The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry

Freesoul and Kulaharee Sahibeh,

As neither of you as provided any kind of substantial feedback, it would be quite foolish of you to go about casting aspersions on a writer who has at least taken the time and effort to discuss these issues with intelligence. Again, we are talking about interactors who have fallen back on the most cliched and discredited stereotypes within the North American imagination (i.e. welfare queens, invisible work in the domestic sphere, divorce system abuse) and presented them as gospel...

As for your dating site comments, you should be thanking goddess this isnt a dating site (for most of us)...were it that, your shortcomings would be deafening.

---

Saima,

Hugo Chavez has offered billions of dollars of oil at huge discounts to the South Bronx. The Rep think tanks havent been madder since Castro sent his doctors to serve the African American community in the South.

Re: # 197

kulharee, i stopped taking her seriously, but as a long time chowk reader, i want it to to give opportunities to other talented ppl. If ppl see such low rated artciles, advertised on the top of the web site for long, they would stop sending their high-quality articles.

The longer this artcile stays on tope of chowk, as some kind of flagship piece, the lower chowk`s prestige becomes. I request the admins here to atleast remove it from the main page (along with the picture). Also, I am not interested in seeing ppl`s pictures here. Is this some dating site?

Re: # 196

Freeesoul Sahib, let the poor girl have her little 15 minutes of dimness for being the lousiest Canadian comedian. Don’t tell me that you are taking her stuff seriously? First I thought she had a big chip on her shoulder (whe she was telling Americans how little they know about their own challenges, and how they should travel outside..as if she is some bigwig at some big international job) but now I am beginning to wonder whether it is a combination of being a nutjob and being not a very bright bulb in the chandelier. And not forgetting the bitterness, underachievement and the hatred components.

Re: # 195

Seems like classical `Judith Miller` case of Weapons of Intellignce Destruction, to me.

Excuse me for being off the track....but why is this so-reviled and under-rated article still on the top of the chowk.com page, for like 2 weeks? Everytime, it goes back to `civic center`, it is then brought fore again.

Is this blatant abuse of editor-in-chief position? What next? Who edits her articles before they go to even chowk.com? Is there any accountability going on here?

SaimaShah #190

`` Which country went into Iraq on dubious grounds, un ratified by the UN that it had helped create? ``

USA went into Iraq on dubious grounds. So what ? Is it any worse than the Pakistani generals who created the Taliban ?

`` Which country owes a public apology for invading Iraq? ``

I doubt the Shites and Kurds of Iraq (who make up 75% of Iraq`s population) are demanding an apology.

`` Which country is after the entire world to sign the Non profileration treaty for nuclear arms yet will never do so itself? ``

The NPT has been successful in preventing states like Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Brazil etc. from developing nuclear weapons. What is your gripe ?

`` Which country sabotages public debate on global warming?
Which country has effectively sabotaged implementation of Kyoto treaty? ``

I hope you understand the implications of CO2 rollback.

`` Which country publicizes spending numbers per quarter rather than annual incomes when it discusses the economy on TV? ``

Why does that bother you ? If you do not want to report your finances on a quarterly basis you can go private. There is no requirement for a private company in USA to even release an annual report.

`` Which country has fined demonstrators for standing outside the Presidents house and protesting against the massacre of their children in Iraq? Even though the right is the first amendment? 370 demonstrators were fined recently ``

This is the worst example you can come up with.

`` Which country has signed in the most controversial laws e.g., Patriot Act in the last few years? ``

Yeah the Patriot act is controversial. There is a lot of debate in the US Congress. It is called the ``American Way``.

`` Which country is planning on letting corporations not provide full medical insurance, instead create a medical account? Ostensibly to make America remain competitive?. ``

Look at the fate of corporations in the steel, auto and airline industries with huge health care and pension liabilities.

`` Which country relies mostly on foreigners to fill its Universities? ``

Why is that a negative ? If America stopped admitting foreigners you would still be complaining. Make up your mind !!!

