by KeithE » Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:46 pm
My travels the last few years have shown me how good life is in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and France. Most love their governments and are happy with their lives; I saw no poverty (but I’m sure it exists but at lower levels than the US - ). Israel was also prosperous but politically divided - not all Israelites approve of the settlements and bombardment/blockade of Gaza (this comes from articles I’ve read as I really did not talk with any Israelites except 2 people at an anti-war museum who were anti-Netanyahu). Now many workers on cruises (mainly from 3rd world countries) did not have good lives back home and I’m not advocating copying the Philippines or the other countries (Philippines seemed to be the most prevalent). I believe in capitalism (if it is controlled when it overly helps corporations, disservices people, or lets inequality grow to outlandish degrees). But the social democracy model of the Scandinavian countries seems right to me.
My travel across I-40 in last few weeks has shown me struggling Americans at truck stops, a casino and nurses. I had thought truckers made good pay - the ones I talked with are barely surviving (some living mainly in their trucks and wives who have left them because they had to be away from home). Some at the casinos were well off (e.g. a group from LaCross WI), some were getting by (e.g. the blackjack dealers, seniors) but many (perhaps most) appeared down and outers (although I did not talk with any of those). The nurses in the hospital (several of which got their training in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria) worked three 12- hour days a week at the hospital at “slightly more than min wage” (one older lady said), and have to work the other days at other jobs to feed their families/pay rent. One very good and knowledgable single guy nurse (maybe 35 yrs old) is commuting to Phoenix to try to become a doctor and going into great debt to do so. My daughter's friends lived in poverty and have depression over their plight (btw, she said she dissuaded one from suiclde). These are not all bad people, just have little opportunity.
The contrast from the upbeat Scandinavians and the people I met along I-40 is stark.
Now I do not trust these ad hoc meet ups, but the I-40 trip broke my heart. I look to academic or official government sources of whole populations to fully inform my views.
Many of the Democratic candidates are proposing remedies (proven by European experience) and we should not let cries of “socialism” derail these ideas.
Seriously consider each idea to improve the lot of Americans (the 80+% of Americans whose life has been diminished due to conservative/GOP “trickle down” policies). We can be as successful and happy as say ; all have universal health care, much less inequality, elder care, childcare, paid family leave, free education (K-PHD) - they do not mind paying taxes up to 50% if they have these services. US is number 18, not bad but could be better.
There is plenty of money available for valuable social programs (health care, infrastructure/jobs, vocational education) from a portion of the excess corporate profits () that is not being used to reinvest or provide jobs.
- And/or a .
- And/or a .
- And/or a 70% tax on income over $1M/year raising revenues between depending the degree of tax avoidance achieved.
Now I do not think we can immediately switch to full Scandinavian “social democracy” given our national debt, but we can make strides.
Imagine a better US.
Last edited by
KeithE on Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:40 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Informed by Data.
Driven by the SPIRIT and JESUS’s Example.
Promoting the Kingdom of GOD on Earth.