American Politics

[QUOTE=JustTK;2763521]But it doesn't. Do you know why? It's bcos the stats try to equalise the incomes and outgoings by levelling them to the USA. So take Germany for example. They take their income then add on a cost value for education and a value for healthcare bcos there are free elements in Germany. So they add it to the income of Germany so that it is 'comparable' to the USA. So you can see that no adjustment is made to USa for their crazy high costs. If they had equalised to Germany instead of to USA, the outcome would be different.

Plus USA has millions of people that are simply omitted from the stats bcos they are the invisibles. This number of invisibles is far far higher than any other developed country, and caused by their imperialist international policies. So again, the position in USA has artifically inflated. We all know that's how the government does it in the USA. If they don't like the likely outcome, they just exclude people. As they do w the voting system too.[/QUOTE]You could be right on your two main points above. I'm not seeing it from Googling though. The census bureau believes its numbers are pretty accurate and include undocumented (illegal) immigrants. Actually this is something the Democratic Party stays on top of, as it believes undercounting undocumented workers would disadvantage it when it's time to do Congressional redistricting.

Any links or magic words? Before "Glenn Greenwald" did the trick.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2763565]You could be right on your two main points above. The census bureau believes its numbers are pretty accurate and include undocumented (illegal) immigrants. Actually this is something the Democratic Party stays on top of, as it believes undercounting undocumented workers would disadvantage it when it's time to do Congressional redistricting.

Any links or magic words? Before "Glenn Greenwald" did the trick.[/QUOTE]No magic journalists this time unfortunately. But the OECD explains that the measurement is grossed up by FOC health and education costs (so that all countries are comparable to USA, I. E. Nothing is free):

[URL]https://data.oecd.org/hha/household-disposable-income.htm[/URL]

As for the stats including the unpeople. That sounds like a logical impossiblity to me how can they expect the stats to include ungestered people?! Isn't that a non-sequitor? If they are invible, they clearly are not included.

[QUOTE=JustTK;2763659]No magic journalists this time unfortunately. But the OECD explains that the measurement is grossed up by FOC health and education costs (so that all countries are comparable to USA, I. E. Nothing is free):

[URL]https://data.oecd.org/hha/household-disposable-income.htm[/URL]

As for the stats including the unpeople. That sounds like a logical impossiblity to me how can they expect the stats to include ungestered people?! Isn't that a non-sequitor? If they are invible, they clearly are not included.[/QUOTE]If undocumented people aren't included, then why have Repubs been lying all this time? Members of the Moron Brigade swear that there are 20 million to 30 million undocumented immigrants in the US. It seems a logical impossibility that they can count all of these undocumented immigrants, right?

I guess the Repubs have been lying all of this time because there are clearly no undocumented immigrants living in the US.

[QUOTE=PVMonger;2763712]If undocumented people aren't included, then why have Repubs been lying all this time? [/QUOTE]I have no idea why or if. You would need to ask them that Q.

[QUOTE=JustTK;2763357]Well TBH I don't accept that USA has highest median disp income. I had this debate w someone else here. The USA is used as the benchmark, and all other countries stats are adjusted to fit w USA, not the other way round. So therefore the outrageous USA capitalist costs in healthcare and other basics, are not properly accounted for. Furthermore, I don't believe the USA record stats for all its people. No doubt great swathes of it s poor are excluded bcos they are non-people.

A drop is 40% GDP. Well that's a guess, and your entitled to it. I don't think comparisons to Singapore and France are worth much. Both countirres are very different to USA and have their unique advantages and disadvantages. I would say USA has suffered much more than 40% GDP loss by implementing neo-con and neo-lib policies for the 35 years. The golden age of USA economy was more a time of socialist polciies. Thats what set the economy alight. But that is my guess too.[/QUOTE]Why is English the defacto language for flight communications? Why not use French? Or German? Or Russian? Or Spanish? Especially Spanish since there are more Spanish-speakers than any other language other than Mandarin Chinese?

If France was the benchmark you talk about above, every other country in the world would say "Why not use US as the benchmark?" The same with Germany. Or Spain, etc. The USA is the third most populous country in the world behind China and India. That's why they're used.

Nice little interview w John Pilger one of the best journalsists of modern times, one of the last truth seekers.

[URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9pEotvlW-s[/URL]

His book Tell Me No Lies: Investigative Journalism That Changed the World. Was a real eye opener and one of the best media books I have read. It's a collection of his favourite pieces of hoeroic jounalism from around the world at key moments on modern history. Its not his writing, apart from the chapter intros. But reading it, just shows what we as members of the public, are up against when we seek the truth.

[QUOTE=PVMonger;2763926]Why is English the defacto language for flight communications? Why not use French? Or German? Or Russian? Or Spanish? Especially Spanish since there are more Spanish-speakers than any other language other than Mandarin Chinese?

If France was the benchmark you talk about above, every other country in the world would say "Why not use US as the benchmark?" The same with Germany. Or Spain, etc. The USA is the third most populous country in the world behind China and India. That's why they're used.[/QUOTE]Unadjusted for purchasing power, the GDP of the USA is 60% higher than #2 China, which doesn't have a freely convertible currency. Also we've had the predominant reserve currency in the world, and the predominant currency used for international trade. And in terms of GDP per capita and personal income per capita adjusted for purchasing power, we're number 1 for any country with a population of greater than 10 million. Or at least I'll go on believing that's the case unless JustTK comes up with more convincing evidence.

