I don't agree with your 'negatives'. People get locked up because some of them murder, some steal, some molest, and some deal drugs. I don't agree that we 'throw away the key'. In fact, the exact opposite is true. We have some pretty liberal sentencing laws when people who commit 2nd degree murder, manslaughter, etc. can get out in less than 12-years. A goodly number of the criminals let out strike again which verifies the lean sentences we have.
I also don't agree that we are a 'harsh and brutish' nation with regard to minorities and those without. Yes, we have made mistakes but the underlying goodness is still there. If you're a minority, it doesn't get any better than it does in the United States. We have affirmative action laws all over the country, most employers are required by law to be an 'equal opportunity employer' that doesn't discriminate based on race, religion, creed, and several other classifications that the French call a certain 'I don't know what'. (Trans-gendered may actually be mentioned in the EoE laws, but I'm not sure what that is and I'm afraid to Google it).
Finally, the 40-million uninsured figure has been debunked a thousand times, however, the drive-by media won't reveal the truth. In fact -- drive-by is now quoting 50-million and sometimes 60-million being uninsured. This is absolute nonsense. I have the figures @ work, but here's the bottom-line on the uninsured:
1. Many of the left-leaning think tanks count illegal aliens in the uninsured number.
2. 40% of the uninsured are eligible for government assistance but *DON'T* sign up for whatever reason. (I'm not 100% on the 40% figure, but I'll get it later). Whatever it was, it's a large percentage.
3. 30% of the uninsured were only without coverage for 3 to 4-months. They might have been in between jobs for several months, and then got a new job with health benefits.
4. 30% of the uninsured had family incomes exceeding $85,000 but simply chose not to have coverage. Maybe they wanted that SUV worse than the health premium? Sucks to be them.
The real number that should be quoted is 9 to 12-million; not 40, 42, 44, and 50-million.
Regarding 'basic humanity', I defy anybody in this forum to find a better country that guarantees the dignity and freedom of the human person better than the United States. The Declaration of Independence is an amazing read.
Originally Posted by sgallan  Although the US is split on who is the right person to run this country, most of us will agree that America is the best country in the world!
(snip)
On the other hand....
We lock up more of our citizens than any other industrialized world with a lock them up and throw away the key mentality.
We are a harsh and brutish nation - especially to the minorities and those without.
We are a nation that just blinks at 40 million uninsured - many of them children.
Bottom line is; We are a great country. A powerful country. A beautiful country. But best? That depends on how one defines basic humanity. If you want to do that.... then we are only the country with the biggest penis. |