Europe has fallen behind America and the gap is growing

[alarmguy]

... You must also be pretty isolated because many countries in the EU have a much higher quality of life...

This really is a gross inaccurate statement.

BTW- when you talk about health care? The top earning countries have a system like we have in the USA With the top 3 closest (identical) to US health care system Starting with Luxembourg which is right near the USA average wage.

Sorry pal, I dont see people flying to the UK to get complicated operations *LOL* or dental care or an MRI...
I think you need to do more homework.

 

[billt460]

.....Most large cities in America are not safe.

That's because citizens vote for political platforms that despise law enforcement, and coddle criminals. They have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[alarmguy]

I have always believed only filing taxpayers or property owners over 25 years old and no students of any kind should be allowed to vote.
Military and first responders exempt and can vote anytime.

I think the drinking age should be the standard 21 (just to be realistic as that is the drinking age and somehow 21 for the drinking age is more important than voting? ), and anyone on government assistance should not be allowed to vote.

 

[dumkid]

Imagine giving people money to fix your problems instead of saving your money and fixing it yourself

One day, i was driving on a windy dirt road and I saw an ATV fly around the corner ahead of me. Since it was a small shelf road there wasn't anywhere to swerve. We both hit our brakes, but since he was going way too fast he slid into my car and trashed the front bumper. I took pictures and got his contact info, looked at the mangled suspension on his razor, and figured even if his insurance paid for the damage to my car the accident would still end up on my record, and my insurance would probably go up. I made myself a bumper out of metal for $60 (i got some scrap metal from my dad and he let me use his welder, i did have to buy bolts and a hole saw) and I never did contact the ATV guy.

A few months ago I was backing out of a parking spot at night and didn't see a black Ford which had just pulled in behind me. I did back into them and dent the quarter panel. I'm covering the cost to repair the dent out of pocket because I figured $3000 one time was cheaper than doubling my insurance for years to come. Even if you have paid for someone to take care of your problems (insurance) it's still usually cheaper to handle it all yourself.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Let Jeff enjoy it while he can. Some guy from India will be taking his job soon.

If he/she is better than me, then they deserve it. Plus, I've earned far more than I will ever need, so there's that.
FYI, in my line of work, you have to keep relevant mainly through life long education. Otherwise someone from across the ocean or across the street will take your job. That's how it works.
But you miss my point; education is key and I support that. If we fail to educate our people, we are giving the jobs away.

 

[Pew]

It is called having skin in the game. Freeloading off the system is not really a different path in life.

It's not about freeloading, it's about the rights that are listed in 4 constitutional amendments as well as numerous federal laws about voting. Do you know what happened last time literacy laws were implemented in certain USA states?

*For the record, I'm talking strictly about voting - not a person's unwillingness to work.

Don't confuse not giving a hoot, with being "uneducated" on the subject.

No wonder this country keeps repeating history.

It's amusing how much of the forum talks about freedom, until said freedom conflicts with their own beliefs. Then it's "we shouldn't let them do this or that."

 

[JeffKeryk]

Nothing is free. You paid for it via taxes including your fellow citizens. The lecturer didn’t do it for nothing, the building you were in was heated or cooled depending on weather.

Hope you had a good time.

Sure. Freedom is not free. Education is not free. My taxes do contribute to our fine Community Colleges. And they in turn help to fuel Silicon Valley, the tech capitol of the world. Not to mention nursing, automotive tech and so much more.
Remember, I used to be homeless, broke, drunk and going nowhere. DeAnza College, Foothill's Sister College, helped make me rich beyond my wildest dreams. I consider the taxes I pay for education a great investment in the future of our country. And my contribution to these incredible colleges that take broken people like me and give them a life.

I had a great time and learned a lot. The audience was mostly senior citizens; the questions they asked were really tough.

 

[fdcg27]

Who would want to live in a place with walkable cities full of authentic old structures still in daily use as shops and apartments, good public transit, convenient and comfortable intercity rail service, really cheap airlines for longer trips, lots of vacation for all workers as well as healthcare provision for all as a right, not a privilege?
There is much to recommend our country and there is also much to admire about Europe.
Neither model is bad, only different. Our country will never become Europe, nor will Europe ever become the US.
I for one grow weary of a landscape filled with housing developments, strip malls, gas stations, fast food outlets and car repair shops and dealers as well as the need to drive everywhere you might want or need to go.

 

[billt460]

It's not about freeloading, it's about the rights that are listed in 4 constitutional amendments.......

Nowhere in the Constitution is it mentioned that health care is a "right".

 

[billt460]

It's amusing how much of the forum talks about freedom, until said freedom conflicts with their own beliefs. Then it's "we shouldn't let them do this or that."

No one is talking about limiting freedom for anyone. They don't need a federal holiday to claim they have it.

 

[brianl703]

anyone on government assistance should not be allowed to vote.

The few people I've known to be on government assistance don't bother to vote.

 

[Pew]

Nowhere in the Constitution is it mentioned that health care is a "right".

