European-type system. American colonists fought King George III and the British Parliament because they were given no representation, no voice in the government, especially with regards to taxes. Had the concerns of the Colonists over taxation been given serious consideration in England, (had they been listened to) we in the US would likely still be Brits. After much arguing amoungst themselves, the Colonists came to realize an indisputable truth; that even the saintliest person becomes a tyrant if s/he is given unfettered power and wealth. The problem with European style socialism is similar to the problem the colonists had with Britain - a relatively few tyrants make decisions for the masses. Not a system I want to live under. (Capitalism may temporarily give power and wealth to a people in the business community, but we can vote with our dollars and use our freedom of speech to put them out of business.)
Afraid or disagree?
Why does the left ignore that Europe gets a pretty good pass on defence spending because they rely on our military and NATO?
Imagine if we cut our defence budget by 3/4 we would have some loose change rolling around too.
Ah but then who would the UN use as thier world cop right?
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Does the truth hurt so bad? 
Would be more constructive to reply by quoting statistics on the things the US is doing better than Europe.
