Unemployment, and so on

[kandrathe]

However probably most uninformed Americans would see that the US is not as good as they think.

There are parts of living in Europe that I really wish were here in America, and if you look hard enough you find little bits of it.

Like the market... around here, every Thursday, we have more of an everything wholesale market day, with fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, crafts, and flowers all in the same big market. The Minneapolis market is held on the weekend near/under a huge freeway bridge, not the more picturesque market square, and on Thursday they move onto a pedestrian/bus only street in the heart of the city.

But, by and large, the majority of people go to big mega-shopping markets and buy fresh food that will keep for a week or two, and mostly frozen and preserved food.

I like better that youth sports, and extra curricular activities are parts of clubs and not commingled with the secondary school education. We end up spending too much money buying and maintaining things that are not core to education, rather than teaching things like politics, economics, or American or European history.

But, here are some things I like more about America;

1) Somewhat lower taxes... I feel I have more control over how my earnings are spent and donated. Were I compelled to save and start a new business, I still think it would be easier to do here, than in Europe. And, it would probably be much easier in some parts of Asia than in the US.

2) Since Americans have more of their income, more of it is disposable, and so it is easier to convince them to part with some of it in trade for the product or service offered. My European relatives and friends are much more money conscious, and so in a way we are more care free, and probably detrimentally and annoyingly so.

3) Often in Europe I feel like everything is "done", like every shop already exists, and all the land is owned. There is not much that is "new" to do there. Like, if I wanted to own a house in a particular village I'd either need to marry into it, or wait for the rare opportunity that someone decides to sell rather than pass down the family heritage to a relative.

4) I find people in stores are much more helpful, even to the point of being annoyingly helpful. But, that is better than some of the dispassionate/bad service I've seen/had in parts of Europe. Although, I've also been witness to amazing acts of generosity and kindness as well.

5) While I complain about the lack of a quaint shopping experience, I also find when I'm time strapped that it is helpful to make a list, go to one store, and get everything I need from hardware, art supplies, to groceries.

6) Root beer, pizza, and strawberry milk shakes. There are certain things we really really do well. But, then again, there is nothing like a gelato on the Piazza Santa Croce, German home town beers, or Belgian chocolates.

7) Our roads are actually big enough to fit two cars passing each other, often with plenty of shoulder room for cyclists.

8) I grouse about how much we waste entertaining ourselves, but then again, we have all this great entertainment. In my youth, I actually was able to shake BB Kings hand at a blues bar in Chicago, and Joan Jett's bass player threw his guitar pick at me after she agreed to play the song I suggested. I been stoned with my friends at Grateful Dead and Led Zepplin concerts, and I've been a raving lunatic in mosh pits at groups from the Violent Femmes, to Red Hot Chili Peppers. But, my spending priorities are different now. I do like the Eurovision contest though.