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Originally Posted by Ken
@ dhomoney –
Just a quick note....I LIVE in Germany, I'm not a German, I'm 50% American and 50% British....Raised in the US and worked for the US Gov't for more than 36 years and am a Vietnam Vet.  |
Thank you for your service Ken.
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And as for your intimate knowledge of Europeans and their dictatorships and monarchies, where, pray tell, did you obtain this insight? Most Germans I know understand very well the meaning of a dictatorship. Did you know that the idea of social security was invented in Germany by Kaiser Bismarck? And most of the ideas that went into developing the early U.S. constitution and bill of rights came from England. Let’s not trivialize the Europeans too much.
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Ken, I get this incite from history. I knew that Bismark was the founder of a SSI type plan amongst other socialist/fascist things. Frankly, I abhor and hate stuff like SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid. These are unconstitutional constructs of a federal government run a muck. I am a student of history and read voraciously.
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I might point out that most roads in the US have speed limits...ever drive on a German Autobahn at 150 mph? That's freedom. :) Yes, you are right that many countries in Europe are somewhat nanny states but so is the U.S. whether you wish to admit to it or not. And the reason is that for those who fail to exercise good judgment on their own forces the state to do it for them. If you don't have good health insurance (and it certainly seems that lots of folks in the U.S. do not) and if you are not wearing a helmet and if you are stopped at a right light and get rammed from the rear by a cell-phone chatting, finger-nail painting lady and your unprotected noggin is pushed into the truck ahead of you and you are now brain dead, it very well may be my tax dollar that helps keep you alive (if you make it that far). Like you, I don't like being told what to do, but sometimes, sometimes....well, you get my point.
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Our health care in the US is fine, a bit pricey, but also the best in the world. You don't see sick world leaders and business men flying to Europe to get care, they come here to the US. Recent stat, in the US male prostate cancer is survived 91.6% of the time. In Europe it is survived 76% of the time, in the UK it is survived 51% of the time. We don't have rationed care, our wait times to see are doctor are the lowest in the world. In some Canadian cities and towns they have health care lotteries. In the US our evil profit driven system provides the fastest and highest level of health care in the world bar none. I don't need to explain what my friends living in the UK have to say about NHS do I? Why do you think they are have private health care. Our health care costs are driven to the levels they are by litigation and we are in dire need of tort reform, and by government meddling health care jacking up costs. Give me American health care any day of the week over anyone else.
Oh and yes I have driven the autobahns. I have been to Germany, Luxembourg, and France. I have driven all over those countries. The drivers and road in Germany are the best in the world. Also the US is becoming nanny state, against the wishes of a great many people. Our leaders don't listen to the people anymore, I can tell you of major legislation that the people where overwhelmingly against yet they passed it anyhow. We aren't perfect, but we have the best construct in place, the US Constitution, and while we got a lot of our philosophy from the likes of Smith and Blackstone, we implemented it, the Brits didn't, of course we also took a lot from Rome and Greece as well. [/quote]
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In any event, I do very much wish you well and even if you ride with just a skid lid on your noggin it would be better than nothing. Check out one of the earlier posts on that new ½ helmet. It looks good and might be right up your alley.
Take care and ride safe - Ken
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You was well sir. I love a good political debate and no ill will is ever intended no matter how much I rant and rail, ok well ill will toward or inept and corrupt political class is there, but not towards you. :)