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proud to be an American
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Hossenfeffer
Diamond Member
I feel thankful and blessed to have been born an American. There are many times, however, when I am not proud to be one.
Dissipate
Diamond Member
What can be done as an individual is to start removing a portion of your income from the Federal Reserve System. Not for tax evasion purposes(or anything like that), but to reduce the power of the banks & fat cats. The monetary system is the Achilles Heal of government. When people start opting out of that, it is all over for 'em. Personally, I stow away a part of my money in a GoldMoney account, which operates on full gold reserves.
As a society we must simply become less tolerant of bureaucracy. I would say that the difference between the U.S. and Europe is that Americans are simply less tolerant of government here. The politicians will back off, when they are forced to (i.e. when they are no longer popular when they hold certain positions.) A good example in recent times is when Al Gore lost the 2000 election. Studies showed afterwards it was because of his positions on gun control. Now the Democrats have kind of backed off the gun issues for the Kerry campaign.
So that is how change will come about. People opting out of the Federal Reserve Scam, and becoming less tolerant of the bureaucrats.
Minchenden
Member
I have lived roughly 2/3 of my life in the UK, (apart from a year or so in OZ and NZ, and several months in France) and 1/3 in the US. Additionally, I have had extended visits (roughly 6 months each) to 6 Pacific Rim and 2 W. European nations, in addition to vacations in 12 other countries. This does not include foreign service with HM forces.
As of now, I can find no reason why I would take the retrograde step of giving up my UK citizenship.
Certainly, the standard of living in the US can be good, but certainly no better than life in the UK, Oz, NZ or any number of other countries. However, the quality of life generally falls far short compared to those same countries.
To make the statement:
?To simply be born and live in the US is essentially winning the lotto compared to other countries.?
is utter ignorant BS.
How many countries has Taggart lived in? How many countries has he even been to?
Most of the people I used to work with in NY City fell into two categories.
1) Those who had never been outside of the USA (some had not even been outside NY State)
2) Those who considered a week in Cancun a ?foreign travel experience?
I expect Taggart to fall into a similar category.
I can respect anyone, from any country, who feels a natural inborn love for his own country. I have no respect for those (it seems to be primarily Americans, unfortunately but I am sure there are mindless idiots in all cultures and nationalities) who wrap themselves up in their national flags and mindlessly mumble USA, USA, we are the best, land of the free, etc., etc., etc.
IMHO, such infantile drivel stems from either ignorance or a gross inferiority complex. Especially that insulting crap about ?the land of the free and the home of the brave?.
Other countries have as much, if not more, freedom, and the US certainly has no monopoly on bravery. Although it does seem to have a monopoly on "heroes", a "hero" being anyone from a NY Firefighter who risks his life (a hero), to a baseball player who "heroically hits a home run" (a steroid junkie)
?I would say that the difference between the U.S. and Europe is that Americans are simply less tolerant of government here.?
Generally, I have found Americans more tolerant (or possibly more inured) of government than Europeans. FWIW, I consider the lack of an adversarial system in the US, where ?pork barrel politics, ?cozy compromise? and ?the best democracy money can buy? (if you can call a republic based upon an electoral college a democracy) to be the biggest confidence trick in American politics. Especially now, when any dissenting voice is deemed ?unpatriotic?, whatever the hell that means.
I was originally thinking of buying a second (final) home in the Poconos (which is a beautiful part of the US, for those who have never been). However, after the last four years I have decided to wait a few more years and buy a cottage either in The Lake District, Cornwall or, heaven forbid, Pays-de-la-Loire in France. (so I can get to see the 24 hours again).
Don't get me wrong, I rather like America and Americans. I wouldn't have stayed so long if I did not. I do wish, however, that most would stop viewing their country through myopic rose coloured lenses, become a lot more pragmatic, a lot more worldly, and have the balls to finally admit that the America they laud so loudly is not the Alpha and the Omega, but just another country, no better, just bigger, than many many others.
As of now, I can find no reason why I would take the retrograde step of giving up my UK citizenship.
Certainly, the standard of living in the US can be good, but certainly no better than life in the UK, Oz, NZ or any number of other countries. However, the quality of life generally falls far short compared to those same countries.
To make the statement:
?To simply be born and live in the US is essentially winning the lotto compared to other countries.?
is utter ignorant BS.
How many countries has Taggart lived in? How many countries has he even been to?
Most of the people I used to work with in NY City fell into two categories.
1) Those who had never been outside of the USA (some had not even been outside NY State)
2) Those who considered a week in Cancun a ?foreign travel experience?
I expect Taggart to fall into a similar category.
