Article: "America Could Have Been One Giant Sweden "

[Kilo_302]

I knew I shouldn't have looked in here  :facepalm:

Here's an article just for you.

[/http://www.salon.com/2013/09/15/inside_the_conservative_brain_what_explains_their_wiring/url]

 

[Kirkhill]

Here's an article just for you.

[/http://www.salon.com/2013/09/15/i..._their_wiring/url] [/quote] :pop: :whistle:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

FTFY 

Or did you really mean the increased birth rate?  Or perhaps there has been a spike in reincarnations of which I am unaware?

Guilty of spell check stupidity and to many things cluttering my brain  :surrender:

 

[pbi]

The rate of incarceration in the States is directly proportional to the breakdown in family values and the two parent family system.

Really? Or are they related symptoms of something else? Or is there actually no relation at all?  Are the children of all  single moms condemned to lives of crime? Or just single moms of a particular slice of society?

 

[pbi]

...The issue of "fatherless households" is one that can be directly linked to the liberalization of the concept of family, the hippy era and has been particularly destructive to the Black community which previously had been fairly robust up to that point despite social pressures from outside. 

I doubt very much that any of these things had much impact on the black community in the US in the 1960's, which is (my guess) roughly when things really started to come unbolted for that group. I would look at generational poverty, bad (or non-existent) education, and the rise of the "gangsta" as the role model for young black men.

 

[a_majoor]

While America, like any nation, has its share of issues, it must be galling to Kilo that America is still the number one destination of all the world's nations for immigrants, rather than Sweden.

And since Kilo is always fending off any counterargument by saying there is no "evidence", I suppose he can sort us out by pointing to the high numbers of immigrants to socialist nations. I am curious to see what his research says about the DPRK, for example. While he is researching that, he might also look into the incarceration policies of that nation as well...

 

[Colin Parkinson]

good luck finding anything on their policies, it's the whim of the day it seem.

As I pointed out, the prison population issue is a State by State issue, not a USA Federal Government issue. Since the State legislatures are democratically elected, it would appear that the voters in the majority of the States appear to be content with the status quo. 

 

[Kilo_302]

While America, like any nation, has its share of issues, it must be galling to Kilo that America is still the number one destination of all the world's nations for immigrants, rather than Sweden.

And since Kilo is always fending off any counterargument by saying there is no "evidence", I suppose he can sort us out by pointing to the high numbers of immigrants to socialist nations. I am curious to see what his research says about the DPRK, for example. While he is researching that, he might also look into the incarceration policies of that nation as well...

America has great marketing, what can I say? New immigrants to the US have it far worse off than new immigrants to say, Canada, or most European countries. Why you ask? Because we have social safety nets, healthcare etc etc. Flat taxes, lack of government spending/investment, "austerity" lead us to a new feudal age where the wealthy few literally buy power and run politics. This is America now, and we're headed there too. Is this what you are arguing in favour of? Does inherited wealth really translate into "I worked hard to get where I am?" Are you really this eager to be a serf?  I am not.

You're a smart and seemingly well read person. If you're actually calling the DPRK "socialist" and comparing it to socialist democracies (there are not many) then I don't know what to say. That's like calling China communist.

 

[a_majoor]

Wow, you must be really good at "escape and evasion" exercises....

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Actually he's Brian The Dog on Family Guy........comes across as the spokesman for the downtrodden yet in reality is an absolute racist.
Obviously "new immigrants" are just too stupid to tell the rest of their countrymen not to come also........

 

[tomahawk6]

I suppose in hindsight its a good thing for Canada,that the Americans were unable to make Canada part of the United States.Because Canada is an attractive alternative to gulag America. ;D

 

[a_majoor]

I know. Look at the vast flood of American "Progressives" and Hollywood figures who have renounced their US citizenship and fled to Canada over the last two decades. Shortages of Volvo's, personal valets and mineral water have plagued many of these overcrowded B&B resorts... ;D

 

[Underway]

I would argue the larger rates of incarceration are a direct result of a lack of a social saftey net.  Compare the states in the US that have a robust social safety net rates of incarceration to those that do not.  It could be argued that the same states that implement social programs are more progressive than those that do not and therefore have laws that use alternative modes of rehabilitation, or you could argue that if you are on welfare you don't need to sell drugs, steal to get money for your purchases of whatever (be that drugs, medical help, rent, iPhone etc... etc.. I'm not trying to label welfare ppl as good or bad here). 

Also the US has a horrible education system in many places and education reduces poverty.  Poverty is very high in many places of the US and perhaps the highest in the developed world.  Poverty often leads to crime or at least the kind that gets you incarcerated at a high rate.  Look at the Canadian situation of First Nations in northern reserves, where the poverty, crime and incarceration rates are all extremely high.  You can quickly compare and contrast reserves that have a higher income for whatever reason with those that don't and see that poverty changes things not for the better.

Finally in the US there is a strong individual freedom streak.  Anything that is percieved to impinge individuals rights is dealt with very very harshly.  Combined with a strong fundamentalist religious basis it leads to a strong eye for an eye mentality.

Lots of factors in the US having a high rate of incarceration.  Its a societal thing more than a crime and punishment thing though.

 

[tomahawk6]

Nobody throws more money at education than does the US- with mixed results, which I blame on the teachers unions.Nobody spends more on welfare than the US as well.Again we do a poor job.

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/08/22/study-welfare-recipients-in-md-dc-make-more-than-twice-minimum-wage/

 

[Kilo_302]

Actually he's Brian The Dog on Family Guy........comes across as the spokesman for the downtrodden yet in reality is an absolute racist.
Obviously "new immigrants" are just too stupid to tell the rest of their countrymen not to come also........

You have a truly dizzying intellect.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

You have a truly dizzying intellect.

I appreciate that....thank you.

 

[cupper]

America has great marketing, what can I say? New immigrants to the US have it far worse off than new immigrants to say, Canada, or most European countries. Why you ask? Because we have social safety nets, healthcare etc etc. Flat taxes, lack of government spending/investment, "austerity" lead us to a new feudal age where the wealthy few literally buy power and run politics. This is America now, and we're headed there too. Is this what you are arguing in favour of? Does inherited wealth really translate into "I worked hard to get where I am?" Are you really this eager to be a serf?  I am not.

That hurt just reading it.

 

[Jungle]

Why am I not surprised that I have to explain I was referring to things like a busted tail light or not signaling?

Like other members of this forum, I live in the USA. I live, shop, bank in the local community, and travel to other states regularly. I have never seen or heard of someone being jailed for the reasons mentionned above, and I have seen busted tail lights, countless turns without a signal and other traffic offences on a regular basis, just like in Canada.
I suspect if people are jailed following these, and other very minor infractions, it has more to do with past offenses, or what they did or said when they were stopped for the infraction.

I think you just like to hate the USA, but I have no evidence to prove that...

 

[tomahawk6]

Recently while traveling at night I was pulled over by a trooper.He explained that my license plate light was out and he asked me several questions.He then sent me on my way.I later  recounted the incident to a friend thats a judge.He explained that the trooper was looking for drunken drivers and used the license plate light as the means to justify a stop.Had I been drinking the night may have gone very differently.

 

[George Wallace]

Recently while traveling at night I was pulled over by a trooper.He explained that my license plate light was out and he asked me several questions.He then sent me on my way.I later  recounted the incident to a friend thats a judge.He explained that the trooper was looking for drunken drivers and used the license plate light as the means to justify a stop.Had I been drinking the night may have gone very differently.

Did you double check your light?