Why would the U.S. want to be like Denmark?

American Thinker ^ | 05/02/2016 | Sierra Rayne

[SeekAndFind]

Writing in New York magazine, Jonathan Chait asks, "If we want to be like Denmark, whom do we tax?"

Turning into Denmark would be sheer folly for the United States, or almost any other OECD nation.

We'll start with real per capita GDP.  It is 22% higher in the U.S., meaning that being like Denmark would involve giving up a substantial portion of the average individual national wealth.  That doesn't seem wise.

Denmark's real per capita GDP is lower now than it was in 2004.  A decade of darkness.  Make that a decade and a half: since 2000, its real per capita GDP has increased – in total – only 2.6%.  As anemic as the American growth rate is, it is fivefold faster than Denmark's.

Denmark has a far higher rate of assault than the U.S. (i.e., the Danes are very violent), and its violent crime rate is headed through the roof.

Americans also score much better in terms of self-reported health.  So much for that socialized medicine advantage.

Job security and the long-term unemployment rate are about equal in the two countries, so no check mark for socialism here, either.

Household net adjusted disposable income and household financial wealth are far lower in Denmark than the U.S.  In fact, the U.S. leads the OECD by large margins in both fields.

[elcid1970]

Overtaxed, disarmed, and infested with Muslims. And once every decade or so, the Little Mermaid statue gets decapitated.

Yeah, we really want to be like Denmark.

[Rummyfan]

Denmark has a far higher rate of assault than the U.S. (i.e., the Danes are very violent), and its violent crime rate is headed through the roof.

I would bet that the overwhelming majority of violent crime in Denmark is committed by the immigrant community.

Not saying we should be Denmark, but let's keep the facts straight.

[Moltke]

Forget the cookies - it’s the fresh pastries you want. There’s a reason they’re called Danishes. They’re just better there than anywhere else in the world. True fact.