Post by Clausewitz on Sept 24, 2007 10:21:55 GMT
natmus said:
But nevermind the economy. Where is the political change? Where is an end to the corruption of the two party system? Where is the improvement of the education system that allows poor gifted people a proper education? Where is a fair medical system that treats all equally?
I still don't see why making any changes should make things worse. Again, the political system in the U.S. can hardly be any worse. Scrap it and start over from scratch with something that makes sense for this day and age. I'm sure the founding fathers never had envisioned that the system they set up should remain fixed forever, nomatter how the society evolved (whoops, can you say that? ). Surely the U.S. population isn't that fanatically conservative that they prefer a corrupt system, just because they can't bother to cahnge it to a working one?
Indeed, you have a pessimistic outlook on the United States
Just to give the textbook rebuttal (though I'm sure you know it):
1. Corruption of the two-party system. This is product of our electoral process. Some electoral changes could be made, certainly, to allow Proportional Representation. But then again, look what that has done for Italy - what is it now, 52 different governments in the past decade? No electoral system is perfect. And the "corruption" I assume is your reference to lobbyists and the influence of campaign contributors - again, this is a difficult issue, it is cuts to the core of the 1st Amendment and what American's view as Freedom of Speech. Telling a man he cannot support a politician is dangerous ground.
2. Education. It sucks in the United States, bottom line. Leaves much to be desired. Teacher's Unions are one of the biggest roadblocks, believe it or not. They are absolutely and viciously opposed to any reforms that do anything other than raise teacher's salaries. However, it should be noted, that in spite of low American education scores vis-a-vis the rest of the world, our median scores are much higher - many countries literally withdraw secondary education if benchmarks are not met, but the United States continues to have the most "doors open" to even the most underperforming students.
3. "Fair medical system". This one is hotly debated. Americans like the idea of everyone being insured, but they also see Canadians coming across the border for any treatment that goes beyond ibuprofen and a cast. In Canada, it's a wonderful healthcare system if you need "routine" treatment. However, if you are undergoing life-threatening operations, etc., Canadians are quite displeased. Stories of Canadians being on a 6-month waiting list for chemotherapy, and dying before receiving treatment, are not lost on Americans.
Americans have also noted the woeful conditions that exist in Walter Reed Medical Center, a "government operated" facility, and it has done little to bolster the case of "universal health care". The fact that US infant mortality and life expectancy rates are in the highest echelon further takes the wind out of the sails of the "our health care is atrocious!" crowd...
"I still don't see why making any changes should make things worse. Again, the political system in the U.S. can hardly be any worse." I must ask, have you been to the United States? Your perspective is resoundingly bleak. There are literally scores of countries that would trade their government's problems for ours. Central/South America, all of Africa, 90% of Asia, 100% of Pacific Asia, 90% of Eastern Europe... all these regions would trade their utterly failed governments for the "horrid" conditions in the United States.
At the end of the day, the United States has many problems, but remains incredibly vibrant and strong on the whole. Take unemployment, for instance. Our "horribly corrupt" system never sees unemployment breech the 10% threshold. When the population is employed and earning wages, they tend to be less discontent. Is unemployment in France not constantly flirting with 30%? One might argue a criteria for a successful model of government is the ability to have productive citizens...
I find much of these "problems", honestly, rather arrogant. I have seen considerable portions of the 3rd World. For Western European/American citizens to criticize their systems, as they sit in supreme opulence, is a sheer stroke of contempt for very real problems that do exist, and dwarf those in the West. For Americans to take outrage at their health care system is beyond contempt - what of Africa, wherein 25% of the continent has AIDS, and of those, 50% will never have the opportunity to even visit a clinic?