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Hey PoliSci! I only got to post ten, but I just need to comment! I am an American living in Sweden, which is held up as the example for everyone to follow (if you want socialism, which I absolutely do NOT!). There are still homeless people here (quite a few--my husband and I call them 'Göteborg's dirty little secret')--and this to me means that they must be trying to be homeless. In Sweden, you get government money for just about everything. . .

Unless you work. Then you pay for the rest. Perhaps CEO's don't make more than 10-15% but the average worker makes WAAAAAY less than the average worker in the US. And the 'standard of living' that I hear touted so often isn't all that great. There is no chance that the average college educated person will ever make a great salary (and I am talking they won't get near $60,000/year--even with a master's degree and lots of great work experience in science, technology, engineering, or medicine.)

The unemployment is going up here because so many people opt out of working (why bother when your unemployment from the gov is comparable to working 40 hours a week?) Almost everyone I know abuses the system in some way, and most of them think that the government largesse will never run out. Medical care is horrid if you aren't going in for a routine check-up (booked two months in advance at the doctor's convenience--take the appointment or wait two more months). Emergency care is wretched (think waiting 24-30 hours in an emergency room when you are peeing blood and have a history of kidney disease).

I absolutely can't wait to come home! And for the record, I have been a single mom, used food stamps for two months myself, and with a college degree (paying loans, too!) have yet to hit $30K/year. But never for a heartbeat have I begrudged someone their money (not even Paris Hilton or Michael Moore). It's just not the American way because though it seems 'unfair' on one level that there is such a distinction between rich and poor--we are just about the only place that a person can make millions if they want to badly enough! (Which I must not!) :) (sorry about the rant!)