Quote (bogie160 @ 19 Sep 2021 16:52)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capitaRemove the tax havens and you're left with Norway and the United States. The PPP per capita picture doesn't look all that different.
Your argument is a truism.
European social safety nets are good because they're good. When we look at weighted calculations (e.g. HDI) that try to account for life expectancy, education, and wealth, we don't find that more social spending is necessarily better. Given how unhealthy Americans like to eat (our food is both affordable and plentiful), I'm shocked that the United States scores that highly. I'm really trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.
And as I said, the United States is a country on scale with the European Union. There's enormous geographic and economic diversity. Alabama is no more going to be as wealthy as Massachusetts as Greece is going to be as wealthy as Norway. But when we take it as a whole, we see that the American model has worked to provide a comparatively higher standard of living.
I'm not here to shit on the EU's spending decisions, I am pointing out that your portrayal of the United States doesn't match reality. It is a different model that, despite shouldering the defensive burden of freeloaders, has consistently delivered some of the highest living standards in the world.
what? you aren't even trying to keep up, are you? that isn't at all the argument here. this is about the lazy old talking point that "socialism" (by which right wing americans try to smear any kind of government spending on the working class) is not the kind of evil, nation destroying ideology that the propaganda you're brainwashed with is suggesting. in fact, it leads to superior (
better health, longer life, fewer working hours, more security, less poverty, more protections, and also more freedom) outcomes for the average individual than america's socialism for the rich and rugged individualism for the poor.
you have a "different model" not because the american people wouldn't want
more equality, healthcare, affordable education, worker protection... but because your political leaders, who are beholden to wealthy donors, don't want that. you licking their boots and doing mental gymnastics in order to distract from that simple observation won't change that.