August1991

A tax on consumption does that. The government should tax when people buy - not when they earn, It is also easier to collect since there are fewer points to monitor. ==== In the US, you soon will hear all these various arguments.

The US is the only civilised state without a central VAT, federal sales tax. You Americans will have to impose such a tax: whether a Republican or Democrat president signs the bill, I don't know. ==== IMHO, it will take a president with courage to change things.

Nolan is no Lean. ==== I'm sorry for this facile phrase. But we sadly live in a time when ce qu’on appelle vrai est en effet faux.

This is so obvious. The US federal government must impose a sales tax. Like Canada, about 5% would work. Like Canada, it could ignore rent and most food items. If Trump gets re-elected, I reckon that he'll do it. Mulroney did.

In Canada, health care is a provincial issue. Each provincial government decides, like education, its own health care system. ==== For you Americans, this is a big deal in Canada. Note: In Canada, one provincial government collects social security payments!

Abortion is a social issue. Things have changed. Debt? This is money. Nothing changes. ==== On both issues, the Republicans are on the wrong side. Most Americans now accept abortion. And most Americans now accept debt.

I'm no liberal. I'm a realist. We cannot build a wall. ==== Unlike Swedes, Finns, Europeans, you Americans have a tremendous advantage. You know how to integrate people. You do it in a Prussian way - but also protestant. You force people to think like you - but you let think as they want!

I reckon that in this 21st century, we have to understand better the idea of "border". In 17th century Europe, borders were defined by religion. ==== Let me make my point plain: I prefer a world of peace, with opposing forces in settled stability. Like after 1648, and after 1815 - Vienna. After 1945 - Potsdam and Yalta. We Westerners badly managed the 1990 revolt. The Europeans did better in 1848.

My point. Republicans are on the wrong side of this issue. The Dems will win on both issues.

I used to think that it was a promised kept. Now, I think that it is a new discovery - shared.

This series made me walk around Montreal, looking for houses/buildings. Episode 4:

I disagree. Strongly. I have thought about this. In my life time, the world is safer and less nasty. And trust me, it is far easier to travel.

Bump.

The future of America is Democratic primaries.

Point made.

I reckon that these wars/battles will have no effect on the 2024 US elections. 1. US soldiers are not involved. (Some 60,000 died in Vietnam. About 3,000 died in Iraq.) 2. Money. So far, Americans have not been taxed. (Americans have a good name. To borrow, their federal politicians are using this good name of Americans.)

I prefer Pierre Trudeau's view of life: Create counter-weights.

In Vienna in 1815, the Europeans created a structure of peace. In 1918 in Versailles, they thought that they had done the same as Vienna (very foolish book - it changed nothing). In Yalta and Potsdam in 1945, the world changed - and we created a structure of peace. ==== Call me foolish but I have seen with my own eyes where this happened: Yalta and Potsdam.

Eyeball, Good question. I disagree. Strongly.

Disagree. Declining population? Environment? Most immigrants to Canada live near Toronto or Vancouver. ==== For many centuries: Iceland, like Newfoundland, has a sustainable population.

National borders still exist - but in a different way. Check how our OAP or CPP is calculated, determined.

I strongly Disagree. ==== Years ago, I traveled from Jordan to Israel. I crossed the border by bus. While in Jordan, I hitch-hiked. Men picked me up. The conversation eventually turned to: "They took our land." While in Israel, I also hitch-hiked. Women and and men picked me up. The conversation eventually turned to: "They want to push us into the sea."

We in Canada have both a codified Constitution - and the sense of common law. And a respect/understanding of both

A written Constitution that still works? China, France, Russia. They don't have what America has.

We in Canada can have a "southern border". Foreigners don't like to live here because it is too cold. (Not now in Oct 2023 but that's another story..... ) Like it or not, people can easily travel nowadays. Foreigners marry Japanese women and Koreans learn English. This idea of a border between Texas and Mexico is utopic. Despite the cold, even Norway now has immigrants. Iceland - an island - has immigrants. ==== At issue, how do we bring all these kids into this new century. No child is born with the knowledge of how to take a derivative or tie a shoe-lace. Does it take a village? Uh, no.