No,.. it ain't Disneyland, it's Norway...

It's one of the most socialist countries in the world... (E-gads!)
The country maintains a Nordic welfare model with universal health care, subsidized higher education, and a comprehensive social security system. From 2001 to 2006, and then again from 2009 through 2011, Norway has had the highest human development index ranking in the world. In 2011, Norway also ranked the highest on the Democracy Index.
Cradle to grave... government supports it's citizens...
With per capita GDP of $54,000 it is among the richest in the world and ranks first in social capital and second in safety and security.

It's a wealthy country, with a good economy,.. healthy, happy, people, making a good living... in peace and safety...

Now,.. where's the bad?...
What part of health, wealth, and happiness, do you find so frightening?...
Why are we,... the richest country in the world,.. not the wealthiest, healthiest, and happiest?...
What direction must we go, in order to achieve this ?...
We can't afford it?...
Well, they can...
Why can't we?...  isn't this the greatest country in the world?...

Think about it... Why not?... What's wrong with us?... ...
Peace... Serow...
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mef45ejmi/01-norway/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway

Starlifter wrote on 01/22/13 at 18:08:15:

That's a BINGO!...   ...

Yes Pine,...  you have selectively pointed out the pee in the porridge... just as I selectively pointed out the cream...
... but,... the fact remains that Norway has a more contented populace than we do...  by nearly any measure you can find...

America,... is one of the few countries blessed with an abundance of nearly every natural resource, that modern society values...  
We have... natural gas, oil,... water, salt,... silver, copper, gold,... grain, fruit, veggies,... wood, iron,... tobacco...
We have more than anybody... of everything...
... and Norway,.. is first...
We are 12th...

Use your critical thinking, with equal verve, to find the flaws in our society... ... and see how it compares...

Look at our resources,... and our landmass,...  resources,... and climate...  .. and try to figure why...
We aren't first... and they are...
...

Americans are slowly realizing, the direction that will bring happiness and prosperity... and this shift is terrifying to the Republican party...
They are clinging to their fringe, single issue, voters,... and it's dragging them to hell...  Guns, abortion, racism, elitism, homophobia...
They have now concentrated their focus on the last resort they can find...
Gerrymandering...
The only way they can win, within the foreseeable future...
So sad...  they choose to die for their benefactors... rather than lead for for their people...

Norway and Denmark are great, IF you like being taken care of by your gov't.

What liberals fail to recognize is that there are many people who don't want to be taken care of by the gov't, nor by any other organization, for that matter.

For me, I'll take a middle ground approach.  I like our current system of gov't aid, or whatever you wish to call it, for the disabled, the elderly, the mentally ill.  But for me, while I'm still relatively healthy and able to work, the gov't can stay out of my life.  When I need their help, I'll ask for it, and thanklfully, when it's truly needed, it's already there.

Jerry Eichenberger wrote on 01/24/13 at 13:56:49:



What repugs fail to recognize but repeat all the time with their "my gun is for my personal protection, just in case there was a intruder that will jump out of that closet in my house" is that ... humans are hard wired for safety and security over freedom. In fact most animals are. That's why you have deer run across the road with your approaching headlights ... when without your headlights it would have been content to wander on that side of the road. They dart to their "safe" place. If it was on the opposite side of the road, so it is. So effectively the human nature would very much put denmark, norway and singapore over america. America is all about freedom, and humans and most animals would rather have security. Since we have not known anything else, we cant imagine it. In fact we are terrified we will lose the freedom and not get safe either. In a way I agree with that paranoia too.

Cool.
Srinath.

This is my last reply to you until you quit insulting people by calling them "repugs".  And whjile you are at it, get rid of that stupid "cool" before your signature - it makes you appear to be a juvenile.
Grow up and communicate effectively, and maybe with just a little bit of class in your style.

Amen Jerry. I'd rather buy Starlifter a few beers than spend one more second ready anything from Srinath.

So many talented people here, are locked into their 9 to 5 for the sake of health needs of a family member, or financial concerns...

I agree with that statement 1,000%. The idea that people make employment decisions based upon healthcare is one of the largest wrong turns this country has ever taken.

It's admirable if you can manage it in this country,.. but, the system limits success to people in fortunate circumstance...

that statement, I wouldn't agree with quite so much.

Bottom line (or common ground I guess we could say) is moving healthcare out of the domain of employment is an end game I think almost everyone would agree with.

I just don't think Obamacare is a workable solution. He should have started on a smaller scale. McCain's proposal during his campaign would have been a good place to start AND they could have added Obama's guaranteed coverage and 100& portability requirement ideas. That would have begun the process of portable healthcare insurance being purchased competitively by individuals on the open market.  I think that's the logical first step to driving down healthcare cost. When insurance companies (and doctors for that matter) have to compete for business, free market forces take over and prices are forced down and quality is forced up.

JOG -

Has he disappeared?