Does the Nanny state make for a better life?

Author: billbatard

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Dr.Franklin
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and socialists run vienna the nicest city in the world, democrats run all major cities good or bad do some research they run the nice ones too
No, Mayors are republican too and the nice ones?? Politicians cant be nice
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@billbatard
Above
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@billbatard
FDR AND THE NEW DEAL WERE A GOLDEN AGE FOR THE COMMON MAN

There was a recession in 1938, so it didnt work, too bad
bsh1
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@Dr.Franklin
So? Wlefare is in almost every country plus Germany sucks and is a shithole
Have you ever been to Germany? I lived there for more than 7 years, and I can tell you, the quality of life there is higher than it is here.
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@bsh1
No I have not been to Germany and I don't plan to go. 
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@Dr.Franklin
So then your preachings are based on know-nothingism and nationalism.

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@bsh1
Im sure it is!
TheDredPriateRoberts
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@bsh1
 I can tell you, the quality of life there is higher than it is here.
that means what?  just for you or for everyone?

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@TheDredPriateRoberts
On balance.
bmdrocks21
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@bsh1
Aren't people going through energy poverty over there since they switched to mostly renewable energy
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@bsh1
This says that 16.7% of Germans are below the poverty line, while only 15.1% of Americans are below it.

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@bmdrocks21
The data I am aware of does not support that. Among rich countries, the US ranks second highest in terms of poverty, behind only Israel. The problem with the data you're using is that it does not employ a standard definition of "poverty" across countries.

Besides, Germany's poor are far better off than the poor in the US, because they have access to a wider array of public services and social benefits to offset their income deficiencies.

bsh1
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@bmdrocks21
Energy poverty is an eminently fixable issue that doesn't significantly impact the vast majority of German's quality of life. Pointing to that particular problem is not a good indicator of whether life for Germans is on balance better or worse than life for Americans.
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@bsh1
It seems their definitions of poverty do vary, so perhaps that was a little unfair.

However, cost of living is still better in America than Germany. They have lower average monthly incomes and less purchasing power.

Having electricity for your household is a fairly basic necessity. It obviously isn't the only measure, but having to spend almost three time as much for electricity means they will also have less money to spend on other goods and necessities. I'd say that being stuck in a house without cooling during the summer or heat during the winter is a pretty big problem.
Dr.Franklin
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SEEEE GERMANY IS A SHITHOLE
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@bsh1
Is that chart disposable income? I know many EU places tax the poor at 40%+ rates, so it's not like the USA.
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@bmdrocks21
They have lower average monthly incomes and less purchasing power.
That is again an incredibly bad metric to use. Germans may have less purchasing power in a vacuum, but that's not really why we care about purchasing power. We care about purchasing power, as consumers, because we want to know that we can use our money to buy the things we want and need in the volumes we need and want them. In Germany, because there are more social services and benefits, there are fewer costs that Germans need to pay for out of their monthly income, and so they may still have more money, after paying for necessities, to buy the things they want than American consumers. 
bsh1
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@bmdrocks21
I'd say that being stuck in a house without cooling during the summer
You've never lived in Europe have you? Even when you can afford an AC, most Europeans don't buy them. There is a culture of frugality there that doesn't exist over here--appliances in Germany are seen as luxuries, not necessities, and so even when you can afford them, it's seen as snobbish to buy them. Most Europeans--and that includes pretty much every European country--do not have majority AC ownership. It's not a pretty big problem.

And, as I said, the issue you're raising is pretty small and fails to weigh heavily on the question of overall quality of life. I'd be happy to debate you on it, however. 
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@Dr.Franklin
No. West Virginia is a shithole.
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@bsh1
I see you. Neglect the heat in the winter point I made (when their average winter temperatures are 0 Celcius). 
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@bsh1
Do Germans own homes and have refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, heaters, ovens, etc...?

There is a culture of frugality there that doesn't exist over here
Okay, this I am interested in if you would elaborate.  I happen to relate to this sentiment, though with different reasoning.
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@Snoopy
Do Germans own all of those things?
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@Dr.Franklin
SEEEE GERMANY IS A SHITHOLE
Oh, be honest now.  Eminently fixable is just what everyone is thinking.  Someone had to say it.  

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@bsh1
I mean, they have more social services and less disposable income/less purchasing power. Take your pick. I would choose freedom over what my money is spent on.

It seems we have reached a standstill.
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@bmdrocks21
I think they just wear house shoes and drink more beer.
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@Snoopy
Wunderbar!
bsh1
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@Snoopy
Obviously they own those things. They tend to have smaller, more efficient versions of those things, however. AC, dryers, and dishwashers are the things that tend to be seen as the most unnecessary. There is just the sense over there that those things are luxuries, because they're comfort items. But worse than that, they're comfort items which run in the background. They're not really "fun." Germans would much rather spend on their car than by an AC system.
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@Snoopy
I think they just wear house shoes and drink more beer.
Genau. Das stimmt.

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@Snoopy
High iq
Dr.Franklin
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bish bishy glishy glishy