I'm not sure about Scandinavia but Michael Moore who is for sure an illuminati recommends Holland in his move. really anywhere in Europe. But Canada is so much closer.

I think anywhere would be better than here. Who would want to live in a country that is imploding from within and whose citizens would vote to implode even faster. DUH

I think anywhere would be better than here. Who would want to live in a country that is imploding from within and whose citizens would vote to implode even faster. DUH

Please don't think that all Republicans are unintelligent hate-filled people who just want to hoard all their money and tell the rest of the world to stick it. Just as not all Democrats are kind and caring with above average IQs.

I am deeply saddened by all the hate and rhetoric spewed forth from both sides. Someone mentioned earlier, and I do believe they are correct, a lot of this (most of this) is feuled by the media.

I have loved reading all of the first-hand descriptions of Scandinavia from you and others. I believe that what you have, and we here in the U.S. are missing, is trust. Trust in our government, and what's even worse, a basic trust in each other. Until we can reestablish some of that trust this madness will just continue to grow.

Hmmm.

If you wish to be taken seriously in a debate maybe a civilised tone would really help. You really dont give the impression to be a very intelligent or reasonable person.

It seems to most of us in europe that there are more of your type that are republican than democrats. I think your country is in real trouble with people like you in it. To think that hateful, triggerhappy, people like you could be in charge of the biggest war machine on the planet is scary. Its like letting a 5-year old loose with a machine gun.

Heres more like you (Its like a mental institution on picknick):

http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/election_2008/2008/10/17/mccain_crowds/index.html

In a poll made by one of the swedish daily magazines about 85 % would like to see Obama as your next president. Unfortunatly we dont get to vote though.

Best regards to the sane majority (I hope) of USA.

Karl

The truth is out there, one letter below.

All this fear mongering about "horrible" McCain is such complete RUBBISH! Four years ago, the Democrats were coming in their pants over the idea of having John McCain as John Kerry's running mate. And the only reason it didn't happen was because McCain was loyal to his party.

All this LYING crap from Oblahblahblah are just more of Oblahblahblah's LIES. Like the way he blames McCain for everything. Well, what has HE been doing the last couple years in the Senate? Obama has been part of the Democratic MAJORITY in the Senate the last 2 years, what has THAT schuck accomplished? Try ZILCH.

Obama is all talk and no action.

But the fact is, there is going to be a DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY in the House and Senate. If John McCain is elected, he would not have a prayer of pushing thru a conservative agenda.

However, McCain would get MUCH more accomplished that Obama would. Obama can't even unify the left wing of the Democratic Party! The Hillary people, like myself, still HATE HIS GUTS! So how is the SCUMBAG going to get anything accomplished?

Not only that, but his ObaMoron followers want to boot Joe Lieberman and Blue Dogs out of the Party. Well guess what, ObaGeniuses, that will leave you A-HOLES as a MINORITY PARTY. Which is about what you SCUMBAGS deserve.

Ironically, McCain has the capability to unify Congress, which he has done before, and to get things accomplished.

Obama will spend all his time making big speeches and giving big projects to all his FILTHY CHUMS, like Rezko, Wright, Farrakhan, Jackson, the Chicago Machine, et. al.

So save your BS BLATHER for someone else. McCain will actually accomplish MORE for Progressives then IDIOT OBAMA. The ObaMorons will do nothing but spread discord and hatred.

As for me, I'm voting for HILLARY down here in Florida. Ain't it great? The DNC FILTH didn't want to count my vote in January. Well guess what? The SCUMBAGS are going to count it in November!

(..) strongly conservative friends as a place where social democracy works, they bring up three points:

1. Scandinavia is blessed with major oil resources, so there's still a question of whether their social programs and economy can survive long-term.

See Karl's answer. Along those lines, I'd actually be more concerned about the decline of domestic oil supply in the U.S.

2. There's a perception that Scandinavians have few personal freedoms and are basically told what to eat, how many children they can have, etc.

Wow, no wonder thay ARE McCain supporters if they actually believed that! They really needed to go unbelievably far, into another universe in fact, for that reassuring "well, but" effect they'll need.

3. (Scandinavia may have a low homicide rate but they have a high suicide rate.) Furthermore, very few people immigrate to this supposed paradise.

(See above)

Actually the numbers don't support this very well. In Finland 58,729 live births were recorded in 2007, while 26,029 people moved to the country. Close to half of the current population input came from immigration. Taking mortality into account makes this trend even more obvious. Could there be more? You decide!

Hello.

Well at least I can try to give you some short answers:

1. Scandinavia is blessed with major oil resources, so there's still a question of whether their social programs and economy can survive long-term.

Answer: Only Norway has the oil. Denmark may have some(?) but not any significant amount (to my knowledge). Even in Norway though, the oil has nothing to do with the sustainability of the systems.

2. There's a perception that Scandinavians have few personal freedoms and are basically told what to eat, how many children they can have, etc.

Answer. Plain BS. Why would we want a situation like that? I dont even know how respond. I would say that our personal freedom here equal or even greater than the american-type freedom, why?

A. Education is free (financed by tax). If you have the grades and work for it you can become anything regardless of your familys economy or status.

B. Public health care. We dont have to worry about wether we have to choose between medicine or food.

C. Collective agreements between employers and unions guarantee minimum wages and the rights of both worker and employer.

D. Most important: Access to our country (nature and so on). We have a thing called allemansrätten ("All peoples right"). Americans have the right to buy some property, fence it in and say "No trespassing". In Sweden you can also buy some land but we dont have the trespassing concept. Everyone is free to access our land equally, regardless of ownership. That doesnt mean you should go camping on the neighbours lawn. It means that everyone is able to enjoy camping, walking in forests and mountains, pick berries or whatever without having someone screaming "Get of my property" in your face. It also comes with the responsibility that you dont litter or destroy the nature that we share.

So while you have the freedom to own land and can keep other people from it. We have the freedom to access and enjoy our whole country at no cost. As I said though. That can only work if everyone takes the responsibilty not to ruin it. As a visitor in Sweden you will have the same rights with the exception of military areas of course.

3. Scandinavia may have a low homicide rate but they have a high suicide rate. Furthermore, very few people immigrate to this supposed paradise.

Answer. This is a myth that we even ourselves have believed in for a long time. According to info in other comments in this forum the swedish suicide rate is about 13 (per 100 000) compared to the world average of 16 (check the other answers for the exact figures though). One interesting question that was raised though was how well each country reports the rate of suicides. Im pretty sure the swedish figures are fairly correct. It would be allmost a mortal sin in Sweden to have faulty statistics (We sure do like to dwell on statistics over here, im not sure that allways is an advantage :o) )

Our society have a bunch of flaws and problems like anywhere else (its no Nirvana), but the three arguments above are totally wrong.

Best regards.

Karl