Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Quoting Babybus (Reply 2): I'd agree the only way forward for capitalism is to follow the Nordic model. |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 4): Although after living in Norway for the last two years I've come to the realisation that a lot of people are paid way to much for the jobs that they do, this is then passed on to the consumers who pay exorbitant amounts of money for even the most basic of products and services. |
Quoting Klaus (Reply 5): Norway is a special case |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 4): Although after living in Norway for the last two years I've come to the realisation that a lot of people are paid way to much for the jobs that they do, this is then passed on to the consumers who pay exorbitant amounts of money for even the most basic of products and services. |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 1): Although look at Iceland. May not be good to be "too" Nordic. Big grin |
Quoting Eaa3 (Reply 8): The Icelandic government decided that instead of using it´s money to prop up these private banks they would simply stand by and let them fail as private enterprise should if in trouble. |
Quoting Dreadnought (Reply 3): If you want a Scandenavian model, move to Scandenavia. I'd say it only would work in a relatively homogeneous society. Our population will not do well under such a system - You have a good 25% of the population who will just sit on their asses and say 'gimme'. |
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 11): Now, there's also a lot of mental illness in that population. That, unfortunately, is not fixable without euthanasia/eugenics. |
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 11): My solution would simply be to limit reproductive freedom for those on welfare. You can have as many kids as you like as long as you can pay for them. If you can't pay for them, then you get two. If you have more than two, then they all get taken away. |
Quoting Klaus (Reply 10): That's not really what happened as far as I know — the bubble was simply too big for even the icelandic state to handle, basically leading to state bankruptcy in the absence of sufficient public funds. |
Quoting Klaus (Reply 12): Come on — aren't you a bit harsh on the breeders...? mischievous |
Quoting Klaus (Reply 12): Apart from the obvious moral limitations which preclude it I rather doubt that it's a matter of genetics. |
Quoting Klaus (Reply 5): Norway is a special case. Oil revenue increases incomes and prices there, but it also allows for relatively generous public spending without relying on personal taxes to the same extent as they would have to without the oil. |
Quoting 767Lover (Reply 7): They also have to pay a lot in taxes, so they have to make strong incomes, All those social services don't come free, |
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 14): We have to stop funding dysfunctional people having 10+ kids. Look at octo-mom. That should have NEVER been permitted. And the simple, ethical, and effective solution is simply to mandate that people must be able to pay for their kids. |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 4): Men's haircut 60 USD |
Quoting 767Lover (Reply 7): They also have to pay a lot in taxes, so they have to make strong incomes, |
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 14): I'll never forget the mom who came in for her 8th kid and 5th C-section. All on welfare, of course. The OB/GYN said during the C-section (which gets more and more complicated every time you do it because of the scar tissue) "I really don't recommend you do this again. I can tie your tubes right now, but if I don't, the next time could well kill you!" and the woman said "I'm just gon' keep on havin' 'em until I cain't!" |
Quoting Slider (Reply 20): This is laughable. They can have their system, that's fine. |
Quoting Flighty (Reply 21): Also, free education (including college) is probably a good policy. It pays for itself in terms of superior wages and therefore tax revenue. Also, their environmental policies are largely very good. |
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 19): But I suspect that the usual religious types will be strictly against supplying free contraceptives, claiming that it will lead to promiscuity and sin, and will only accept sexual abstinence, meaning that whoever is on welfare shouldn't have sex. |
Quoting Sv7887 (Reply 22): I'm not saying we shouldn't strive for better access to education, but the problem with "Free" is that it lends itself to abuse. If you're paying for at least some part of your education, there is a degree of commitment there. |
Quoting Eaa3 (Reply 8): It´s probably the most capitalistic country in the world. |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 1): May not be good to be "too" Nordic. |
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 19): If they can get contraceptives for free through the welfare system, there is no excuse for having lots of kids they can't support. |
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 19): But I suspect that the usual religious types will be strictly against supplying free contraceptives, claiming that it will lead to promiscuity and sin, and will only accept sexual abstinence, meaning that whoever is on welfare shouldn't have sex. |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 4): Men's haircut 60 USD |
Quoting Aero145 (Reply 29): It’s not June, it’s March. |
Quoting Aero145 (Reply 29): Aren’t the Faroe Islands a province of Denmark? Yes, the people speak Faroese but the islands are still a province of the Danish Kingdom. |
Quoting 767Lover (Reply 7): Hmmmm. Norway has been drilling oil off its shores for about 3 decades. Something to think about. |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 1): Look at Linux, Nokia, Ikea, all Scandinavian companies. They have done great and they are still going strong. I hope they will keep doing well. |
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 11): But part of the reason that that 25% of the population is sitting on their asses is because we don't educate them or prepare them for life in any way. |
Quoting StasisLAX (Reply 32): Quoting 767Lover (Reply 7): Hmmmm. Norway has been drilling oil off its shores for about 3 decades. Something to think about. Oh no, a reprise of the "drill baby drill" slogan from the Republican presidential campaign! |
Quoting DXing (Reply 33): And then along comes the Saab story. |
Quoting Aero145 (Reply 34): On another note: Have you got relatives or are you from any of the Nordic countries? |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 1): I always liked the Scandinavian enterprise Spirit. |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 15): I don't think I pay a lot of tax, I make high 6 figures, my income tax is 32% this year, last year I paid 37% but got a significant refund. What you pay in tax is dependant on things like your mortgage and the amount of interest you are paying per year. |
Quoting StasisLAX (Reply 32): Quoting 767Lover (Reply 7): Hmmmm. Norway has been drilling oil off its shores for about 3 decades. Something to think about. Oh no, a reprise of the "drill baby drill" slogan from the Republican presidential campaign! duck |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 28): Åland is a province of Finland, which is Nordic but the people are mostly ethnic Swedes and Swedish speakers so they could be considered Scandinavian, its a tough call, maybe if we had an Ålandic member they could tell us what they believe themselves to be |
Quoting StasisLAX (Reply 32): No, but demanding that corporate entities operate by the laws governing them, not spending a fortune on legal fees to find the "cracks" in their governing laws, and not lobbying members of Congress to repeal critically important laws like the Glass-Steagall Act is the FIRST step to ending unrealistic behavior on the part of America's corporate citizens.... |
Quoting Confuscius (Reply 37): Case in point: Swedish Bikini Team bigthumbsup |
Quoting 767Lover (Reply 38): Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 15): I don't think I pay a lot of tax, I make high 6 figures, my income tax is 32% this year, last year I paid 37% but got a significant refund. What you pay in tax is dependant on things like your mortgage and the amount of interest you are paying per year. I was also factoring in sales tax (25%?) |
Quoting Aero145 (Reply 24): Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 1): May not be good to be "too" Nordic. With the majority of the population derived from Norwegian people and being very much in the north - it is quite nordic in my opinion. |
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 43): The only tax which is really high in Norwayis the one on alcoholic drinks |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 45): Iceland is a different question. I like Keflavik airport, I have some memories of Concorde in that airport but I would never have thought of moving to Iceland or even less Greenland. cold |
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 43): Could that whole socialengineering stuff have it's roots in the religious traditions |
Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 36): Married to a Norwegian, two half Kiwi, half Norwegian children and currently living in Molde. Although I must admit I am struggling to learn Norsk. |
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 45): I like Keflavik airport |