Ten Things that you can do in Russia but Can t do so in the United States.

vannrox | 4-27-02 | VANNROX

[vannrox]

Ten Things that you can do in Russia

but Can’t do so in the United States

Own an Automatic Rifle without a Permit.

Smoke in any Restaurant you visit.

Drive without a seatbelt.

Buy chemicals for your chemistry set.

Put up a “Girly Picture” on your Wall at work.

Drink a beer at your desk at work on Friday.

Buy Codeine-Enhanced Aspirin over the counter.

Pay only 15% in total taxes instead of 60%.

Smoke a fine cigar at a work meeting (Ash trays in all the rooms).

Be a Male Chauvinist.

[Tribune7]

bump

[dheretic]

The more I've been thinking about economics, the more I've come to the conclusion that the final system of economics will be a hybrid of capitalism and socialism. Yes, I used the dirty word socialism. Here's where I see history going, contrary to the Marxist view of economic progression:

1. Commons collapse from abuse (fallout of primitive communism)
2. Primitive capitalism takes over
3. Primitive socialism comes into existance with the first nation states
4. Bourgeouise rebels and lays the foundation of proto-Advanced Capitalism
5. Advanced Socialism overtakes proto-Advanced Capitalism
6. First manufactured goods replication processes operational; Advanced socialism collapses along with the majority of all social institutions.
7. Radical advanced capitalism siezes absolute control over every social institution. Product replication now is a mature process, no need for corporations or labor unions; both cease to exist and all means of production except for product replication are torn down as they are now superfelous.
8. Society is now restructuring itself based on liberal anarchistic concepts because there are no "economics" anymore; Capitalism and socialism merge by bringing peacefully together the ideas of "from each according to his ability to each according to his needs" and inalienable property rights. No economic regulation is necessary anymore as scarcity of almost all goods is no longer a factor in production. At this stage only those that need to work to fullfill personal vision need work. Everyone's needs can be met by product replication.
9. The state is reduced to only military, police and courts. Every other function can be accomplished through non-statist means because product replication combined with advanced robotics eliminates the purpose of all social welfare spending, infrastructure maintainence, etc that the government does beyond the aforementioned basic functions.
10. Final stage: all public education is abolished because those with teaching skills can be fully supported at no cost to the public by product replication of commodity goods.

Admittedly it's an incomplete counter to Marx's class theory-based historic determinism, but it is a start.

[vannrox]

14. You can renounce your citizenship and move out of the Country without being a fugitive.

[Dane]

We have all of this and much more in California (the Land of Fruits and Nuts).

LOL!, and for a long time.

Seriously though every time I see these threads(i.e life is much better in some other country), I just think it is helpful to point out the downsides.

Try pulling up to a Siberian 7-11, filling your tank, and getting an espresso. Ain't gonna happen just yet, although it looks like they(the Russians) may be on their way.

[vannrox]

14. You can renounce your citizenship and move out of the Country without being a fugitive.

[Temple Owl]

I don't smoke, don't use codiene-enhance aspirin or put up girly pictures.I prefer driving with a seatbelt, because it makes sense. I'm a capitalist who owns my business and who can drink beer, whiskey or anything else any time I want to. My wife decided a long time ago that it was against the law for me to be a male chauvinist anyway I think male chauvinists are @ssholes. What I'm saying is that the United States of America may not be perfect but it's way ahead of who ever is in second place.

[Semper911]

And they can legally own and set-off fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July ...

Take a long hard look at that sentence and see if you notice anything wrong with it.

(Hint: "They" are Russians.)

[RCW2001]

Opps...lol!!!

[Temple Owl]

One more thing! I agree we are overtaxed and that we should simplify out tax system.

[Ole Okie]

How come things like not only learning a new language but a whole new alphabet, having electric blackouts, and the phone never working are never mentioned on threads like these.

Don't know how it is now but in the 70's, the most critical thing for a lot of Americans visiting the USSR was finding a roll of toilet paper.

Or even a corncob.

[niki]

When your dog rolls over and hits you in the eye with his paw, thus creating an eye infection, the doctors in Russian won't have turn you and your dog into the government.

Report to the government for an 'animal related injury'.

[marktwain]

I've been thinking along those lines myself. I expect a lot of turmoil and confusion as this happens, though. Lots of people with plenty of assests still made war. If all are rich, some will still want to order others about... and then there are personal sevices...

I do hope that the transitions will be relatively peaceful, but I doubt it.

[vannrox]

Incidently, I love the USA. I served my time and I pay more than my fair share of taxes. I am a good guy and try to obey the law and play by the rules.


My point is that there are now so many rules that some (maybe many) freedoms can be found elsewhere. They no longer reside in the USA.


I live in Massachusetts. The so called Birthplace of Liberty. But I am unable to own a M90. But I could if I lived in Russia. I was called into the HR department in January 2001 because I had a "National Enquirer" day by day Calendar on my desk. It apparently offended one of my co-workers.


Liberty MEANS Freedom. Freedom is important to the well being of human nature. I think that James Madison cared more for my well being than any of the Kennedys. He was willing to work and fight and defend peoples freedoms, liberties ... their dreams and their desires.

[concerned about politics]

We were once that free before the Clinton regime.
How I yearn for the good old days. That's when America was great. Now it's totally warped.

[Plummz]

Most important - by a ticket to outer space.

[Husker24]

Who could possibly keep track of all that information comeing from every corner of the United States every day. Imagine how often a $3000+ trasaction is completed in the U.S every day.

[Cultural Jihad]

So that's why all those Russians are lining up to emigrate to the United States.

[Gumption]

Lol! What??? Russians aren't allowed to celebrate the 4th of July?

Let me put it this way ... Russian citizens are allowed to set-off fireworks and firecrackers, the citizens of my state are not allowed to do that.

How's that?

[x]

Interesting argument, but keep the "tipping points" in mind.

One day, a majority finds that freedom from smoke is more important than freedom to smoke, and that becomes the relevant freedom, both as regards pollution and cigarettes on the job or in restaurants. Of course, in practical political terms it's the liberals who make that decision, but I don't think one can argue that the question involves a conflict between liberal and conservative ideas of freedom. It's similar with other things that may have harmful effects on unwilling third parties.

Another tipping point is with cars. Once the earliest restrictions deriving from the horse-drawn era were removed, motorists had lousy roads but great freedom. When cars were more numerous and faster, all the restrictions were imposed: safety belts, no drinking or open containers, fuel taxes, compulsory insurance, etc. A country with few cars can avoid these things. One with many cars feels the pressure for greater safety and convenience.

In both of these cases the legal system and minimizing liability appear to play a role in decreasing freedom. When faced with massive potential legal damage payouts or cripplingly high insurance premiums, there is a tendency to limit freedom.

[Senator Pardek]

Give the U.S. a break - it took us 226 years to get to this point. Wanna bet you won't be able to do those very things in Russia in 26 years?