I never mentioned healthcare.

No one is talking about limiting freedom for anyone. They don't need a federal holiday to claim they have it.

Yet the last couple pages were about limiting voting rights. Voting rights that's listed right on the constitution.

 

[Ahausheer]

Not even close ... but that is subjective to what you think "quality" is. Waiting 4 to 6 months for an MRI?

Nitpicking data is just cheap and doesn't prove your point, honestly, if you want me to delve into the subject, you will see that you are not making a strong case - ''The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, the highest maternal and infant mortality, and among the highest suicide rates. The U.S. has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions and an obesity rate nearly twice the OECD average.''
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/pu...has the lowest,nearly twice the OECD average.

You are also focusing on inputs (MRI wait time), you need to look at outcomes (see bold above) as that's ultimately what matters. For example the UK has a higher life expectancy at birth, so maybe you should flock there to have a baby, forget your teeth. Further, healthcare is only a portion of what is meant by quality of life, not sure why you jumped on that. I am talking big picture here.

Now, I have no agenda, so let me say I have personally received much better care in the US when I could afford a high priced PPO and self refer (and still ended up paying at least 25-30K for surgeries etc) and I have heard horror stories here in Sweden about healthcare, but, their outcomes vs the US paints a different picture to my own experience. My wife (a nurse in both countries) and I often ***** about the quality of care here. I am not saying one system is perfect, so let's not nitpick a few data point out of thousands.

Quality for me, it's less stress, higher contentment, less crime, more time off, and more time to enjoy the simple things like bickering on an oil forum. Truth is, if you haven't actually lived in the EU and experienced the subjective things, for at least a year, you can't get a sense of things. Numbers do not tell the tale. For me, it's way better here and I had it **** good in the US, better than most.


Saying the average overall quality of life for the average citizen is higher in the EU, is not bashing on the US, don't take it personally, I just believe that is what the data shows (open to data if you have something contradicting that on a broad scale). I also find it strange that whenever this subject comes up people, from all countries, but particularly the US, seem to take it personally (not saying you are)

Couple of links if you want :
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings/quality-of-life
https://wisevoter.com/country-rankings/standard-of-living-by-country/

 

[PimTac]

Remember, I used to be homeless, broke, drunk and going nowhere. DeAnza College, Foothill's Sister College, helped make me rich beyond my wildest dreams. I consider the taxes I pay for education a great investment in the future of our country. And my contribution to these incredible colleges that take broken people like me and give them a life.

Yes I’ve heard that story many times and I applaud your success. It started with you. The college facilitated your success but it took initiative on your part.

Todays colleges are eager to take $100k from a youngster and give them a degree that doesn’t get them far. A degree in Greek Philosophy might get someone a job in a gyro sandwich shop. Then that person gripes that it’s not fair.

Look at the Asian students in particular, getting degrees in subjects like medicine, science, engineering and so on.

 

[Mainia]

I agree, I hope the people in the United States are intelligent enough to realize how overregulation destroys economies.
It’s well known that the EU has become a regulation nightmare for any company, wishing to do business there.
We too, have become over regulated, but to a lesser extent so far. The countries that allow companies to spread their wings and grow without government jumping on their back are the countries that will ultimately succeed and continue to succeed.

The good news is because we are a large country made up of 50 states. We can already see the states that over regulate and the results of that over regulation when companies start leaving those states, this allows the other states to learn the lesson not to repeat the same mistakes.
We cannot discuss politics here, but we all know the states that people and companies are leaving and where they’re going, and those are the states with less regulation and create an environment for companies to prosper and grow.

Yes, but the workers follow the work and bring their thought process on how the new states locals should act and think and infect the new state with that thought process that wrecked their old screwed up over regulated state. Most states are too close in percentages and it doesn't take many people with stupid thought process to turn the new state into the old wrecked state.

 

[billt460]

I never mentioned healthcare.


Yet the last couple pages were about limiting voting rights. Voting rights that's listed right on the constitution.

People with nothing will always vote for something for themselves..... Just as long as they don't have to pay the bill. This covers both of your comments.

No matter how you frame this, it always comes down to the haves vs. the have nots. It's never about individual rights. It always comes down to who pays the bill.

 

[Pew]

People with nothing will always vote for something for themselves..... Just as long as they don't have to pay the bill. This covers both of your comments.

People in general will always vote to benefit themselves. Why try to pin point certain groups?

 

[TheLastWord]

The mods are one click away from shutting this down.

 

[billt460]

People in general will always vote to benefit themselves. Why try to pin point certain groups?

I'm not. I don't care who they are, or what they want. Let people pay their own freight in life. And they don't need a Federal paid holiday to celebrate it regardless.

 

[Pew]

I'm not. I don't care who they are, or what they want. Let people pay their own freight in life. And they don't need a Federal paid holiday to celebrate it regardless.

You don't need July 4th as a federal holiday either, or any of the other 10 federal holidays.