So you hold up a small country with very little diversity and few foreign entanglements as an example for how to modify our society in the U.S. so that people are more empowered.

It appears that you are suggesting that with progressive family leave, subsidized child care, higher minimum wages, more paid time off, free college education and universal healthcare all would be right in the U.S. We would be the equal of the Finns in regards to harmony and happiness.

I agree we should have much more of those sorts of benefits but they will not fix what is wrong with our society. Our diversity of classicism, racism, sexism and religionism will prevent us achieving Finlandian Harmony and Happiness. Too many American’s happiness depends on their feelings of superiority.

Basically we are a country with too many assholes. Also we are too big a country with too many different kinds of people and too many large foriegn commitments.

Regarding the provision of the afore mentioned benefits. What jurisdictions within the United States do you think should set the rules and provide the funding for the provision of those benefits? I don’t feel comfortable with the Federal government providing a uniform national benefits package. I think it should be done by the individual states. I believe this because of the size of the country and its diversity. The states can better form the proper policies that fit their population, also most state can’t run large deficits so these programs would need to be paid for with state revenue. California has already staked a lead in these areas and could have done the Universal Health Care thing except for failed politicians shooting it down.

It should be more important who is your governor than who is your president.

TEK