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Looking at some of the earlier threads in this forum, lots of people (especially people who don't live in the U.S. or never been here) think it sucks living here, that we have low minimum wages, expensive or no health care, that the poor have it bad, lack of vacation, poor housing, etc.
First of all. The United States of America is the only superpower nation in the world. It is the world's wealthiest (yes, even with the crises), the world's famous and well-known.
The Federal minimum wage in the U.S. right now is $7.25. However, individual states/cities could set their own minimum wage and most have it higher than the federal minimum wage. Just because the minimum wage is only $7.25 does NOT mean that's what most people working in retail or whatsoever get payed. There are many European countries, even the ones' highly developed, don't have any minimum wage at all! At least in the U.S. any worker is guaranteed something. Remember that taxes in America are lower than those in Europe or countries with higher minimum wage! Some states do not even have any state tax.
Anyways things cost two-three times more in Europe than they do in America.
Regards to the health care. Yes, the U.S. is virtually the only industrial nation with no national health care. Guess what - that does not mean nobody has any health care. If you are low income or elderly, you get medicare/medicaid and pay NOTHING for your medication, hospital visits, etc. In countries where you get health care, you still pay small amount for decent service they provide you. If you have insurance, the U.S. has the best medical service in the entire world <- Yes, it's true.
Americans who work in companies still get health insurance from their companies, and those who work in private could buy their own type of insurance they want. With this 'Obamacare' we will almost get health care. Yes, unfortunately there are many people who don't have any health insurance, but guess what - there are many doctors out there who help you out, and many of them treat you free or low cost.
Remember that in other countries who get health care pays for it too, that's why they have high income taxes! Nothing is free.
Regards to the poor. Yes, there are many low-income Americans. Yes, it sucks being poor in America. However I could guarantee you that the low income in America lives nicer than the low income in other countries.
Anyways there are poor people everywhere, in every single country. I've been to most European countries, including western and northern Europe and saw plenty of homeless people.
Regards to the 'lack of vacation'. Yes, the U.S. is the only industrial nation where the government do not mandate any paid days off for any reason. Just because there is no government mandatory does NOT mean workers do not get any days off. Yeah, most people get 2 weeks off, but PLENTY of workers get 3-5 weeks off, including public holidays. I have friends who get 6 weeks paid vacation, along with all national holidays. Nobody gets this much anywhere in Europe. No, they are not teachers. Anyways I don't think anyone would work in a company that offer bad benefits, or that any company offers that.
Last but not least. Houses in America might not be built in a quality as 'great' as most of Europe; however our houses in general are MUCH MUCH nicer, larger, better gardens, central A/C (most have it) and overall look better. Quality of life is great here!
America is the land of opportunity. This nation has everything that no other nations offers, anywhere from the all type of climates, to the chain stores, to the diversity, to the cities and much more!
God Bless America!
Looking at some of the earlier threads in this forum, lots of people (especially people who don't live in the U.S. or never been here) think it sucks living here, that we have low minimum wages, expensive or no health care, that the poor have it bad, lack of vacation, poor housing, etc.
First of all. The United States of America is the only superpower nation in the world. It is the world's wealthiest (yes, even with the crises), the world's famous and well-known.
The Federal minimum wage in the U.S. right now is $7.25. However, individual states/cities could set their own minimum wage and most have it higher than the federal minimum wage. Just because the minimum wage is only $7.25 does NOT mean that's what most people working in retail or whatsoever get payed. There are many European countries, even the ones' highly developed, don't have any minimum wage at all! At least in the U.S. any worker is guaranteed something. Remember that taxes in America are lower than those in Europe or countries with higher minimum wage! Some states do not even have any state tax.
Anyways things cost two-three times more in Europe than they do in America.
Regards to the health care. Yes, the U.S. is virtually the only industrial nation with no national health care. Guess what - that does not mean nobody has any health care. If you are low income or elderly, you get medicare/medicaid and pay NOTHING for your medication, hospital visits, etc. In countries where you get health care, you still pay small amount for decent service they provide you. If you have insurance, the U.S. has the best medical service in the entire world <- Yes, it's true.
