Does this mean the economy is better?

[Spoks]

My point is that you cannot choose not to pay taxes. In most cases you can choose to not support a company (yes, there are some where its practically impossible such as basic utilities). In many cases, such as Canada, its actually quite difficult to stop paying taxes even if you no longer reside in the country. In my case, for example, I lived in China for 5 years but yet still payed Canadian federal and provincial taxes which for me are around 45% of my overall income. Yet I took no advantage whatsoever of the services for which I was paying. That simply isn't fair.

I don't find paying taxes that much an infringement on my freedom. But whenever I am the victim of a private company that has monopolised the situation i am in, I feel like being strangled.

Guess that was what all the thousands people felt when they had to wait for the Eurostar train crossing the British channel, that broke down this weekend. If it had been a public service it would care about the passengers. The only meaningful message from the management has been 'how the break down would effect profit'. No wonder people were mad.

If I were to leave Norway, I would not be obliged to pay Norwegian taxes. But I would not have the right to our health care system or lavish pension system. Since I am unemployed I have seriously considered moving somewhere else. That would not be so smart.

 

[TWoK]

Thats how it is here because big business owns our government and politicians. In Europe government serves the people and is more efficient. Of course, those who oppose having to help those less fortunate than themselves will always bitch that government sucks. If thats the case, I'll tell you what I tell all the anti-government zealots: Go somewhere where there isn't a government to 'oppress' you. Somalia is a good choice. I guarantee that you'll be back in a heartbeat begging to come back.

You are so misguided and mistaken.


I especially like being spoken down to by younger democracies than our own or by all of the socialistic, dictatorships and oligarchies out there. If you think you can do it better, then give it a try; however, most modern democracies wouldn't exist if it weren't for the intervention of America all over the world. I personally don't want America in anyone else's business. While we've made or mistakes and often backed dictators when our leaders thought the ends justified the means, we sure as hell saved Europe and Asia's asses.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

You are so misguided and mistaken.


I especially like being spoken down to by younger democracies than our own or by all of the socialistic, dictatorships and oligarchies out there. If you think you can do it better, then give it a try; however, most modern democracies wouldn't exist if it weren't for the intervention of America all over the world. I personally don't want America in anyone else's business. While we've made or mistakes and often backed dictators when our leaders thought the ends justified the means, we sure as hell saved Europe and Asia's asses.

How am I mistaken? You don't like government, go where there isn't one. Come on, go. Leave. Or shut your mouth. Hypocrite.

 

[Olsen]

; however, most modern democracies wouldn't exist if it weren't for the intervention of America all over the world.

What utterly nonsense! Ha, ha!

Talk to Argentinians, Indonesians, Chilians or Philipinians - i could go on, about how America saved their democracies. As for Europe; it was 'saved' by one brilliant battle; Stalingrad. - We don't like to be reminded, though.

To site a newspaper here in Norway; the one good thing about USA being broke; it's good for world peace.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

What utterly nonsense! Ha, ha!

Talk to Argentinians, Indonesians, Chilians or Philipinians - i could go on, about how America saved their democracies. As for Europe; it was 'saved' by one brilliant battle; Stalingrad. - We don't like to be reminded, though.

To site a newspaper here in Norway; the one good thing about USA being broke; it's good for world peace.

Exactly. The Soviet Union would have beaten Germany without our help. The Germans has 3/4 of their forces concentrated on the Eastern Front, which is why it took the Russians 4 years to drive them out but only took the western forces (USA and Britain mostly, with some French loyalists) to drive the Germans out of western Europe.

My government has a disgusting record of supporting brutal dictators. You won't hear the Conservatards talk about that when they denounce our government. No, all that upsets them is the radical idea that citizens should pay taxes to support the cost of the government that protects them from foreign invasion and domestic crime and God Forbid that government should try to help those in our society who have so little that they cannot even eat every day. Let those worthless pieces of trash die, its not like they're human anyway, right? Every good American knows that citizenship should be restricted to white males of high net worth.

 

[dfoo]

I don't find paying taxes that much an infringement on my freedom. But whenever I am the victim of a private company that has monopolised the situation i am in, I feel like being strangled.

I find it odd, because I have the same sympathies. I do hate it when a private company abuses me, especially those which have a monopoly (or a few companies which collude to have a virtual monopoly). In Canada there are many such companies, and I hate that. Air Canada, Rogers, Telus, Bell Canada to name a few. The funny thing is, btw, that these companies are monopolies precisely because of the government; probably at the hands of some corruption.

However, some companies may act like a monopoly, a public sector company IS a monopoly by their very nature. And it is very very difficult to change that type of monopoly.

Guess that was what all the thousands people felt when they had to wait for the Eurostar train crossing the British channel, that broke down this weekend. If it had been a public service it would care about the passengers. The only meaningful message from the management has been 'how the break down would effect profit'. No wonder people were mad.

If I were to leave Norway, I would not be obliged to pay Norwegian taxes. But I would not have the right to our health care system or lavish pension system. Since I am unemployed I have seriously considered moving somewhere else. That would not be so smart.

Why do you think a public service cares about the passengers any more than the private company? To me its two sides of the same problem; lack of choice. If there is a monopoly (by whatever means) customers get screwed. Its only when there is true competition and true choice that the company gives a damn.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

A government run company is responsible to officials elected by the people. A private sector company is responsible to an unelected board (it is elected but only by shareholders, not customers unless they own stock too as some of course do). If the private company faces competition, that can make it responsive to customers' needs but if it is a monopoly (like most utilities) then it can basically tell customers to f--k off...what you gonna do about it?

Government run enterprises often treat customers that badly too, but thats cause people let them get away with it.

 

[TWoK]

How am I mistaken? You don't like government, go where there isn't one. Come on, go. Leave. Or shut your mouth. Hypocrite.

I never told you to leave, what are you talking about? Now I'm a hypocrite. Lay off the crystal meth.

 

[TWoK]

What utterly nonsense! Ha, ha!

Talk to Argentinians, Indonesians, Chilians or Philipinians - i could go on, about how America saved their democracies. As for Europe; it was 'saved' by one brilliant battle; Stalingrad. - We don't like to be reminded, though.

To site a newspaper here in Norway; the one good thing about USA being broke; it's good for world peace.

I did of course point out the US' missteps, but you conveniently didn't quote that. You're absolutely right, the USSR is responsible for world freedom. Stalin was a ****ing man among men who bestowed the shinning light of freedom from gulag to gulag. Are all Norwegians such big crybabies?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I did of course point out the US' missteps, but you conveniently didn't quote that. You're absolutely right, the USSR is responsible for world freedom. Stalin was a ****ing man among men who bestowed the shinning light of freedom from gulag to gulag. Are all Norwegians such big crybabies?

He didn't say that Stalin was responsible for world freedom. He said that the USSR was mostly responsible for defeating Hitler. Which is true. There isn't one single historian in the USA who will say otherwise. So it isn't just a fantasy of Norwegians...it is simply the truth, like it or not.

 

[Olsen]

Chris,

Spoks reminded me of complimenting you on your fine collection of photos. This picture of your grandpa's cat is 'a picture you don't forget', as he say. Very touching.