Greetings From Iceland, Land of the $32,000 Minimum Wage
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jaredsxtn Wrote:My wife and I are currently enjoying a holiday in Iceland and are having a spectacular time. It's one of the most friendly and welcoming countries we have visited, not to mention one of the most stunning and awe-inspiring places in the world. I'll save tales of our adventures in this beautiful country for family and friends, but one thing I can't get over is how every single working age person in this country makes a minimum of 280,000 ISK ($2,700) per month. Those working in Reykjavik (the capitol city) earn far more than that. And don't even get me started about their universal healthcare, government funded schooling (where children learn a minimum of three languages), and prison system that has fewer total prisoners in their entire country than a typical American prison in one town. We Americans could learn a lot from this Nordic country, but I'm sure we won't. No, we Americans love watching the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That's the American dream... Jared, I told you so; glad you've seen it with eyes wide open. Yes, I also had to learn 4 languages; that is normal in European countries of which Iceland is part of.
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jaredsxtn Wrote:My eyes have been opened for quite some time. This certainly isn't my first visit to a country with a strong social safety net. Hell - my wife and I have discussed moving to Ireland or some other European country on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans don't have dual citizenship like my bride and aren't able to pick and choose what country they live in. I would love nothing more than to see the Scandinavian model in the United States, but I'm also well aware that we are heading in the exact opposite direction as a society thanks to Bernie or busters and the near fifty percent of non-voters who would rather watch "Dancing With the Stars" than participate in our democracy. We get the government we deserve. If we actually wanted a society where we take care of the poor, have a strong safety net for all, and high quality health coverage for all then maybe we should start voting like it. It seems you are having a great time in Iceland. I think one of the interesting features of progressive countries is that the incentive to work is still quite strong. Well designed social programs do not turn most of us into freeloaders. All those crummy, yet necessary, jobs are still be done in Iceland as elsewhere in the world. But our systems of governance--to find wise progressive governments--are not there. It is time to look at alternatives. Until Americans start looking at alternatives, expect more dysfunctional government. I would say that if Iceland's version of democracy were somehow implemented in the USA, the USA would still not get Icelandic results. The USA needs radical change. And I believe it will be the nation that shows the rest of the world how to do it.
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