HEALTHCARE & EDUCATION Michael McMahon said: I would not generalize in the comparison of Europe with the US, since the differences in key areas are fundamental. These areas, imo, are Healthcare and Tertiary Education. I find both to be key attributes to a "valued" lifespan in any country. The EU has a generalized system thus the responsibility for both is governmental. As regards Tertiary Education, the European Union graduates about 40% of its population at that level whilst the US is at 30% - the 10% difference being due to the fact that tertiary education in the EU is government-subsidized whilst in the US some is state-oriented but much is private-university fee-paid by the students/families*. Frankly, I feel both levels of tertiary education (the US and EU) to be far too low. They should be much, much higher. Whyzat? Because manufacturing has slowly-but-surely left both the US and the EU for lower-cost countries. A career more than ever now depends mostly upon tertiary-level degrees ... *The US spends a bit less than half of its National Budget on "Defense" and very little on Education. See here:
When comparing the more socialistic public policies of Western Europe with those of the US, one possibility to consider is that the US might only have an overall wealth level comparable to Western Europe because it does not have these types of policies. What I mean is that rather than these policies being the cause of Western Europe's wealth, rather it might be more of a symptom of it, because their societies/economy can more easily afford it. It would kind of be like if I pointed out that everyone with a Lamborghini is rich, therefore we should make sure everyone has a Lamborghini as a public policy to help reduce poverty. That type of logic would of course be absurd. The question then could be stated in these terms: What would the overall total wealth level be in Europe if they ditched these policies and adopted policies more like the US? Or, is it possible different types of policies are more economically optimal in different types of societies? We know, for instance, that the society of a country like the US is far more heterogeneous than most other countries that typically make it to the "wealthy developed" list.
Well, if the US drastically reduced its defense budget, many other developed countries would probably have to step up theirs, and that would leave less money for them to spend on social policies (like health & education). Germany and Japan are certainly very concerned about this. The US essentially subsidizes their defense spending (a legacy from their defeat in World War II). Trump was trying to squeeze them to pay more, and start having to put more money towards their own military budgets as the US cut back. (Do you have any idea how many military bases the US still maintains in those two countries?)
AMERICA HAS GOVERNMENT SPENDING OPTIONS IT REALLY NEEDS Yes, perhaps. But, that's their business and not Uncle Sam's. Besides, Healthcare in European countries is such a predominant part of life that no administration would dare touch it. (Except the dork-head presently running the UK.) Yes, well, that must end. It was a bad-habit that Uncle Sam adopted subsequent to WW2. It has killed/maimed many Americans (in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc.). And for what? Nada, niente, nothing, tipota! None of which really assures protection of American lives in America! Where we need a decent National Healthcare System to extend longevity! Military Budgets are the handiwork of Defense Industries. Which are allowed to give money to candidates to get elected so as to assure that DoD budgets swallow whole more than half the total US Discretionary Spending! (You don't believe that? See here.) The stark reduction of the DoD-budget would help enormously to give Americans what they REALLY NEED. For instance: -Longevity brought about by lower-cost National Healthcare System* - that is, about two years longer than today and equivalent to that of the EU: US - 79.1 years EU - 81 -Free post-secondary skills-training or schooling *Healthcare expenditure per capita:
[QUOTE="kazenatsu, post: 1072440100, member: 74540]Trump was trying to squeeze them to pay more, and start having to put more money towards their own military budgets as the US cut back. (Do you have any idea how many military bases the US still maintains in those two countries?)[/QUOTE] There is no reason whatsoever that Europe should "abdicate" the responsibility of national-defense. Russia is less a threat every day. And Putin had better think of his future in France on the Bordeaux winery bought by his daughter some years ago. He is highly unliked in his own country. The question remains nonetheless: "Of what menace?" Some jokers in Africa that are occupying French forces there and ... well, that's about it. All the rest is a bit of Turkey stuffing migrants from northern Syria back into Syria. And China encroaching upon a national boundary with India. There is no real threat from, even, al-Quaida (or its remnants) in the Middle-east. Moreover, "defense of the nation" is slowly but surely moving in altitude. Yes, defending a nation against a missile attack from space is far more a threat that Moslem-based kids-with-machine-guns. And none of the latter will be running down the streets firing a machine-gun in any major European or American town either. That just aint-gonna-happin because the will for it to occur is simply non-existent in any significant numbers anywhere. The US could quit its military bases all around the world and nothing will happen*. It has already done so visibly in Europe and ... so far, so good ! (The American-forces housing is being sold to locals.) *Mind you, I am arguing that Uncle Sam can reduce the effort of its military effort around the world - not to do away with it entirely. If the Sixth Fleet leaves Naples, then it could actually entice some knot-heads to try to make the evening news with a dramatic assault on US-owned naval facilities in the Middle-east. But that's about the extent of its efforts. Those Muslim knot-heads who joined forces in the Middle East ten years ago have mostly gone "west". Yes, they are stuck in major European towns where they literally walked into looking for jobs over the last years. Yes, they fear local police around Europe who would very much like to find them. Some of them might even be in the US ... !