I can respect anyone, from any country, who feels a natural inborn love for his own country. I have no respect for those (it seems to be primarily Americans, unfortunately but I am sure there are mindless idiots in all cultures and nationalities) who wrap themselves up in their national flags and mindlessly mumble USA, USA, we are the best, land of the free, etc., etc., etc.
IMHO, such infantile drivel stems from either ignorance or a gross inferiority complex. Especially that insulting crap about ?the land of the free and the home of the brave?.
Other countries have as much, if not more, freedom, and the US certainly has no monopoly on bravery. Although it does seem to have a monopoly on "heroes", a "hero" being anyone from a NY Firefighter who risks his life (a hero), to a baseball player who "heroically hits a home run" (a steroid junkie)
?I would say that the difference between the U.S. and Europe is that Americans are simply less tolerant of government here.?
Generally, I have found Americans more tolerant (or possibly more inured) of government than Europeans. FWIW, I consider the lack of an adversarial system in the US, where ?pork barrel politics, ?cozy compromise? and ?the best democracy money can buy? (if you can call a republic based upon an electoral college a democracy) to be the biggest confidence trick in American politics. Especially now, when any dissenting voice is deemed ?unpatriotic?, whatever the hell that means.
I was originally thinking of buying a second (final) home in the Poconos (which is a beautiful part of the US, for those who have never been). However, after the last four years I have decided to wait a few more years and buy a cottage either in The Lake District, Cornwall or, heaven forbid, Pays-de-la-Loire in France. (so I can get to see the 24 hours again).
Don't get me wrong, I rather like America and Americans. I wouldn't have stayed so long if I did not. I do wish, however, that most would stop viewing their country through myopic rose coloured lenses, become a lot more pragmatic, a lot more worldly, and have the balls to finally admit that the America they laud so loudly is not the Alpha and the Omega, but just another country, no better, just bigger, than many many others.
RabidMongoose
Lifer
The US actually has a better quality of life than the UK.
Darkhawk28
Diamond Member
I love this country, but man we've got to iron out some obvious problems here or we're going to be in big, big trouble.
judasmachine
Diamond Member
I love american too, but I don't think it's a finished product. I think we have a long way to go before we are a mature, fair, free, and positive nation. I do think we got off on the right foot in some ways and not on others. I belong to a people who were massacred by the 'forward' progress of this nation. So we have some stuff to get over and put behind us. We just need to start working together rather than being 300 million little tyrants. I know it's not popular, but I think there is only so much wealth to go around, and I do find it sad that a few get most of the pie.
I started working in a production shop about 3 months ago. They have a pretty high turnover of employees, which I guess is the nature of that business. However, there are a LOT of Croatians there, and they seem to stick around. Probably because they have a support base there, and they're probably used to tougher conditions back home.
One gal who has been there for several years, was talking with me about how bad it is in other parts of the world, and how we really don't have it so bad. She said, "We may have a bad year, once in a while," but not a bad life." The people who immigrate here, know exactly what she means. Too bad the people born here take that for granted.
One gal who has been there for several years, was talking with me about how bad it is in other parts of the world, and how we really don't have it so bad. She said, "We may have a bad year, once in a while," but not a bad life." The people who immigrate here, know exactly what she means. Too bad the people born here take that for granted.
RabidMongoose
Lifer
The US was ranked in the top 10 by a UN report measuring quality of life. It was a couple of 'points' behind Canada. The UK wasn't even in the top 10.
Yeah! The income taxes are killing us. I don't mind paying taxes, but I've seen enough slackers sitting @ home and getting their SS $ out of hard workers' prockets. I just don't understand the point of taking out 25% out of the paychecks of those who work hard, and give it to those who are too lazy to go to work.
And will you still be singing the same tune after 20 years of raises that don't keep up with the cost of living? 20 years of working harder and smarter, but with a constantly declining standard of living?
I've lived it, believe me that is exactly where we are headed. I fail to see how we can be too proud of that. It isn't the workers that are slackers, it is management taking a bigger chunk out of the profits every year.
Hell, I've been there and I know of what I speak.
biostud
Lifer
I was wondering what kind of freedom you were talking about, but then I see describe yourself as an anarchist, and then it made sense.
The only thing I can say is that if you lived in a country without a working public sector, you would have very little money to stowe away on your GoldMoney account.
biostud
Lifer
Show me a country working well without a well functioning public sector?
There need to be laws and people to enforce them, to prevent those who have lots of power to abuse it uncontrolled. Look at South America, they're probably some of the democratic countries using fewest money in their public sector and least redistribution of wealth. I think that too much inequality in a society will make it unstable just as forced equality will.
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