America's still the best

sgallan · 05-13-2008, 11:58 AM

FWIW, this isn't a "bad" nation - it is way better than most. I only have to drive a couple of hours to see that given I am close to the Mexican border. It is probably the nation with the most opportunities. It just kind of depends on what your definition of "best" is.

Some of the harsh 'dog eat dog' aspects of this nation, are also part of what makes it so powerful, and filled with so much opportunity. Now that I am older, and not really in the rat race anymore, this aspect of our country isn't really what I am about. So the more laid back, less aggressive, generally more open minded, less crowded, with health insurance, life in Canada, would suit me just fine.

arm-spin · 05-13-2008, 12:18 PM

We (Canada) used to be #1 for a bunch of years, according to a UN poll. Now those darn Scandinavian nations have us beat

Cyclone85 · 05-13-2008, 12:39 PM

I just can't agree any less with the 'this isn't a bad nation'. This is a great country by any stretch of the imagination.

If you want a less aggressive lifestyle, move to South Dakota or northern Iowa. Pretty much just corn and beans for literally as far as the eye can see.

Also, as I indicated earlier, most people in this country have health insurance. The vast majority of U.S. citizens have coverage either through individual policies (farmers, sole proprietors, etc), small group policies in a small employer setting, or large group policies through larger employers. Many state laws are changing so that kids can be covered until the age of 25 on the parent's group policy. The working poor (who can't afford coverage) generally have decent coverage through the various state pools (SCHIP, or other high risk and subsidized pools), and Medicaid. Oldsters get heavily subsidized coverage through Medicare (my taxes), and affordable and guaranteed issue Medicare supplement plans. Nobody should fall for the notion that we have 47-million people hobbling around the countryside with club feet, wheelchairs careening into ditches, and little children dying in their mother's arms because of an anaphylactic shock that a doctor or emergency room wouldn’t treat immediately. Nobody is getting turned away for the inability to pay. Every single doctor that I have ever talked to in my life, provides free care when needed. Hospitals are required by law to provide free care (for the inability to pay).

Finally, you pay through the nose in Canada for an inferior universal coverage. Their system is in turmoil and it may eventually crumble under its own weight. Their Supreme Court is hearing cases about the plan. Check out Canadian tax rates vs. those of the United States. Nothing is free, especially universal health care. Also, they ration health care in a way that would take your breath away compared to what you’re used to here.

Originally Posted by sgallan

FWIW, this isn't a "bad" nation - it is way better than most. I only have to drive a couple of hours to see that given I am close to the Mexican border. It is probably the nation with the most opportunities. It just kind of depends on what your definition of "best" is.

Some of the harsh 'dog eat dog' aspects of this nation, are also part of what makes it so powerful, and filled with so much opportunity. Now that I am older, and not really in the rat race anymore, this aspect of our country isn't really what I am about. So the more laid back, less aggressive, generally more open minded, less crowded, with health insurance, life in Canada, would suit me just fine.

FloggingSully · 05-13-2008, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Tight-Waist

I understand that, but I believe there is a very telling and objective criteria upon which to base a comparison. I challenge you to find one that even comes close in number of people wanting to get in.

I disagree that number of people trying to get in is telling or objective criteria in judging how "good" a country is or where the most people want to live. Immigration from undeveloped or poor countries is greatly affected by convenience and what information the immigrant has. For example, people in Mexico/Haiti/Cuba would chose to come to the US because it's close to where they are and because they have probably been told their entire lives that the US is the place to go. These people are probably unaware of the opportunities available in other countries, and even if they were they wouldn't have the means to get there.

I think if you needed to use immigration as a measure of which country is the "best place to live" then the immigration patterns of people from developed countries (or people with money in general) who have access to more information and have the means to move anywhere they want would be a much better measure. And I honestly have no idea what country would come out on top if you used that measure.

I still think that trying to determine what country is the "best place to live" is about as useful as trying to find an objective criteria to determine what's the best beer or the best pizza place.

FloggingSully · 05-13-2008, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Cyclone85

I just can't agree any less with the 'this isn't a bad nation'. This is a great country by any stretch of the imagination.

If you think this is a great nation then you do agree with the 'this isn't a bad nation' unless you have some weird definition of "great" and/or "bad".

sgallan · 05-13-2008, 01:06 PM

If you think this is a great nation then you do agree with the 'this isn't a bad nation' unless you have some weird definition of "great" and/or "bad".

Napolean was a great man with many excesses. You can be 'great' without being a saint, or the best.

Tight-Waist · 05-13-2008, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Cyclone85

I just can't agree any less with the 'this isn't a bad nation'. This is a great country by any stretch of the imagination.

If you want a less aggressive lifestyle, move to South Dakota or northern Iowa. Pretty much just corn and beans for literally as far as the eye can see.

Also, as I indicated earlier, most people in this country have health insurance. The vast majority of U.S. citizens have coverage either through individual policies (farmers, sole proprietors, etc), small group policies in a small employer setting, or large group policies through larger employers. Many state laws are changing so that kids can be covered until the age of 25 on the parent's group policy. The working poor (who can't afford coverage) generally have decent coverage through the various state pools (SCHIP, or other high risk and subsidized pools), and Medicaid. Oldsters get heavily subsidized coverage through Medicare (my taxes), and affordable and guaranteed issue Medicare supplement plans. Nobody should fall for the notion that we have 47-million people hobbling around the countryside with club feet, wheelchairs careening into ditches, and little children dying in their mother's arms because of an anaphylactic shock that a doctor or emergency room wouldn’t treat immediately. Nobody is getting turned away for the inability to pay. Every single doctor that I have ever talked to in my life, provides free care when needed. Hospitals are required by law to provide free care (for the inability to pay).

Finally, you pay through the nose in Canada for an inferior universal coverage. Their system is in turmoil and it may eventually crumble under its own weight. Their Supreme Court is hearing cases about the plan. Check out Canadian tax rates vs. those of the United States. Nothing is free, especially universal health care. Also, they ration health care in a way that would take your breath away compared to what you’re used to here.

Good post cyclone! For some.... the grass is always greener on the other side of the border.

Cyclone85 · 05-13-2008, 01:07 PM

When my wife cooked that sauerkraut German chicken last year and I commented 'this isn't bad', she never cooked it again. When asked about the homemade lasagna as being 'this is great!!!'....she fixes it once a month!!

I don't think they are equivalent statements at all.

Originally Posted by FloggingSully

If you think this is a great nation then you do agree with the 'this isn't a bad nation' unless you have some weird definition of "great" and/or "bad".

sgallan · 05-13-2008, 01:09 PM

Cyclone 85 -

You didn't answer my question..... why do you think we have the worlds highest incarceration level?

PS - I am not interested in making this a partisan political discussion. That's your game not mine.

sgallan · 05-13-2008, 01:13 PM

We (Canada) used to be #1 for a bunch of years, according to a UN poll. Now those darn Scandinavian nations have us beat

But I don't want to learn a new language. Besides, they are big supporters of womens wrestling in Canada w/o the religious/cultural bias against it like in the US.

America's still the best

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