Privately owned guns save more lives than they take

[kentonio]

You have like five really good universities, the US has a hundred or more.

Do you ever stop being stupid and wrong? We have 8 in the top 30 alone. Try going and looking at that site I linked and you'll find that once you get outside the top 30 or so, the dominance of US/UK universities immediately drops off.

As with the UK your top universities are great, but the majority aren't noticably better than the ones in a dozen other countrires.

[Jon Miller]

Well, there are some really good ones in Britain, like Cambridge and Oxford and University College London, just not nearly as many as in the US.

EDIT: Is it University College or Imperial College that's really good, or is it both?

For the population/money spent they do better.

JM

[regexcellent]

That is a syllogism.

Fun fact: In 2002 the average black American household earns more money than the average Swedish household. The study listed discusses income before taxes, which of course are significantly higher in Sweden than in the United States. The disparity has only increased over time. So please, don't claim that Sweden lacks poverty, because compared to Americans, Swedes are in poverty.

EDIT: reply to post 100.

[kentonio]

That is a syllogism.

Fun fact: In 2002 the average black American household earns more money than the average Swedish household. The study listed discusses income before taxes, which of course are significantly higher in Sweden than in the United States. The disparity has only increased over time. So please, don't claim that Sweden lacks poverty, because compared to Americans, Swedes are in poverty.

EDIT: reply to post 100.

That is without a doubt the dumbest thing you've ever said.

[Hauldren Collider]

That is without a doubt the dumbest thing you've ever said.

So why don't you demonstrate why the Haaretz article and Wolfram data is wrong?

[regexcellent]

How is it dumb? Swedes are 25% poorer than we are. The reason is social welfare and big government. Sure, there might be less disparity within the population, but our poorest people are wealthier than their poorest people.

[Felch]

what is preposterous?

1) poverty is a major cause of crime.
2) an effective social welfare system reduces poverty.

do you disgaree with either of these propositions?

Obviously an effective social welfare system reduces poverty. The problem is, how do we make sure our social welfare system is effective? Throwing money at it doesn't make it work.

[Jon Miller]

That is a syllogism.

Fun fact: In 2002 the average black American household earns more money than the average Swedish household. The study listed discusses income before taxes, which of course are significantly higher in Sweden than in the United States. The disparity has only increased over time. So please, don't claim that Sweden lacks poverty, because compared to Americans, Swedes are in poverty.

EDIT: reply to post 100.

See how Swedish people live.

They aren't in poverty mostly. And those that are, have a better life than those in the US in poverty.

American taxes are not that much lower than other countries. At least for the middle class (it is lower for the wealthy) or poor.

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

Obviously an effective social welfare system reduces poverty. The problem is, how do we make sure our social welfare system is effective? Throwing money at it doesn't make it work.

Welfare reform forced a whole lot of bums to get jobs

[Jon Miller]

So why don't you demonstrate why the Haaretz article and Wolfram data is wrong?

Visit.

JM

[regexcellent]

Me visiting Sweden would not alter the reality that we have more money and more stuff than they do.

[Hauldren Collider]

See how Swedish people live.

They aren't in poverty mostly. And those that are, have a better life than those in the US in poverty.

American taxes are not that much lower than other countries. At least for the middle class (it is lower for the wealthy) or poor.

JM

WTF dude. They have less money with PPP. The only reason you can say they aren't in poverty is because in the US, poverty is still pretty comfortable, and 75% of the US poverty rate is pretty nice in most of the world. If they earned that in the US, you'd decry our horrible Swedish immigrant underclass that needs to be lifted up by its bootstraps.

And the taxes are WAY less in America. You are completely wrong! The only tax rate in America that is "high" is the corporate rate. Swedes have a huge personal income tax AND a VAT.

[regexcellent]

Right, the VAT: We don't have a 20% surcharge on EVERY SINGLE ITEM that we buy.

I do pay 8% sales tax though. **** New York.

[Jon Miller]

My income taxes (lower middle class) in Sweden were possibly lower than my income taxes (lower middle class) in the US.

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

My income taxes (lower middle class) in Sweden were possibly lower than my income taxes (lower middle class) in the US.

JM

I guarantee you your overall tax incidence was higher in Sweden if you were making the same amount in both countries.