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Jupiter (clearer) Nov 5th 2023 w/Mewlon 180c

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A Paragraph for Discussion.

Started by doublestargeezer, 08/31/2020 10:29PM
Posted 09/01/2020 11:12PM | Edited 09/01/2020 11:19PM #10
Originally Posted by David Cotterell

Jim, Thanks for the research.   The entire article puts my cherry-picked paragraph into a far more general context and very nicely states my argument that Democratic Socialism as practised in W. and N. Europe, Aus and NZ, Canada and a few other places is an admirable form of government. 
Dave
Hi Dave:

I certainly will not argue that Democratic Socialism as practiced in Scandinavia seems to work well for them.  Although, I think the word "Democratic Socialism" is being too broadly defined if it encompasses Australia, Canada and western Europe.   What are the main differences between the economic and social systems of CA and the US?  Centralized health care is the biggie of course, but other than that, the US and CA are a lot more similar than Canada and an actual socialist country.  You know more about Canada than I do of course, so I might be missing something fundamental.

I personally do not want Democratic Socialism, as it is being promoted locally by Sanders, AOC and the rest of our own Democratic Socialists.  Obviously most US voters agree with me, or Biden would not be the D nominee.  I am comfortable that our system is right for us, even if Sweden's system is right for Sweden.  This is one fundamental where I disagree with the author.  He ignores the benefits of our system entirely.   

Also, the arrogance and thick snobbery of his prose is a key factor in the election of Donald Trump.  Rather than try to understand those who feel differently about governance the author merely insults them/us/me.  "Americans are, of course, the most thoroughly and passively indoctrinated people on earth..."  Puhleeze.  The whole article is a "basket of deplorables" indictment of the US citizenry cloaked in academic language.  The article speaks to exclusively to those who deem themselves to be of a specific and vastly superior intellectual and moral class.  As such, it is a crummy starting point for any discussion.

Jim
Posted 09/01/2020 11:22PM #11
Originally Posted by James Brown

Hi Dave:

I certainly will not argue that Democratic Socialism as practiced in Scandinavia seems to work well for them.  Although, I think the word "Democratic Socialism" is being too broadly defined if it encompasses Australia, Canada and western Europe.   What are the main differences between the economic and social systems of CA and the US?  Centralized health care is the biggie of course, but other than that, the US and CA are a lot more similar than Canada and an actual socialist country.  You know more about Canada than I do of course, so I might be missing something fundamental.

I personally do not want Democratic Socialism, as it is being promoted locally by Sanders, AOC and the rest of our own Democratic Socialists.  Obviously most US voters agree with me, or Biden would not be the D nominee.  I am comfortable that our system is right for us, even if Sweden's system is right for Sweden.  This is one fundamental where I disagree with the author.  He ignores the benefits of our system entirely.   

Also, the arrogance and thick snobbery of his prose is a key factor in the election of Donald Trump.  Rather than try to understand those who feel differently about governance the author merely insults them/us/me.  "Americans are, of course, the most thoroughly and passively indoctrinated people on earth..."  Puhleeze.  The whole article is a "basket of deplorables" indictment of the US citizenry cloaked in academic language.  The article speaks to exclusively to those who deem themselves to be of a specific and vastly superior intellectual and moral class.  As such, it is a crummy starting point for any discussion.

Jim
It's true, just watch Fox news...
Posted 09/02/2020 02:14AM #12
Canada --- NATO Contribution..

"Canada is responsible for 5.9% of the overall contribution to NATO Common-Funded Budgets and Programmes. Assuming that the US continued to maintain its 21.7% of the overall contribution to these projects, an equal distribution by the remaining 27 members states would be 2.9%. With Canada contributing 5.9%, evidently there are other countries in the Alliance that are contributing less than equal amounts to NATO. Perhaps in answer to Paris’ question, Canada is, after all, “pulling at least its own weight” in the Alliance in comparison to these other countries, providing the 6th highest overall contribution to these projects."

Proportionally, Canada is pulling over double its own weight.....   

The 5.9% figure, by the way includes the annual contribution as a percentage of GDP plus all the NATO missions that Canada sends ships, planes and troops to.  

 Reference
Posted 09/02/2020 02:23AM #13
Originally Posted by David Cotterell
Canada --- NATO Contribution..

"Canada is responsible for 5.9% of the overall contribution to NATO Common-Funded Budgets and Programmes. Assuming that the US continued to maintain its 21.7% of the overall contribution to these projects, an equal distribution by the remaining 27 members states would be 2.9%. With Canada contributing 5.9%, evidently there are other countries in the Alliance that are contributing less than equal amounts to NATO. Perhaps in answer to Paris’ question, Canada is, after all, “pulling at least its own weight” in the Alliance in comparison to these other countries, providing the 6th highest overall contribution to these projects."

Proportionally, Canada is pulling over double its own weight.....   

The 5.9% figure, by the way includes the annual contribution as a percentage of GDP plus all the NATO missions that Canada sends ships, planes and troops to.  

 Reference
Plus, they're sound sleepers. Here's what you have to do to wake one up in the morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOPEpsGJyCs
Posted 09/02/2020 03:39AM #14
Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Plus, they're sound sleepers. Here's what you have to do to wake one up in the morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOPEpsGJyCs
The most Canadian thing you will see, ever: