Elites and their propaganda
What is so wrong with all of these is that they are all reported in ways to make the speaker look good. The same numbers looked at in a different way (ie in full context) tell just the opposite story.
1. Stagnant Wages. Wages prior to 2006 were climbing steadily. They have seriously stagnated (especially in the past six years) due to government policies: taxes and red tape. What also isn't included in the statistics are the damning facts of taxation and cost of living in the nations in the graph. Add those in and Americans are the richest by far. (Look at the price of gas alone!)
2. Healthcare. This one's already been debunked several times over. The fact is that this graph is reporting only personal spending while ignoring the government's contribution, which in the socialist European nations is in the form of taxes. It also completely ignores patient care, which prior to Obamacare was in stark contrast.
3. Plutocratic Policies. It's only as the US has adopted the same socialist policies Europe already uses that the citizens are distanced from power.
4. Learning. Again, this is another product of too much government involvement in education - not too little. Our test scores only began to drop in the 70's as the 60's generations began taking control of the education system. It's only dropped further due to No Child Left Behind and it's offshoots.
5. Foreign Aid. I love how they always present this one as a percent of GDP and they only include specific government aid while excluding private donations. And they conveniently forget to include the United Nations (which we directly fund between 1/4 and 1/3 of). They also forget to include trade, which is the best source of foreign aid in the world!
So many lies, not enough time...
1. Stagnant Wages. Wages prior to 2006 were climbing steadily. They have seriously stagnated (especially in the past six years) due to government policies: taxes and red tape. What also isn't included in the statistics are the damning facts of taxation and cost of living in the nations in the graph. Add those in and Americans are the richest by far. (Look at the price of gas alone!)
2. Healthcare. This one's already been debunked several times over. The fact is that this graph is reporting only personal spending while ignoring the government's contribution, which in the socialist European nations is in the form of taxes. It also completely ignores patient care, which prior to Obamacare was in stark contrast.
3. Plutocratic Policies. It's only as the US has adopted the same socialist policies Europe already uses that the citizens are distanced from power.
4. Learning. Again, this is another product of too much government involvement in education - not too little. Our test scores only began to drop in the 70's as the 60's generations began taking control of the education system. It's only dropped further due to No Child Left Behind and it's offshoots.
5. Foreign Aid. I love how they always present this one as a percent of GDP and they only include specific government aid while excluding private donations. And they conveniently forget to include the United Nations (which we directly fund between 1/4 and 1/3 of). They also forget to include trade, which is the best source of foreign aid in the world!
So many lies, not enough time...
Point 1 is tricky, is the measure before or after inflation? Yes cost of living is important, health care (US down), but housing, energy and travel costs give a big advantage.
I agree: the author confuses the result with the action/principle preceding the result. It is the principle of individual liberty which made us great. That our greatness declines is because we have allowed our governing principles and authors to embrace principles which enslave us one small thread at a time.