So yes, why not use the US as the benchmark?

Now at some point this may change. After adjusting for purchasing power, China has the world's largest economy. The use of sanctions by the USA has some other nations anxious to hold their reserves and conduct trade in other currencies. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, for better or worse, the USA is the king of the hill.

[QUOTE=PVMonger;2763926]Why is English the defacto language for flight communications?

If France was the benchmark you talk about above, every other country in the world would say "Why not use US as the benchmark?"\.[/QUOTE]What does that have to do w the price of eggs? You clearly missed my point. Again. This is a bad habit you have.

I was not complaining that USA was used as the benchmark. I was simply saying that it was used and that it influences the outcome of the stats.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2763981]we're number 1 for any country with a population of greater than 10 million. Or at least I'll go on believing that's the case unless JustTK comes up with more convincing evidence.
The use of sanctions by the USA has some other nations anxious to hold their reserves and conduct trade in other currencies. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, for better or worse, the USA is the king of the hill.[/QUOTE]Read John Pilger. :)

[QUOTE=JustTK;2763984]Read John Pilger.[/QUOTE]Right, Pilger. Pro-Trump, pro-Russia, anti-America, anti-Israel.

Sigh.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2763981]we're number 1 for any country with a population of greater than 10 million. Or at least I'll go on believing that's the case unless JustTK comes up with more convincing evidence.
So yes, why not use the US as the benchmark?
But for now, and for the foreseeable future, for better or worse, the USA is the king of the hill.[/QUOTE]Let me give you a hypothetical example to illustrate why the benchmark selection is important.

Lets say in USA avge income is USD 50.000, but that avge health costs is USD 20.000.
And in Germany avge income is USD 35.000, but that avge health costs provided by the state is USD 10.000.

So equalising to USA. USA is 50.000, Germany is 45.000 - so USA is nr 1.
But by equalising to Germany. USA is 30.000, Germany is 35.000 - so Germany is nr 1.

This is bcos by using USA as benchmark, its high health costs are ignored, whereas by using Germany as benchmark, the USA high health costs are accounted for.

[QUOTE=JustTK;2764112]Let me give you a hypothetical example to illustrate why the benchmark selection is important.

Lets say in USA avge income is USD 50.000, but that avge health costs is USD 20.000.
And in Germany avge income is USD 35.000, but that avge health costs provided by the state is USD 10.000.

So equalising to USA. USA is 50.000, Germany is 45.000 - so USA is nr 1.
But by equalising to Germany. USA is 30.000, Germany is 35.000 - so Germany is nr 1.

This is bcos by using USA as benchmark, its high health costs are ignored, whereas by using Germany as benchmark, the USA high health costs are accounted for.[/QUOTE]Sick Around the World is a Frontline / PBS documentary that investigates healthcare throughout the world of a few technically and industrially advanced countries. It is interesting and informative and the USA is definitely not the benchmark in Health Care. I watched it in a college class about ten years ago.

P.S: I'm not a youngster. I went back at age 54 and graduated at age of 60 from a Big Ten University while still working full time. Anyone really interested in healthcare will learn a lot and many will be surprised and disappointed in how the USA compares to the others.

[QUOTE=JustTK;2763982]What does that have to do w the price of eggs? You clearly missed my point. Again. This is a bad habit you have.

I was not complaining that USA was used as the benchmark. I was simply saying that it was used and that it influences the outcome of the stats.[/QUOTE]You are complaining that using the USA as a benchmark influences the statistics. Your opinion.

Your example, BTW, of Germany and the USA is bogus. Why? Because if the "value" of the healthcare in the US is $20 K, the same "value" for German healthcare is also $20 K. You are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.

[QUOTE=PVMonger;2764147]You are complaining that using the USA as a benchmark influences the statistics. Your opinion.

Your example, BTW, of Germany and the USA is bogus. Why? Because if the "value" of the healthcare in the US is $20 K, the same "value" for German healthcare is also $20 K. You are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.[/QUOTE]I don't know if I should continue to communicate with you. I increasingly think you belong in the ignore category as Spartenbrain and Spiderbrain.

One more try. I DID NOT COMPLAIN. I merely stated that USA is used as the benchmark and that it influences the outcome.

My example is bogus, is it? For one it is a hypothetical as I stated in my prev post, I didn't claim any facts. Secondly you do not understand the implications behind the costs. The costs of healthcare in the USA IS NOT the same as the cost in Germany. It costs far more in the USA for the same healthcare.

[QUOTE=PVMonger;2764147]You are complaining that using the USA as a benchmark influences the statistics. Your opinion.

Your example, BTW, of Germany and the USA is bogus. Why? Because if the "value" of the healthcare in the US is $20 K, the same "value" for German healthcare is also $20 K. You are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.[/QUOTE]I think TK has got something there. Our healthcare system that favors only the very poor and the very rich is an atrocious embarrassment. No other industrial nation in the world denies its citizens universal care. It's just mind-blowing how successfully Republicans have trained their constituency to vote against their own basic interests.

Of course, his reasoning is uber simplified, because that German healthcare for example isn't made possible due to the lower average income, but higher average taxes. Still, there is no denial that our healthcare system is both the worst and most expensive in the civilized world.