It's history channel but I thought some of you might like anyways.

FYI, he's from the USA.

America has the best Stand-Up comedy in the world, btw (imo).



Also from the USA.
R.I.P. George.



From England, but lived in the USA.
R.I.P Christopher.

Now you know "where I come from".
Three idols of mine, all of them lived in the USA.

Edit: Not an idol of mine, but pretty funny (from Australia).

First off:

The Netherlands is a small country compared to the United States or even Great Britain. Socialized medicine works there because a MAJORITY VOTE means almost unanimous, if you get my drift

Gun violence too. Its like living in a small town on a large scale. Everyone knows who the troublemakers are. Its just not like that here in the USA. Australia, for example, has one of the worst gun violence rates in the world right now, and its RISING. News flash: they banned guns YEARS ago. (Look it up. Multiple sources.)
Washington DC has a ban on handguns (well, maybe not strictly a ban, but it is heavily regged, so might as well be) and they have one of the worst armed robbery rates in our nation.

If you look hard enough, Europeans are also shooting at each other on a daily basis. The reason it is publicized so much is because the liberal media in our country is pushing it to the front of the line. It really isn't as bad as people think. Let me put it this way: Downtown where I live is a seedy place, but I know I'd be ok if I walked in there with a concealed gun and non-flashy clothing. Downtown Barcelona? Been there during the DAY. Didn't feel safe at all. Even if I was local, I doubt I would head down there much.

Also, can we stop comparing individual countries to the USA? Honestly, we should be comparing Europe to the USA. More in line with GDP, etc etc.

Definition of socialism:
a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

I agree, it sounds great in concept. In fact, it sounds a lot like Democracy:
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

That is, everyone has a say. (according to the definition).

Let me lay out the definition of communism for you:

a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Let me also quote Mr. Marx here: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Unfortunately for everyone in Europe, Canada, and Australia, Socialism shares remarkable similarities to Communism. For example, both take huge taxes from the rich. Both also consider all property to be public, since it can be taxed/seized at any time for the greater good of the society.

The main sticking point here is that BOTH DOCTRINES put government as their source. That is, they rely on the getting and retaining of political power. They both also consider government to be the top of the food chain - that is, government plays God. Who decides if Grandma gets a Pacemaker? The government. Who decides if you have the money to buy that new car? The government.

Now, lets consider what countries have made leaps in innovation, discovery, and exploration in the past 20 years. We all know (hopefully) that America dominated on this front the last 65 years, but lets give the rest of the world a chance and be more recent.

How about that space race, the most advanced tech we have today?

America: 13 Successful missions to Mars since 1996. No total failures.
Rest of the World: 1 Successful mission. One currently en route. 4 total failures. One en route to comet after gravity assist.

Huh. 'Murica seems to be the most technologically advanced......

Ok. How about Gen 5 Fighters?
America: One deployed, one in limbo. (F-22 and F-35)
Rest of the World: Two in development by two different countries. (Russia and China)

Now, let's go on to education and health care, both of which were rated among the best in the world up until our latest President. *cough*
Well. Actually this time I don't have any sources besides folks I listen to regularly. I'll leave this one alone

We have literally never lost a war for military reasons. (Vietnam was a political loss, not a military one).

I don't have to remind everyone how awesome the US military is, do I??
Yes, we have some idiots who live here. So does everyone. Some of my peers did not have a good upbringing and are lacking in many areas, including English. Is this their fault? Not all of it. But they are to blame for not taking it upon themselves to be better. To reach for the stars. Dr. Ben Carson is a good example of someone digging himself out of poverty and rising to the top.
*
So don't even THINK about coming in here and saying that america stinks. I'll just run for office and take away your foreign aid. See how you like losing a couple hundred billion dollars of budget.

*sarcasm
But seriously guys. Get the plank out of your own eye before telling me I've got one in mine.

OMG LOLOLOL i never laught soo much thanks for uploading this video
I cant stop laughting

Sounds pretty bad to me.

Care to explain? I use a gun as a defensive weapon or when hunting, like 99% of MURICAN gun owners.

Having to carry a gun to feel safe.

And if the government does things in a good way, then that's fine by me. But the people have to make that happen. They have to shape the government. That's why we have elections, so that there's competition. Although our system of elections and democracy is far from perfect, let me tell you that.

But I think that you're projecting way too much into government power. And that's quite common in the USA.
What are the alternatives? We have learned through history that people had a reason to create a means that "governs" them. Because without, things were pretty much chaotic. There are two famous philosophes which someone studying law suggested to me who were talking exactly about this topic. But I forgot their names. I'll edit them in later if I recall them.

The alternatives are either chaos, or getting reigned by rich people instead. Because the rich are the powerful. They own stuff. So are you rather getting reigned by buisnessmen, or people elected by the public?

Yes that's true. Although I wouldn't consider having a big military and bombing people a good thing. And the space technology was actually a byproduct of investing into the military. So what do you expect?

Health care and education in the USA are considered below average of the rest of the developed countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_rankings_of_the_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States

The first #1 is "List of patents by country". Now that's one where you want to be #1 isn't it?

I will never understand how you can feel good about living in a country where you need a GUN as a defensive weapon or you at least seem to think you might need it. I feel pretty save about going anywhere in the town I live in, without any weapon. And I am not a martial artist either. Your statements seem to come from another world.

Not to mention that personally I think it is funny how the gun-lobby is going on about "we need guns to defend our rights", but when the US government attacks the fundamental basics of democracy (privacy) they don't do anything about it. Start to defend yourself already, then all your gun madness at least would have a valid point

wut

Wouldn't that be awful...

I don't believe this is true - got a source?

