As a citizen of the UK I feel I have a good reason to love my country. Partial-public funding of higher education means I can afford to go to university, I know that if I ever get sick the NHS will be there to give me free treatment, and if I ever find myself unemployed I know I'll be able to survive until I can find a job. I feel that the state gives me a lot in return for my loyalty.
What do Americans get in return for their undying patriotism and flag worshipping? The poor can't afford to go to college. You have to pay for all but the most urgent healthcare, and your social security system is almost non-existant. Americans seem to think that what they get back from the state is their 'freedom', but would you be any less 'free' in any other western country?
2006-09-12 02:13:27 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Government
We get the right to pay taxes!!
2006-09-12 02:17:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anarchy99 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Freedom, equal opportunity, knowledge, understanding; just to name a few of the many benefits of being an American citizen.
In the US, we already have too much funding, by state and federal government, of universities. That money has to come from somewhere and the somewhere is tax money on the citizens. Why should I pay tax money to allow the son of a rich doctor to go to Harvard, to become a doctor, and get rich as well. The doctor will not return my tax payments to me.
In the US we have the best health care system in the world. Even Canadians like it and make use of it on a regular basis. The vast majority of people have health insurance or have access to welfare programs. No one, in the US is refused treatment because of lack of ability to pay.
In the US we have state unemployment programs. They are funded by taxes on employers and employees.
Poor people can and do go to college. Some get scholarships, either academic or sports. Some take out loans. Some start out at Community Colleges, where the tuition is very low.
There are many millions of people in the US, collecting Social Security benefits. I will be one of them, in about two months, and at age 62 I will be getting about $16,000 per year. Not too shabby, I say. I will collect it for as long as I live.
President John Kennedy's most famous saying: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." His words ring true today.
I suspect that you have been paying too much attention to the US main stream media.
2006-09-12 09:34:11 · answer #2 · answered by regerugged 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Americans get nothing in return... no free higher education... not free medical care... not affordable housing... NOTHING... all they get is a constant stream of nonsense about how lucky they are and how EVERYONE wants to come to America... which is blatently not true... but Americans don't know it because they have been brainwashed to believe that it is all about THEM and nobody else had any rights, thoughts or abilities.
I remember when I was at University in England, I had to constantly answer questions such as why Americans had raised the Flag to the level of a religious Icon and why Americans thought nothing of having their Social Security number used for everything and how that would never be acceptable in England... and just about any OTHER free country and why Americans could see nothing wrong with interferring in the internal affairs of foreign soverign nations.
2006-09-12 09:19:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Our problems are all fixable. Social security will be fixable once they take it out of the general fund where that lousy carter put it and back into its own private account. The fact that we get more freedom than anyone else in the world, we get taxed less than most everyone in the world especially compared to GB. Your services are not free, you are paying through the nose. So in reality your government isn't giving you anything.
2006-09-12 09:21:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are many grants and financial aid for the university. There is unemployment benefits in the US. There is social security when we get old. Medicare when we get old. We have nice highways. Believe me, we're about the same off as you are in the UK. Not perfect, but there is a safety net in this country. A safety net that says, "get back to work". Here's some more tax paid benefits:
WIC/Welfare/Medicaid/Earned Income Credit
2006-09-12 09:19:24 · answer #5 · answered by MEL T 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Freedom....This means we can achieve anything we want in our country,Life is what you make it afterall....We have opportunities many do not in other countries,not to mention human rights to all you mentioned you have in the UK...The poor do not go untreated for health problems,we have higher education offered thru scholarships,unemployment pay,& social security is still in the works & being dealt with for the future..Any other western countries cannot guarantee my total freedom let alone the pride in being American...USA rocks..trust me.
2006-09-12 09:23:53 · answer #6 · answered by legendary~cool 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Freedom.
2006-09-12 09:15:00 · answer #7 · answered by Sammy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. Your lack of knowledge on the US is monumental.
2. There are so many grants etc for college that we have people in college that shouldn't be in college.
3. Medicaid and Medicare for the poor to get health care. (If your national health is so great, why do you folks take forever for simple procedures)
4. The state should not "give" you squat that you haven't earned.
2006-09-12 09:20:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Here's what Americans get back in return for their patriotism and loyalty to their country!...
http://www.global-conspiracies.com/fema_concentration_camps.htm
2006-09-15 21:05:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm glad you think your country is better than ours. That is how it is supposed to be.
I'm satisfied here in the USA and would list England as one of the top five nations I would move to if the USA started to suck.
2006-09-12 09:20:33 · answer #10 · answered by El Pistolero Negra 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
'What do Americans get back in return for their patriotism and loyalty to their country?'
...your Freedom taken away, and your Constitution destroyed!
Check this out...NOW! http://www.freedomtofascism.com/
2006-09-12 09:18:27 · answer #11 · answered by onlyissue 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