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In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders: What's Wrong With America Looking More Like Scandinavia? [View all]appalachiablue
(41,140 posts)I made a few comments about how my brother and sister visited friends in Sweden and loved it, same with Denmark. I have Indian friends with family in Norway and Scandinavia who are doing fine. They mention how modern the subways are and the airports like Belgium's compared to the US.
I lived in England as a student, have stayed with friends in Germany and France and traveled to Europe a number of times. I know how advanced things are there- parental leave, welfare and health systems, their infrastructure, train and airports. Even cellphone and internet service in France are much less costly.
Multiple political parties exist in Europe which most Americans don't realize, and provide more choice and diversity unlike the US duopoly. Germany has about 4-5 parties for example. A friend from my youth who has been involved in Germany's Green Party for years in EU received the Right Livelihood Award for environmental activism in Turkey I was pleased to learn after many years.
This morning I made some time to attend this important thread and appreciate the knowledge you are imparting here to try to counter those who've already stained Northern Europe with their intended disinformation and/or ignorance. The fear, hysteria of socialism and commie Europe (and now 'white racism') has expanded in the last 30 years obviously, from Reaganism, neoliberal economics and globalization. The influence of US conservative policies, think tanks and banks as in IMF, World Bank, Goldman are also there.
In spite of this, the lifestyle, welfare of the people and economic and social systems there are superior to the deteriorating US as you describe in posts above. We are in a very dangerous, serious time here with escalating problems largely unaddressed except by Sanders and some others. It's grave. I'm trying to convince a relative to consider Scandinavia for their millennials because of conditions here.