Sibyl Wrote:
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> Just an observation:
>
> Norwegians have as high of a quality of life as
> Americans do. They pay much higher taxes so that
> everyone has health care, retirement benefits,
> disability benefits, welfare benefits, and a year
> off (with pay) after the birth of a child. Their
> universities are subsidized, much of their
> electricicy is hydroelectric, they have working
> public transit systems, and they have more than
> two viable political parties.
You would have to pay more taxes to support many more parties. Anything that a government runs is not usually ran very efficiently. If you pay for for 1 year maternity leave, you are paying for 2, where the next one goes into governmental bureaucracy. Norway's few doors' down neighbors, the Soviets, had the same great idea. Yep, there are in the same hole that Norway is going to be in later down the road. I respect people of Norway and their education levels but a government, regardless who's it is, is a big drain. It will cost Norway it's future!> You dont *have* to do everything like America does
> in order to have a functioning society with a high
> quality of life. Being fiscally conservative and
> socially liberal does not condemn a country to
> poverty. It solves some problems and creates
> others.
Getting government involved creates more problems than it solves. Money WILL be wasted. It will go unmonitored. It will be stolen by politicians and crooks alike. They will have all the riches, drive expensive cars, live in huge houses, while they will tell you to live small and consume very little. Just have kids so the guys at the top can have a cozy, comfortable future while your kids are killing themselves paying taxes.> But just like America, Norway's generous benefits
> are now under attack by immigrants seeking an
> easier path to riches.
And just like the USA government, the Norway is there and happy to foolishly and willingly give away the stuff that people of Norway have earned. How does that feel? Feeling all "Socially Liberal" yet? > While most Norwegians I
> met when I lived there were happy to work and pay
> taxes, knowing that everyone gets something out of
> the system eventually, and are culturally
> conditioned not to abuse the privilege, the
> newcomers see it differently.
And government lets them come, abuse the country and shut their own citizens up if they dare to speak up.> They conceal income
> so they don't pay taxes on it, they smuggle in
> food and alcohol from cheaper countries
Here in USA, we smuggle cheap labor and Chinese goods along with cheap expertise from India. Does not leave much for people, does it?
> (which they sell at their little shops) so they don't
> have to pay import taxes, they have gajillions of
> children, and then simultaneously claim benefits
> intended for the poor or disabled.
Because Norway's government is just as irresponsible as any other government. People of Norway will pay higher taxes, they will turn around and give it all away to crooks (I meant immigrants) that could give a rats ass about anybody but themselves.
> Norway is now having to fight back.
If this fight is anything like a "fight" against illegal immigration in USA, I tell ya, it is not much of a fight, it is rather a giveaway of our souls. > One way they are fighting back is by requiring every immigrant
> to take Norwegian language and culture classes as
> a condition of residence. They are rejecting
> applications from religious fundamentalists who
> teach that the liberal culture of Scandinavia is
> "evil". They are doing more auditing of social
> services and those who receive them.
>
> America needs to do some of the same, I think. We
> are definitely being drained. The war is draining
> us. Medicaid is draining us. Child tax credits
> and child care deductions for middle class
> families are draining us. We could do so much
> more for *everyone* if only we weren't wasting it
> in silly ways.
We could encourage breeding, for example. Hey, Norway does it, why not us? I do not like the Norway's 30% sales tax, did you?> I'm with you, there.
That's debatable. >
> I just don't believe a Western lifestyle is
> necessary for happiness.
(Nor do the famous dictators, communists and Muslim extremists.)> Psychological studies have proved that if you have the necessities of
> life,
(if they let you live)> and are free from illness
(if not, they WILL have work for you in Siberia)> and have a social
> network,
(plenty of that among al Qaeda and Hamas)> you will basically be happy most of the
> time. That means you can be happy while being
> relatively poor and disadvantaged. You can be
> happy in Prague.
Yes, Fidel Castro, yes. That is the exact policy of the famous and mighty Fidel, Stalin, Lenin, Chauchesku, Mao ZeDong - all these guys felt that humans did not need anything. They kept their people poor enough to prevent uprising. People did not "need anything" in those leaders' countries. Heck, you were lucky to be alive!