Americans who work in companies still get health insurance from their companies, and those who work in private could buy their own type of insurance they want. With this 'Obamacare' we will almost get health care. Yes, unfortunately there are many people who don't have any health insurance, but guess what - there are many doctors out there who help you out, and many of them treat you free or low cost.
Remember that in other countries who get health care pays for it too, that's why they have high income taxes! Nothing is free.
Regards to the poor. Yes, there are many low-income Americans. Yes, it sucks being poor in America. However I could guarantee you that the low income in America lives nicer than the low income in other countries.
Anyways there are poor people everywhere, in every single country. I've been to most European countries, including western and northern Europe and saw plenty of homeless people.
Regards to the 'lack of vacation'. Yes, the U.S. is the only industrial nation where the government do not mandate any paid days off for any reason. Just because there is no government mandatory does NOT mean workers do not get any days off. Yeah, most people get 2 weeks off, but PLENTY of workers get 3-5 weeks off, including public holidays. I have friends who get 6 weeks paid vacation, along with all national holidays. Nobody gets this much anywhere in Europe. No, they are not teachers. Anyways I don't think anyone would work in a company that offer bad benefits, or that any company offers that.
Last but not least. Houses in America might not be built in a quality as 'great' as most of Europe; however our houses in general are MUCH MUCH nicer, larger, better gardens, central A/C (most have it) and overall look better. Quality of life is great here!
America is the land of opportunity. This nation has everything that no other nations offers, anywhere from the all type of climates, to the chain stores, to the diversity, to the cities and much more!
God Bless America!
I feel like this is a joke...it has to be...is this someone who made a new profile just to take the **** out of americans...or is this serious ? If this IS serious then looks like I am going to waist more time on city-data for how entertaining this thread will be, I however have no patience to respond to this...
"god bless america" oh boy lol. Why is god always on your side? Did you ever think there are 200 other countries around the world who are telling their citizens the same thing. So funny to watch lol
It's because the know in their threadbare hearts that without the US they would be in worse shape then they are now and if we go down they go down harder.....
I wish you were trolling. But I'm American too, and know there are many Americans like yourself who've never been abroad, and just simply do not know.
But, if you do go abroad, you'll see that many places aren't all that different for quality of life, and sometimes even have a lot more.
It's hard to explain, but easier to experience.
Actually I was born in Europe and traveled nearly all over the continent. I've also been to several Asian and South American countries, as well as Oceania. Not a single country offers what the U.S. does.
Actually I was born in Europe and traveled nearly all over the continent. I've also been to several Asian and South American countries, as well as Oceania. Not a single country offers what the U.S. does.
Well, it's probably true for you than. It depends on what a person likes.
For me, I like living near a million amenities that I can walk to. In the US, it costs an enormous amount of money or a compromise in safety to live in American cities.
I also like safe large cities, which are rare to come by in the States.
I also like paying much less for healthcare needs. My wife had a kid here in Japan, and 5-days of round-the-clock care, plus the birth, plus private room with nursing staff, only cost me $2,000. Probably would have charged me $50,000 for that in the U.S. So, I like having affordable healthcare.
I like drinking a beer with friends at the beach, but it's illegal in the U.S. I also like meeting people for a few drinks once in awhile. Can't do that in the U.S. as all the bars are places you generally have to drive to. Etc. I'd never drink-and-drive, so I wouldn't be able to socialize there, etc.
On and on and on...it's all relevant to what a person's situation in life is. Your life and priorities are probably different than mine, so maybe none of those things matter to you though.
Maybe cause USA is full of crazy patriots that think they are the best nation in the world in everything...
or maybe only you??
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? If this IS serious then looks like I am going to waist more time on city-data for how entertaining this thread will be, I however have no patience to respond to this...
...
