I’d be against prayer being legally required in schools, though i’m still uncertain that it is. Generally I suppose the answer to “why?” for that one is simply that it’s already there and there isn’t a huge amount of support for changing it (considering the lack of people who knew about it, perhaps that lack of knowledge is one reason).
The monarchy make us a reasonable amount of money. Some people like the idea of having a monarchy, even if it doesn’t (or especially if it doesn’t) actually try to do anything - i’ll say one thing for it, it means that we don’t over here have such a preponderance of politicians wrapping themselves in the flag or declaring their patriotism and lack of same from opponents, and it means our Prime Minister isn’t seen as the embodiment of the nation so much as the President of the U.S. is.
Faith schools are generally pretty good. Your summation is a bit poor there - after all, taxpayers are paying for religious education in many schools, not just faith schools, and that’s a good idea because religion affects the world in many ways. The problematic question there is not whether religion is being taught, but perhaps rather whether religion is being pushed at or foisted on pupils at those schools. Generally it tends not to be - and in those cases where it does seem that a school is being less than balanced in its approach, there tends to be rather a large outcry in the media.
You did read where I said I saw it on the news, right? A small amount of Google-fu shows that it’s a report by the OECD. And I was wrong, by the way: America ranks 18th out of 36 industrialized nations, which is better than what I quoted, but certainly not great, compared to where we used to rank. South Korea ranked number one in percentage graduated. Are you seriously trying to say that their poverty rates are lower than the U.S.?
The outcome is the same in both cases, so, who cares? We nominally have a state religion. It doesn’t impact one iota on the lives of British people. It doesn’t stop the practice of other faiths, nor does it stop citizens with other faiths working in government. So again, why should we give a shit?
Eh? It is how it is, it’s not as if these things have sprung up newly-formed.
If any of them ever becomes a huge issue, and enough people agree, it’ll get changed. shrug If they don’t then shrug.
The UK doesn’t really have a set of founding documents like the US does, there’s no Year Zero, it’s been a long shift to get where we are, and it seems a little odd sometimes that some Americans bind to a catechism that they are convinced is inviolate. It’s almost as if the Constitution (plus amendments) were written on tablets of stone.
Because in each case, the reality is far different from what you are portraying. Remember, I live here.
Really, so what? No-one was actually trying to turn us into Christians or anything. I’m against compulsary prayer, but I think it’s an unimportant issue compared to the standard of education provided. Reading up on this, parents have the right to excuse their children from any act of worship:
The fact that the queen has no real political power is in fact a pretty good reason to say the monarchy is unimportant.
Pupils aren’t randomly assigned to faith schools, their parents send them there by choice. I’m not in favour of supressing religion. Children are entitled to an education, so I have no problem with public money going to a faith school, provided it meets educational standards.
Ok. Seems to me there are not many Europeans active in this thread.
So I feel obliged to write a word or two.
I’m from Germany and I have seen a lot of Europe’s countries. I’ve been to the wealthy ones and to the poor ones. And seeing the link to the “poor” Europe I expected some creative use of statistics. But we are poorer because we live in smaller quarters? Please! Having a population density of 229/km² (Germany) instead of 32/km² (US of A) tends to make land a little more expensive. Probably something like seven times more expensive. I’ve got the numbers from wikipedia; and by the way: I’m living in what most Germans would call rural Germany - my town has a population density of “only” 249/km². I’m paying 825$ for my 69 m² apartment (per month - just to avoid misunderstandings). And yes, my apartment is hot (up to 90°F) in the summer but not cold (not less then 68°F) in the winter. Having air-condition is uncommon here. But we do have central heating. And isolation. And running water. And what we like to call “walls”. Ok. This might be a misconception fueled by Hollywood and every hurricane news report I watched on CNN, but if I slam a screwdriver as hard as I can into a wall in my apartment I might scratch the paint. If you do this in the US you probably kill your neighbour. Or get at least sued for trying. And don’t get me started on how our power grids and streets compare to yours.
As a software engineer I’m paid something like 83.000$ a year. Certainly not enough - if you ask me. And as an unmarried man without children I have to pay roughly 45% of my income for tax and social services (unemployment insurance, health insurance, …). That is a lot more than I like to pay - but who likes to pay taxes? But seeing the sunny side: I have health insurance. If I am sick I see a doctor. If I am to sick to work, I stay at home. And what ever sickness I have - money is not an issue. And my own anecdotal proof: My father was diagnosed with cancer just a month ago. He was treated and he is reasonably well now. And money was - even with just basic insurance - never an issue. I think having this kind of security goes a long way. And by the way: I do eat meat regularly.
Are we more enlightened than American? I don’t think so and I strongly object to the “freedom of speech” laws we have in Germany. But America is certainly not more enlightened than us because for its rejection of our health care system. That is one of the things that is good around here. Not without flaws but it is better then the “good ol’ American way”.
I see that you are speaking in terms of economics. I guess I could have clarified that I was speaking in terms of the behavior and attitudes of its people.
The impression I have of most Europeans I meet is of people who, by circumstance, have a larger and lengthier world view than Americans. While Americans (loosely, as a single entity) seem like a teen-ager who has learned how to make some money and accrue power and is ready the impress the world with his skills and intelligence, most Europeans, even the young, appear to me to be more rounded in their values system and psychologically more seasoned.
This doesn’t mean a superior or inferior position but rather an observation of how countries develop much in the same way that people do. By the time that teen with money in his pocket and the world by the tail greets his forties he is beginning to recognize things other than his particular goals to accrue wealth and power. As he has aged he has begun to gain wisdom in what is important besides material things, awareness that he is among many, compromise and living well with others, being among those skills.
