Talk about Socialism

[Califelkslayer]

I just got back from Germany. Beautiful country!!!!!!

Everything is so green, rain without humidity. How does that happen?????

Everything is so neat and clean. They take great pride in their houses, yards and cemetarys.

The people were very friendly also. Might be cause I was with my wife as we visited friends, family, etc. But in areas away from them I saw the same friendly demeanor over and over.

Fantastic beer too!!!!!!

BUT, what a socialist government. They have universal healthcare, get an extra check every year for Holiday, a safety net that catches all. What does that cost????? 19% sales tax on EVERYTHING!! Plus income tax!!! Their gas is $1.41 Euro per liter, over $8.00 a gallon!!!!!!!!!! They have to get their cars inspected every 2 years, not just smogged. The way they drive on the Autobahn, it's probably a good thing. Their "Sin" taxes are as high or higher than ours.

The people were great but I couldn't live under that type of government.

In our visits I tried to avoid discussions of politics but on 2 occasions it was unavoidable. I was asked how I liked Obama? I simply replied I didn't vote for him but I did vote for Bush. The guy got immediately angry and blamed Bush for their high gas prices. I explained to him that in the USA government is supposed to fear the citizens but with Obama in office lots of citizens fear government. Conversation over!!! Don't think he got the concept of government fearing the citizens.

On a couple of occasions I mentioned their 19% sales tax and the common reply was that Luxemburg's was 25%. But I went to Luxenburg and gas was 1.07 euro a liter and 10 kilometers away in Germany it was 1.41. And my wife's aunt bought 2 cartons of cigarettes cause she said they were half the price.

Overall a great experence and I'm going back but never to stay.

 

[Elmacho]

Socialism is here....
I am a grad student at a CSU. Received a letter stating as matter of fact: Grad students will be assessed a "professional fee" of $210 per unit to assist the financial aide program.....so,,,now they are openly taking from some to give to others....no bones about it.....
Also,

Fed tax(conservatively) 25%
State Income(roughly) 8%
Sales 8.5
Property(roughly equates) 5% of most incomes, give or take.
total not counting tire tax, gas tax, sin taxes, phone usage taxes.....is about 46.5%........if your incomes higher, you break the 50% total taxation.....don't hold me to the figures, they are not per "book", but real darn close

They either need to start giving back more to citizens or start spending more wisely and charging less..

not even started on the soap box, but will stop here.

F-obama

 

[Califelkslayer]

You are right and most on here get it.

My wife's aunt told me she only sees 1/3 of her paycheck, then she pays the 19% on every purchase. It's build into the price so you don't even see it.

I tried to tell one of them that there are only 45 million Americans without healthcare. And some elect not to purchase even though they can afford. Deaf ears.

 

[eelgrass]

Very interesting! Did people complain about health care access? Like long waiting lines, or rationed care? Maybe they don't know any better?

I think the best thing to do in a socialistic society is to fake a back injury and ride the system. Why not?

Maybe their yards are nice because that's all they can afford to do. $8.00 a gallon gas, my yard would look pretty nice too.

Eel

 

[brownie]

I met a guy from Germany that was working in the U.S.A. He had a work visa, he was here doing old world iron and wood work. He was in my salvage yard looking for materials for some yard art. After his second time in the yard, I asked how he liked it in the U.S. He told me it was one of the last places left that people would spend big bucks to have high quality work done. He told me he was fluent in six different language's, and he worked all over the world. I asked how Germany was? He told me that 25 years ago it was the best place in the world, they had the best technology, and best workmanship in the world. After they tore down the Berlin Wall,the East Germans flooded the country, with no money, and no skills. The government slowly added more and more social programs and taxes. I asked him how much income tax he had to pay, because he was single, he paid 70 percent. That was the reason for working in all the different countries,he could be paid cash and didn't declare it. He also said since the social programs, if you don't want to work, you don't have to. the government takes the 70 percent from the worker to feed the lazy asses. Looks like we're headed down that same road. Wake up people. Thanks, Doug.

 

[Buckhunter1]

Wow talk about weird, my 18 year old son is leaving tomorrow for a one year stay as a exchange student, in Gerrmany! Im going to have him read all of this... Thanx BH1

 

[Naildriver]

Doin some work at a jr college in Oakland. No joke- they have flyers posted all over campus "Marxism is Here!".
Too bad theses kids have professors brainwashing them to hate capitalism and this country.

 

[Califelkslayer]

Buckhunter, he'll love it!!!!!!! Drinking age is 18 and they don't even enforce that. It'll be an experence he'll remember the rest of his life.

Brownie, you are so right!!!!!! My wife didn't come here until the mid-nineties. Her comments of the East Germans with their hands out are a severe reality check for me. I believe it's similar to our illegal aliens.

Short story that left an impression. One day we went to the local brewery for an openhouse. Parking lot was 250 yards by 70 yards. Band at each end. One side was covered with food vendors, the other side had 100+ yards of beer booths. The brewery sold 18 different beers, you could buy bottle or tap. After touring the brewery for 45 minutes we walked by all of the food vendors, by all of the beer booths. Then we each bought different food, then me, my wife and her 15 year old son got beer. No soda for sale anywhere for her daughter whose 13, we asked. We sat down to eat while I looked around. 600+ people, drinking heavily. Young, old, black, white, brown (Turks). They where all having a great time. I saw young men having drinking contests. After 45 minutes of watching this I told my wife that there would have been at least 3 fist fights in this enviroment in Lassen County already. Never saw a cross word exchanged.

Heii, our local county fair has that many fights in front of the beer garden everynight. I drank the darkest beer I could find there, 17% alcohol!!!! If they served that at the Lassen County fair there would be a riot or homicide.

We went to soccer game for a couple hours, ate dinner and then went out to a local watering hole. Ran into 2 couples and a single guy there that had been at the brewery. They had been drinking constantly all day. The single guy's mom was German and his dad was retired Army. Great English. We talked for hours as he's spent several summers in Florida. Very interesting views having been raised there. And not an issue although they were blitzed.

I also met a local "Hunter" He invited me to go huntin with him anytime. Said there are dozens of roebucks hanging on walls in America that were taken on his lease. 10,000 Euro a year for the lease, he signed a 12 year contract. I have no idea how legal this is. He said next time to stop at the bar and the owner would get ahold of him for me. He had been to the US 34 times, Russia over 100 Xs, Honduras, Peru, Chile, Africa 6 Xs. Long story short. I told the owner his tab was on me. He left before me, handed his wallet to the owner, told her to take what he owed and to include me and my wife. Not speaking German, I didn't know this till I tried to settle up. Awesome people, Socialist government.

Sorry I ran so long.

 

[eelgrass]

Neat stories Califelkslayer.

Back in 1945 my dad left a cigarette lighter on a rock next to the Rhine River. You didn't happen to see it........never mind!

Eel