190 Please to review humbolt answers to penetrating questions posed by honorific authoress:

Which country went into Iraq on dubious grounds, un ratified by the UN that it had helped create? United Kingdom of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, Leicester, and England
Which country owes a public apology for invading Iraq? Italy, Iran, Israel, UK, Spain, Japan
Which country is after the entire world to sign the Non profileration treaty for nuclear arms yet will never do so itself? India and Pakistan
Which country sabotages public debate on global warming? Canada
Which country has effectively sabotaged implementation of Kyoto treaty? Japan (I think that`s where Kyoto was last seen.)
Which country publicizes spending numbers per quarter rather than annual incomes when it discusses the economy on TV? Bangladesh
Which country has fined demonstrators for standing outside the Presidents house and protesting against the massacre of their children in Iraq? Even though the right is the first amendment? 370 demonstrators were fined recently - Pakistan
Which country has signed in the most controversial laws e.g., Patriot Act in the last few years? United Kingdom of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, Leicester, and England
Which country has effectively sidelined any dissent about the ``System`` by labeling it as a leftist agenda? Russia
Which country is planning on letting corporations not provide full medical insurance, instead create a medical account? Ostensibly to make America remain competitive?. Mexico
Which country`s number of people below the poverty line just crossed 56million?. This country has the highest per capita income, so the income disparity is shocking. India
Which country relies mostly on foreigners to fill its Universities? Pakistan

# 185

{I have lot of respect for you since you have walked the walk}

It should read:

I have lot of respect for you since you have walked the talk.

#190

Saima,

There is nothing wrong in pointing out bad, as well as good, about any society or country. That`s called constructive criticism. We have a vibrant political process here just to do that and please join any party of your choice, if you live here, and make an impact by enriching this society.

Your comments about USA can be categorized as follows:

1. Iraq war, Patriot law, etc - These topics have been discussed here many times. We are not going to add anything new here by rehashing it.
2. Bad Corporate behavior (benefits etc.) – Corporations have to stay competitive and look at bloated costs and do what they need to do.
3. Global Warming etc – I am no expert on this. We have tons of PhDs and a political process to deal with the issues.

If you narrow down the discussion topic in your next write up, your readers will be immensely impressed.

Good luck.

Re: # 185

Re: ``the anti-US tone of this article``

1. So, you think innovation is possible without critique of an existing system? Or do you really think innovation is about gadgets? That it happens always in business and not in the larger social fabric?
2. Why do you consider criticism of the dogma that US currently subscribes to `anti-US?`. Is USA just about capitalism? Is the Free Market all that US has come to mean? Is consumption the only yardstick of progress?

Elsewhere you have spoken of the history of America, might I draw your attention to the American present in your own language:

Which country went into Iraq on dubious grounds, un ratified by the UN that it had helped create?
Which country owes a public apology for invading Iraq?
Which country is after the entire world to sign the Non profileration treaty for nuclear arms yet will never do so itself?
Which country sabotages public debate on global warming?
Which country has effectively sabotaged implementation of Kyoto treaty?
Which country publicizes spending numbers per quarter rather than annual incomes when it discusses the economy on TV?
Which country has fined demonstrators for standing outside the Presidents house and protesting against the massacre of their children in Iraq? Even though the right is the first amendment? 370 demonstrators were fined recently
Which country has signed in the most controversial laws e.g., Patriot Act in the last few years?
Which country has effectively sidelined any dissent about the ``System`` by labeling it as a leftist agenda?
Which country is planning on letting corporations not provide full medical insurance, instead create a medical account? Ostensibly to make America remain competitive?.
Which country`s number of people below the poverty line just crossed 56million?. This country has the highest per capita income, so the income disparity is shocking.
Which country relies mostly on foreigners to fill its Universities?

You may be surprised to know but there are other people who have left USA because they felt marginalized. Travel outside a bit and find out what concerns the rest of the world about America. And what are other countries doing to address the real concerns of this phase of globalization--the goal for many other countries is not just increasing consumption (an idea that Americans adopted in the 1950s and now it has adopted them) but the more important goal of sustainable development.

