With us or US? Michel Barnier challenges May on the kind of society UK wants. Do we want a model on the American formula with its low-pay, low tax, poor public services and lack of care and culture, or the European model based better paid jobs, higher taxes, better public services, a more caring society and an appreciation of culture?
I know which model I prefer.
In America money is all that matters. It is worshipped. They see nothing wrong in huge inequality, callous practices and cheating on tax. Taxation is seen as robbery. Money and race are the American class system. Money is status. It results in the rat-race and acquisition of status symbols.
In Europe there is a different attitude. They are not chasing money so much. Status is much more complex. There is more interest in culture. It has more depth. Social services are valued and a caring society is more prevalent.
I think Barnier already knew the answer. Our politicians have been leading us down the American pathway for many generations. This government epitomises it.
- They have reduced welfare to drive people into low-paid jobs. We now have an army of people criss-crossing the country delivering trash from Amazon, stocking shelves and carrying out mundane tasks like serving coffee
- They have cut social services – pay frozen, cuts and reduced numbers. Our schools, hospitals, social services, police and armed forces have all been reduced
- They have reduced taxes for the wealthy and corporations
- They have created division that has undermined the caring side of our culture
Now we are exiting Europe on a one-way path to the worst aspects of US lack of culture. We made our decision. We sided with shallowness.
We will be talking about movies, sidewalks and elevators.
There is much more to culture than a shared language. We used to be European. Now we’re an unrecognised pseudo American State.
What a sad state to have gotten ourselves into.
Good points! That’s the biggest reason why I have been so proud of being finnish even were things are not so good as earlier, before EU. EU is copying too much Americans and it’s going to wrong way here also. Not to mention South-Europeans who’s Economical situation is real bad! So it’s not the same here either as it was but in Finland we have still some people who is fighting for the right things and we haven’t lost everything.
Hei tanssityttö! I’m Finnish born living in Australia. Here too we seem to have lost our way … hopefully not irretrievably.
Yes, hopefully not! It seems to be that “raha ratkaisee”, like Irwin sung in his song.
Good to hear from you. There are many good things about America but we do seem to be trying to copy all the worst elements. I despair.
Let us hope we come to our senses.
The values you uphold here are not just present in Europe. Canada mirrors those values and policies in contrast to our American cousins.
That is good to hear John. I know there are many countries that espouse that ethos. The American culture is so prevalent and pervasive though
We are impacted enormously by US culture in many ways, but we go our own way on things like health care, gun control, taxation, wages. What burns us up is that Multinationals like to gouge Canadian consumers and charge much higher prices in identical items as compared to the US. One expert was asked why this is so. He replied, “Because Canadians will pay.” Lovely!
There is certainly a totally different atmosphere in Canada as opposed to the USA.
That must be very galling. The multinationals are a law unto themselves.
Can’t speak for your critique of Britain, but you sure nailed us Americans! Sad state of affairs for both our countries. It still fascinates me how one mirrors the other…
We both seem to be diving to the bottom don’t we Cheryl?