I believe the USA still has a way to go to achieving these markers of seasoned aging.
Amendment X of the constitution says anything not outlined was up to the states & people to decide. The states & people want a welfare state. So we have one.
Have you considered the benefits of a welfare state?
Universal health care would be cheaper and would stop many bankruptcies and foreclosures. This would also help stabilize the economy and housing market. Not only that it would increase productivity by ensuring people are free to leave jobs they hate to find better jobs or start their own businesses. Not only that, but people wouldn’t put off medical problems until they got out of hand.
With social security you enable elderly workers to leave the workforce, and let younger workers enter. Workers who are more tech saavy, healthier, with better stamina and who demand lower wages. The end result is productivity goes up. A nation without social security would see more and more people working full time in their 70s while people in their 20s and 30s were chronically unemployed. Not only that, but if we had a pension system instead the same thing would happen as happens with health care, you’d get tons of job lock and people who can’t/won’t leave jobs they hate and are bad at because they can’t afford to lose their pensions.
The welfare state increases productivity if done right. It makes people more secure, allows people to retire and open their jobs up, gives people more job mobility and freedom, stabilizes the economy (fewer bankruptcies and foreclosures)
I really don’t see Europe stagnating the way you feel it is (due to the welfare state). If anything, the Asian miracles may stagnate due to low birth rates. Japan’s population might be cut in half in the next 100 years (from 130 million to 65) due to the low birth rates (which is why nations like France are offering tons of welfare to mothers, especially ones who have a 3rd child, to avoid this fate). The birth rate in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, etc. is extremely low (about 1.3 kids per woman) and their population is becoming elderly rapidly.
The countries with the lowest total fertility rate are almost always eastern european ex-USSR states or east asian states that industrialized rapidly. Taiwan and Singapore will not be so amazing in 30 years when they are 30% elderly. In 2055 Japan will have 1.3 workers per elderly retiree.
My point is that you can condemn France for offering huge incentives for native born French women to have children. But in 50 years France will have enough workers to actually keep their society moving due to those reforms. Japan, Taiwan, possibly China, etc. (the nations you laud as the innovators) will not. They will be crushed by their elderly.
Again, the welfare state, when done properly, increases sustainability and productivity.
How does the VAT affect corporate tax rates in the UK? To the best of my understanding, if you buy raw materials for 100 pounds and sell them for 175 pounds, you pay VAT on the 75 pounds. Is that right? Does the VAT count in your accounting of corporate taxes?
Not being argumentative, just trying to understand.
You know, it’s sickening that one can be so myopic as to use this as a criticism of Europe. Any time some American wants to paint a picture of some scary freedom of speech curtailment, they bring this shit up. Get over yourself, the world does not revolve around you.
What if tens of millions of people were killed in your backyard? What if most of your friends, your neighbors, and your relatives were complacent about it, or collaborated? What if they started a race war with the goal of conquering the whole fucking world like some kind of comic book supervillain? You think that those who survive wouldn’t put just a little bit of thought into making sure that doesn’t happen again?
You have no fucking idea so don’t talk shit about their laws on Holocaust denial!
The fact is, Europe and America are pretty much the same in freedoms of speech. It just so happens they’ve seen a lot of death and destruction on their soil, happen to their friends and neighbors, than you will ever see. They are just as free as us and it is absolutely RIGHT for them to ban Holocaust denial and the swastika because they can drive to work and pass q fucking concentration camp every god damn day! I am unimpressed by anyone whining that they should be able to say that. As far as I’m concerned, Holocaust denial should be an arrestable crime anywhere in the former Axis and Allied states. It happened, and it was so horrible that anything done to prevent it from happening is ok.
As for your other objections, that is progress and that contradicts your idea that America is not backwards. Being gay is not a sin and Chick Tracts are dangerous propaganda. They should be banned. There is not a lick of proof supporting them or a good argument upholding why they should be allowed. If you want to be a liar and tell lies, people should be able to see clearly that what you’re saying is a bunch of bullshit. Having the government ban such inciteful actions is the correct thing to do, because both that priest and Jack Chick don’t know shit about the truth.
I’ve only spent a week of my life in the UK so I’m not sure.
However, the GST in Canada - our VAT, for all intents - works pretty much the same way. A company pays the difference between the chargeable GST on all the goods and services they sell and the GST they paid for all inputs.
You guys (proportionally speaking) get more immigrants from East Asia and India than Mexico, although you probably also get some immigrants from Haiti and the poorer Commonwealth states.
The website includes both pro-Chick people and anti-Chick people (including a neo-pagan).
No but Koreans and other East Asians are better motivated for education by culture than whites, blacks, or Hispanics. This is not a claim to cultural superiority anymore than saying that “People in Argentina are more culturally practiced to eat meat than those in India”.
If you don’t think homosexuality is a sin and that Chick Tracts are nonsense than that’s fine- I support your freedom to say it just as I support their freedom to say what they wish. If you want disprove them, than give them facts not ban them! Banning them gives them the martyr card and actually gives them fame in the news (“We’re being persecuted! They’re afraid of us !”). Indeed if what they’re saying is nonsense why do you ban them-why not just disprove them? Do you have so little faith in people that they will become convinced by what they say? How is any different from a Christian fundamentalist advocating banning pornography? How would you like it that since I as a conservative advocated banning atheistic and communist literature? How is that stance any different from yours? All in all a very condemning statement on how some liberals would love to restrict freedom of speech and religion.
Mark Steyn’s books (including “America Alone”) are also available at my local library. I think we’ve pretty much put this one to bed - got any other examples of Canada heavily curtailing free speech?