Re: # 183

SR, it is great to hear from you. I appreciate your comments. I extrapolated and expected people to come ride with me. In my defense, the topic is huge and there is years of work here. If written with more detail it would be huge. Even a short form would be about 10 pages long at least. Don`t we all come across tediously processed writing that loses people in numbers? I wanted to reduce the noise and focus on the pattern--wasn`t it Einstein who said the imagination is more important than facts?. Thank you for a great reply.

Rgds
Saima
ps: I agree that this version of America must be an imposter.

SaimaShah #184: ``It is a long standing myth that Canadian taxes are higher than US.``

Having paid taxes in both countries, here is how I have analysed it. I cannot remember everything completely...........:

- Canadian taxes are pretty consistent across provinces. US taxes change considerable across states. Some states have no state taxes. Others like California have pretty high ones....

- Canadian Federal taxes are pretty consistent with US Federal taxes........

- Canadian sales taxes are about double of US sales taxes (which vary across states, but not by much).........

- Interestingly, Canadian tax brackets progress upwards, like USA, but USA, ironically, has two tax brackets higher than Canada. The highest tax bracket in Canada is around 113k (?).The highest Federal tax any individual will pay in Canada is 29% (over 113k). The highest someone in USA will pay is around 35% (over 300k or so?)............

- Canadian business taxes are consistent at 21% or so, now. In the USA I think (not sure) they progressively increase to 35% (?). I do know that for my small business, I pay less taxes in Canada than I would be in California............

So a person living in Florida or Nevada, where there is no State tax, I will pay quite a bit less personal tax than Ontario. And more business tax. If I live in California, then I will pay about 2-3% more tax in Ontario, if I am in the 113k bracket. However, I will pay more in California, if I go past 200k. And I will pay more business tax in California.........

I will pay twice the sales tax in Canada. In return I will get free health. And I will get near free college education, through loans and huge subsidization. In addition, Canada is running large budget surpluses for the foreseeable future. Also, Canadian unemployment or social security (can`t remember which one) is overflowing with money..........

Please don`t make the Baby Boomers mad

To explain what the near future, the next decade, holds for this huge US economy, which is some $12 Trillion, is not an easy task. Just like the four (4) blind men who were describing the elephant, it seems that some posts are just explaining one variable of the US economy. And that is perfectly Okay.

In the US, it is clear that individual capitalists have been taken over by Corporate Capitalists. The CCs have control over the general politics as well. Those executive managers who run these Corporations are the real beneficiaries of the gamut. Average Joe Schmuck who works for them are like mushrooms kept in the dark and fed manure.

The political class is well aware of the growing under current against these corporate titans and against corporations who have taken America and Americans hostage. Every few months we read about corporations laying off people en-mass. The latest one was GM with its announcement of laying off 30,000 by the end of 2008.

While some Corporations are laying off people, others have found a novel way to hiring. They are being very, very, specific in their hiring requirements. In one instance, one of the networks reported that for one opening there were 200 job applicants. The corporation hired one female, and that too was considered as marginal.

The continued trend in the US has always been towards hiring younger workers. By getting rid of all those experienced, over 40 years of age, workers the CCS are shooting themselves in the foot. Creative technologies have always had a small cycle of creative growth before it runs into just the mundane run of the mill technology. It takes over ten (10) years for people to get trained in those new disruptive technologies. And that is just about the time the CCs consider these experienced people as expensive and replace them with cheaper young recruits.

But there are still newer technologies that are continuously coming along the technology spectrum, and the fresh crops of workers are attracted towards them. These new workers-to-be are not attracted towards the decade old technology. As such the CCs are now in a bind. They have already fired the experienced ones but there are no new workers to replace them.

So they are always complaining that they have no workers. Actually, what they mean that they have no young worker at that cheap price.

It is not only in the corporate world. Even public education systems have latched on these shenanigans. It seems that School Districts across US always have teacher shortage, so that they can bring foreign teachers. It has always been known that nurses are in short supply, and they import nurses as well.

Then, there are 11 million undocumented workers in the US.

