Posted on 03/10/2010 10:48:27 AM PST by mainestategop
Yes, they are in much better shape than the rest of Scandinavia.
Yes, I think it is a little disingenous to compare Scandinavia to the USA. We are taking about 20 million vs. 300 million of a very affluent homogenus population (6% minorities).
However, I currently live in Norway and would be able help you with you whatever you need.
I think you mean the person that started this thread. That’s who needed help.
please forward to teh Swedish Ping list.
<Norway has a lot of oil and they arent afraid to drill for it, so their oil wealth is paying for their socialism.
True, but my understanding is that much of that oil money is set aside for the future. My best friend in grad school was a Norwegian and she said that in many ways Norway was still like the poor country it was before oil, because the government doesn’t spend all the oil money. They still have to have separate retirement funds separate from the government and the students get student loans, just like over here. I tease her all the time about the ‘people’s republic,’ and while they certainly are a socialized system, it looks like, even with their small population, the government can’t pay for everything anymore.
Things are not always as black and white as one may think: here is a video about the Swedish economy from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity:
http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2010/03/size-of-government-sweden-vs-obama.html#comments
However, this video does not go into all the free market reforms that have taken place (notably absent is the rejection by the voters of the euro - the positive effects are definitely evident these days), nor does it discuss the continued socialization of the family and the individual. (eg: See posts on FR re home schooling in Sweden.)
The reform of our social security system was, however, a major free market reform both seen from purely economical and also social aspects.
My advice to you would be to focus on one particular subject and do a lot of studying on that particular issue before putting together a video.
The CIA World Fact Book estimates Norway's population at 4,660,539 as of July 2009.
If they save half or more of their oil wealth that still leave a large pile of money to be spent on a population of only 4.7 million people.
lol that is ridiculous. It takes a pop into the office and if they are busy you get an appointment for a little later. Might have to wait for glasses if you need special designs that needs to be ordered or if you live rural you have to travel or wait for the traveling eye exam buss.
this is a comment to this claim. least six months or more to get the exams and new glasses if they used their own system.
The system works and would work in large states. Because you divide the system into smaller manageable systems.
You get access to care immediately if needed. If not needed 70% get it the same day the others wait if they can. the second opinion and specialist care is the same, the less urgent the longer you wait, within reason.
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