American Capitalism vs. European Socialism

[pricejj]

Originally Posted by Drek

Really?

Well here's an idea for you. Stop being an ethnocentric halfwit. Then you might finally have some insight worth a ****.

The only "insight" provided in this thread is you unintentionally setting aside any pretenses of being a bigoted idiot and laying it all out there for the rest of us to see.

You've got nothing huh? Looking for some ideas here. No backhanded slurs, or posts filled with hate.

Everything in the list is accurate, to my knowledge, with positives and negatives in each column. Obviously, you just can't handle that.

But really, I'm looking for a constructive dialog. Chances of that happening appear slim-to-none with you and others.

[pricejj]

If anybody wants to have an intellectual discussion about the current American/European state of affairs, and the best way to handle things going forward, that would be nice.

Otherwise, this thread is probably not for you. If all you have are insults, then kindly post in another thread.

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by pricejj

U.S. disposable household income is 2nd in the world.

U.S. median disposable household income - $31,000
Denmark median disposable household income - $22,000

European tax rates are the highest in the world.

And what do they get for that, Don Pardo?

[Spider]

Originally Posted by pricejj

The American way:
1. Rugged Individualism
2. Low tax rates
3. Easiest place to start a business in the world (by far)
4. Innovation
5. Massive profits can be made
6. Extraordinary compensation among the elite
7. Low cost of living (in certain areas)
8. Melting pot
9. System encourages welfare abuse
10. Low growth

The European way:
1. Individual focuses on how they help and fit into society
2. High tax rates
3. Difficult to start a business (excessive regulation)
4. Not as much disparity between CEO pay and normal workers

5. High cost of living
6. Certain areas are Homogeneous
7. Mass unemployment
8. Large safety net
9. In a recession

Obama is obviously trying to turn America into Europe. Will the world lose the most innovative force the world has ever known in America? How can we have freedom, innovation, and prosperity going forward? Would high taxes kill American innovation? Did the American jobs engine create most of the jobs in the world today?

Which way works? Why?

wtf are you babbling about ?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by pricejj

You've got nothing huh? Looking for some ideas here. No backhanded slurs, or posts filled with hate.

Riiiiiiiiight - when another forum member calls you on your constant ethnocentric and xenophobic tripe, he's just a "hater."

There is definitely something sociopathic about your inability to look in the mirror.

[Arkie]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

The 1.5 million figure (source?) doesn't necessarily say what you want it to say when you don't know when those folks emigrated to the U.S.

The world is more free today. We've lost some liberties over time, and the rest of the world gained some. It's a combination of these trends that dampened the desire to come to America. It's not because we aren't socialist enough.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Arkie

The world is more free today. We've lost some liberties over time, and the rest of the world gained some. It's a combination of these trends that dampened the desire to come to America. It's not because we aren't socialist enough.

No one mentioned anything about socialism.

The argument was essentially that our standard of living was inferior to some of the European countries mentioned.

[Arkie]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

No one mentioned anything about socialism.

The argument was essentially that our standard of living was inferior to some of the European countries mentioned.

European socialism is in the thread title.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Arkie

European socialism is in the thread title.

But your comment was directed at Razor's post about the Danes.

[spdirty]

Originally Posted by houghtam

Americans are not exceptional, neither is the US.

Not anymore.

[Pony Boy]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

But your comment was directed at Razor's post about the Danes.

Cartoon copy.jpg

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

^

Poor righties - those mean ol' comedians and cartoonists just won't stop picking on them.

Maybe you should stop providing them with so much fodder.

[pricejj]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

No one mentioned anything about socialism.

The argument was essentially that our standard of living was inferior to some of the European countries mentioned.

I don't buy that argument. U.S. median disposable household income is the second highest in the world. Obviously that would indicate that average U.S. standard of living is higher.

Europe has higher taxes, and thus more infrastructure, so there is that. But we are the world leaders on spending for education and healthcare.

Why do you say that Europeans have a higher standard of living?

[pricejj]

Originally Posted by spdirty

Not anymore.

I disagree. Haven't most of the products we use been invented in the U.S.? The T.V., the internet, the microwave, the refrigerator, the digital clock, modern textiles, etc. It's not a coincidence.

hat's the essence of the main post. If the U.S. turns into a Socialist Democracy (with the necessarily high tax rates)...isn't it inevitable that the world suffers?

What can we do to avoid that?

[DenverBrit]

Originally Posted by pricejj

I disagree. Haven't most of the products we use been invented in the U.S.? The T.V., the internet, the microwave, the refrigerator, the digital clock, modern textiles, etc. It's not a coincidence.

hat's the essence of the main post. If the U.S. turns into a Socialist Democracy (with the necessarily high tax rates)...isn't it inevitable that the world suffers?

What can we do to avoid that?

Many products in use were invented as a result of multiple inventions, by different people, at different times in different countries.

ie: Radio, light bulb television, modern textiles, telephone, movies etc. There is a difference between 'inventing' and making 'commercially viable.'

[houghtam]

Originally Posted by DenverBrit

Many products in use were invented as a result of multiple inventions, by different people, at different times in different countries.

ie: Radio, light bulb television, modern textiles, telephone, movies etc. There is a difference between 'inventing' and making 'commercially viable.'

Yeah, everyone likes to think of us as the sole innovators, the only ones who contribute anything to world culture. Like if this were Star Trek, we'd be the Federation. Everyone thinks we'd be the Federation. But we're not...we're the goddamn Ferengi every time.

"How much money is in it for me?"

[elsid13]

Originally Posted by houghtam

Yeah, everyone likes to think of us as the sole innovators, the only ones who contribute anything to world culture. Like if this were Star Trek, we'd be the Federation. Everyone thinks we'd be the Federation. But we're not...we're the goddamn Ferengi every time.

"How much money is in it for me?"

You speak Klingon, don't you?

BTW Star Trek's Federation appears to be either communist or socialist political system.

[Rohirrim]

It seems to me that the problem arises whenever you go to extremes. Extreme socialism is unsustainable. In the end, it becomes too expensive to maintain. So is extreme capitalism. It leads to a breakdown in social cohesion that creates a level of civil unrest which then makes the conduct of business impossible. Somewhere, there is an optimum blend. When you swing to one extreme, you can bet that it's only a matter of time before you start swinging back toward the other.

Of course, paradise is impossible until you first resolve the unrest in the crazy ape's head.

[DenverBrit]

Originally Posted by houghtam

Yeah, everyone likes to think of us as the sole innovators, the only ones who contribute anything to world culture. Like if this were Star Trek, we'd be the Federation. Everyone thinks we'd be the Federation. But we're not...we're the goddamn Ferengi every time.

"How much money is in it for me?"