It is easy to see what is going on in the US. Corporate capitalism has taken over the US economy, which has no geographical boundary. Corporate capitalism benefits only the managers of the Corporation. And these managers are continuously shafting the shareowners, who are the rightful owners of the Corporations.

The so-called baby boom generation is the one who is facing this massive reduction in employment world. They will be the biggest voice in the next Presidential election. One can see a clear divergence of paths between the politicians and the Corporate Capitalist.

Respectfully submitted,

Re: # 184

>>>>>It is a long standing myth that Canadian taxes are higher than US. There are tax breaks for children, student tuition, single parents that arent available elsewhere. I have run into white Americans who want to reclaim lost Canadian residency because the women feel they can raise their children and go for a Phd out here more easily. Also, 7% sales tax is waived for children`s things. Also, below a certain income people get refunds of the sales tax. When income is lower, the govt. also provides child support. The higher sales tax puts a limit on greed. Instead of going for the latest and greatest, people are dissuaded from consuming. It means Canada will always be a smaller consumption market but meet other goals that human beings need. It is incredibly easy to access higher level education.<<<<<<


Saima,,,,, I feel like telling you something about US taxes (of which you seem to know nothing about). There is no such thing as “one” type of “sales tax” in the US. Sales taxes here are State imposed and State administered. Every State has its own sales tax (and surprise surprise some state don’t have it… surprise surprise again, some state don’t have “income taxes” either). The federal Income Tax is the only tax that “all” Americans pay, and there are all kinds of tax breaks for all levels of incomes (we have progressive tax system). There are programs that allow no-tax for money used towards higher education (its called 529 – it is State based program). I think you should learn about US tax system not by meeting some runaway doppie from Berkeley California, but read about it in official publications… To make you feel a little better, let me tell you that there are 140 different types of charges and taxes administered by the New York City alone. I happen to be an econometrician dealing with only ONE of those 140. And if I don’t know all the various taxes and charges of just one jurisdiction of the USA, there is no way in the hell that you know it. Unless of course you are a tax policy analyst specializing in the US tax code. You know, there are 3 miles long shelves just on UBT (unincorporated business tax) alone. The debate in this country (excuse me, in NYC alone) is how to simplify tax code and make it only one mile long.

Happy American Thanksgiving to you.

And yeah, I don’t know nuttin bout Canadian Tax system either. All I know is that 2 pennies out of every tax dollar collected goes to Queen of England. God save the Queen and help Canadians learn a thing or two about the USA.

#183

SR:

I have lot of respect for you since you have walked the walk. You did not believe in this country’s policies and you moved out. That is conviction.

The point here was not to get into bull and bear case, market or economic forecasts for USA. On CNBC, every day, highly qualified Bulls and Bears debate this day after day. I personally do not believe that real estate or other assets’ valuation here is out of line with rest of the world. In any case, global markets do take out periodically, price excesses whether in currency, financial assets or whatever. Moreover, If Britain and others could survive depreciation of their currencies, we shall too.

We, the “faithful and loyalists”, would really appreciate your take on how this country will be reduced to minor role in the world and which other smart, frugal, gutsy, technologically savvy and moral countries will take over the top gun status :). Some what anti-USA tone of the article was what started this whole discussion and we need to focus on that rather than bull/bear case and home prices.

Regards.

Re: # 158

Romair

It is a long standing myth that Canadian taxes are higher than US. There are tax breaks for children, student tuition, single parents that arent available elsewhere. I have run into white Americans who want to reclaim lost Canadian residency because the women feel they can raise their children and go for a Phd out here more easily. Also, 7% sales tax is waived for children`s things. Also, below a certain income people get refunds of the sales tax. When income is lower, the govt. also provides child support. The higher sales tax puts a limit on greed. Instead of going for the latest and greatest, people are dissuaded from consuming. It means Canada will always be a smaller consumption market but meet other goals that human beings need. It is incredibly easy to access higher level education. The quality of media is also higher, with even free community newspapers providing well researched and useful information. There are fewer ads and hardly any sensationalism.