LOL

Your idea about the Netherlands is entirely wrong.

There are about 8 political parties currently in parliament in the Netherlands. Getting them to vote unanimous on anything is preposterous and a majority vote means a little over 50% in almost every case.

We are an extremely densely populated nation, even to EU standards. I believe ~60% of the population lives in the city. There is none of that everybody knows everybody BS.

Now I do agree there doesn't have to be a direct correlation between gun laws and gun violence rates, but you named two examples of places where it doesn't. I can name countless others where gun bans == no gun violence (see: Europe in its entirety).

The rest of your post is the typical republican rhetoric. The government is appointed by the people and only has its power because the people allow it. People do that because they know that if they do, the government will take care of them in return. That is the purpose of big government. Not taking your half your money in taxes.

(also studies have shown the countries with the highest tax rates in the world (the Netherlands and Scandinivia) also have the happiest population in the world.)

Europe isn't a country FYI. You can't go about comparing yourself to a continent.
It's a continent with far more social and economic and cultural diversities than the US as a country. You wanna compare Europe, you're trying to just throw well off countries like Germany and The Netherlands with financially troubled nations like Greece, cultural diversities between western countries like the UK with ex-soviet states like Ukraine, Scandinavian cultures with more Mediterranean. It doesn't work. Europe isn't a single entity in that way.

However I can't tell if you're just a troll or a republican idiot to be honest. It's always baffled me how the USA even manages to work (Edit: it doesn't really) with only two political parties: one of which seems to exist only to deny freedoms and promote religious persecution (it's fine if you're a middle class straight cis white christian: Anyone else can go to hell) under the guise of "We're defending AMERICAN FREEDOMS and the American family!"; and whose policies seem to consist of "disagree with everything the black guy in the white house says".

I don't like ragging on the country, because I know so many Americans, all of whom are just great, friendly people, but that's likely because I hang around geeky circles and any Americans I meet are either over here to study at the same University, or from the internet where I only pay attention to the nice ones.

End of rant. This thread is kinda pointless and I can see it getting locked soon anyway, it's just devolved into Everyone vs mered4

*wink* I just did though.

Kvalheim, everyone else has been coming into this thread with facts or factual assumptions and you just ranted. Thanks for that.

The netherlands was a narrow-minded example, I apologize.

The governments in Europe all evolved into democracy from Monarchy (there may be an example I am missing here). The American government has always been a constitutional Republic.

Studies have also shown that Americans are happier than Europeans. I really dont care what a study says anymore, because I know how to make make one that will countermand it - and i've seen it happen. Used to though.

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT MEANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.

This is my main point.

The government is supposed to ensure your SAFETY. NOT your WELFARE. Any politician who says otherwise is either lying to you about their intentions or has no clue what they are talking about.

I can point to the US Constitution as an example, and our Declaration of Independence.

SELF RESPONSIBILITY is what will keep a country thriving and prevent rapid shifts in political power.
Europe has been stagnate for YEARS now. They aren't DOING anything. You guys are pouring so much money into maintaining the status quo instead of advancing. The USA isn't doing much better, granted, but at least we have billionaires with some vision who are making advances.

Right now, we have a President who does not embody any of those ideals. He lies repeatedly and often, and he shirks responsibility instead of taking it upon himself. He tells us one thing and does another, and tries to cover up his mistakes. He really doesn't embody what an American is or should be.

I can understand if you feel like yall in Europe do not NEED guns for protection. That's alright. You can kick your civilian population back 500 or so years in weapons tech. But we here in America have a paranoia surrounding our government, especially concerning our sitting president. So we'd like to keep ours to fend against both his regulations and the madman who get guns in spite of any gun laws that are passed.

gotta fight ranting with ranting. Learnt long ago that your sort doesn't listen to facts and all that nonsense

Ok we should probably stop now.

Luckily the debate hasn't declined quite this far, but I'd like to state that Italy is larger than Florida.

I gave an explanation for why I believe the government is responsible for the welfare of the population and you just responded with NO IT ISN'T. I can give an even better explanation too. What right-wing people completely ignore is that people do NOT have equal opportunities, either because they simply weren't born with certain talents or because they were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. To put it simply: average Caucasian male from Suburbia has a much easier time succeeding in life than average Afro-American or Hispanic female from the ghetto. Personally I do not believe it's possible to make that gap non-existent, but I do believe it's possible to severely reduce it. The only thing that has the power to achieve that is a big government.

And talking about the global role of government and then invoking the American constitution

Last but not least, if the government is meant to ensure your safety, then what do you need guns for?



Edit: "There is no such thing as a right-wing intellectual" - Harry Mulisch, prolific Dutch writer

Simple: guns are for the average person to defend themselves against the overreaches of government and against the outlaws who would have guns either way.

Um.....who said anything about equal opportunities? Who said life had to be FAIR? Newsflash: It isn't, and it never will be. Perfection is impossible, Jesus said as much and he's certainly right.
Do you know how the white Caucasian male had those opportunities? Because his ancestors worked hard to give them to him. It is up to him if he squanders or uses those opportunities. Let me repeat: HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

We all have the opportunity to be great - we just don't all seize it by the horns. That's why there will always be poor people - the bottom feeders of society who don't have the will to work for a better life. There are exceptions, ofc; that's what the Civil Rights movement in the US was about.

as for the ghetto. I again point to Dr Ben Carson. People are considering him as someone who could run for the Presidency here! You really should look at what that man went through as a kid. It's phenomenal.

Whoa, people actually think like this?

This discussion is over.

Edit: Also if you seriously believe racial bias ended with the Civil Rights movement... wow.... just wow