Fun with Canada take that, you eskimo humpers!
#1
Posted 31 August 2009 - 04:29 PM
this article seems to seek to debunk some myths about Canada at first, but then goes on to state that Canadians pay 48 percent of their income in taxes somehow? Can we get some confirmation on that? Also, props to President Obama for stating that he isn't afraid of Canadians. Had our last president said the same thing I'd have advised Civ, Hec and Jordan to start digging fox holes, but Obama meant it in a different way.
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#2
Posted 01 September 2009 - 09:59 AM
In the second place, I don't really believe a mere 1000 phone calls can accurately represent all of the Canadian population, or 500 phone calls the entire American population - and yes, I've taken statistics courses. Not saying that the results are way off-base in this instance, but still. That's kinda ridiculous.
And while I don't live there I have heard that bit about taxes several times before from Canadian friends. Here in the U.S. we pay waaaaaaay less taxes than other countries, and to most people that's a positive thing. And most of the people I have talked to that are in support of switching to a healthcare system just like Canada's don't realize how much of their money it really is going to cost - they just assume the money poofs out of thin air I guess. I try to educate them and they get all offended. I'm not even trying to convince them that switching to the Canadian model would be bad, I'm just making sure they aren't ignorant on the costs, and they get all pissy, how dare I suggest that something expensive would cost them money.
#3
Posted 01 September 2009 - 01:11 PM
I'm currently trying to get a job in the US. I live in BC, the cost of living is so high that it makes you want to cry. I don't give a fuck about healthcare, i'm sick of not having money
#5
Posted 01 September 2009 - 11:16 PM
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#6
Posted 02 September 2009 - 01:43 AM
I don't pay 48% in tax. I do probably pay more than I think, when everything is factored in. So do US Citizens. I don't mind paying tax if I am getting my money's worth. I don't think I'm getting my money's worth. Neither are the Americans.
#7
Posted 02 September 2009 - 12:30 PM
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This post has been edited by Spoon Poetic: 02 September 2009 - 12:30 PM
#8
Posted 02 September 2009 - 09:24 PM
Spoon Poetic, on 02 September 2009 - 01:30 PM, said:
I'm sure he was referring to the number of people in jail.
#9
Posted 02 September 2009 - 10:10 PM
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#10
Posted 02 September 2009 - 11:57 PM
I admit I could definitely stand to see some changes in the way our penal system works and what prisons should and should not provide for inmates. But not imprisoning criminals does not seem like the way to go to me.
#11
Posted 03 September 2009 - 09:14 PM
I don't know what other countries do with their criminals, but they don't imprison nearly 1 percent of their populations. Either that is because they are crazy utopias like Canada that dont ghettos and slums, or because they have a more enlightened approach to sentencing, etc that allows them to put money from that into fun things like universal healthcare.
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#12
Posted 03 September 2009 - 10:56 PM
Second of all, who exactly do you think shouldn't be imprisoned? The embezzlers? The fraudists? You think only violent crime deserves punishment? I disagree. Thievery, whether white collar or blue collar, is violent in its own very real way.
And besides that, I sure can think of a lot of crimes where you just get a fine, or community service, and no prison time.
This post has been edited by Spoon Poetic: 03 September 2009 - 11:00 PM
#13
Posted 05 September 2009 - 01:49 AM
You stated that I wanted to let violent predators roam free across the lands, then when I pointed out that most criminals don't fall under that category you said I wanted to let them roam free across the lands simply because they're not violent. I never said any of these things, only that we really do imprison a larger percent of our population/pay more to do so than any other country and that shouldnt be. So, yes I think we should drastically reduce penalties for drug use or dealing, and certain other crimes. But we also need to look at rejuvenating inner city areas which, I think we've noticed, at least in certain Australian primary school circles, are viewed as lunatic war zones. We need to look at education, and at the possibility that our legal system is still tinged with racism when a tremendously inordinate number of inmates are black or hispanic in direct contrast the populational trends.
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#14
Posted 05 September 2009 - 06:32 AM
I was working on a rebuttal for some older arguments Hofmarn and I had in this forum. At the time I felt weary about giving any kind of retort since he never denied any of my allegations. Most times when I debate people on issues and I see that they are clinging to a certain ideology, I always try to expose the Hofmarn that lives with in them; especially those who refute being called a sado-masochist and left wing nut ball. Well, I feel this way again, and don’t think I’m going to bother release my argument. The above statement pretty much sums up what I already new to a certain extent. There is almost no point of continuing this debate now, Spoon. There is nothing you can accuse Hofman of that he wouldn't happily admit. I suppose you can give him that much.
Yes in general criminality should be punished.
This comment here seems like an after-thought he had, not sure why he mentioned it.
#15
Posted 05 September 2009 - 07:59 AM
Without the various drug laws, you'd have none of the drug crime. When was the last time you heard about rumrunners and speakeasies? Without the black market for booze, there are no boozerunning gangs killing one another for territory, and anyone wanting to quit grade school to sell booze will now have to get his GED and toss a resume in with the others at the local supermarket. Our drug laws are there to enforce Puritanical notions of the way people ought to behave (prescriptive enforcement of a specific lifestyle), rather than to protect anyone from anything (I will ignore any bullshit argument about the dangers of drugs, since this sort of paternal protectionism is itself proscriptive and it does not apply to several other pasttimes, such as sailing and gun ownerhsip). And along the way our drug laws have created a black market and all of the violence that comes with it.
Add to this the possibility of going to jail for homosexuality, the current and very dangerous notion of being listed as a sex offender even for consensual heterosexual sodomy, and the possibility of doing actual jail time for the practice in some states (be careful what you admit to, and if you have anal sex with a psycho who may rat you out to the cops, cut off her head and hands and bury her in the desert).
I won't go on, but yes. You have a Puritanical country (I do too, but slightly less so), and minorities are persecuted for having hobbies that don't jive with the opinon of a white Christian majority. You could empty out a lot of the prisons just by easing up on some of that and keep the violent and genuine sex offenders, as well as the remaining economically-motivated criminals in jail all you like.