How bad is/are your country/ies?

This was brought about by HoreTore's thread on silly political discussions in his country.

So, I just wanted to know, how bad is your country?

I have two which I could consider to be my own, New Zealand and the UK, as CA has pointed out, in certain cases the choice of death is better.

Now, in terms of politics, I find that NZ has a hard time trying to keep up with the criminals at Wwestminster, the Beehive is far more provincial, racism is not nearly as pervasive and overall the country is good at settling its issues, however certain areas, such as the ressetlemnt of Waitangi settlements, has caused alot of anger.

So, overall on the scale of crapness, the UK get a big fat 7.5 while NZ gets a 5. What about you?!

United States gov't--We aint the best. We aint the worst.

United States people-- Frankly disappoint me about 85% of the time.

We giving it on a 10 point scale with 10 being the worst ?

I would probably go for something like a 6...

Edit: to put a bit of reasoning in....

Don't like much of our foriegn policy
Strong anti-muslim feeling in the country, whipped on by a popular daily mail paper
Politicians in charge (and the opposition) feel like soulless suits who in thier eagerness to take votes from the opposition have all but become thier shadow (or would that make the opposition thier shadow)
General ignorance or lack of caring about political issues prevalent throughout UK, especially in young people...
Drug policy made with worried middle class readers of the daily mail rather than scientific evidence (who needs science when you have votes...)
and lots more if you give me enough time!

On the upside were a democracy, we don't generally mercilessly slaughter people...umm did i mention democracy yet....

Pretty bad:
Racism and xenophobia are pervasive throughout all facets of society.
Our country's politics are skewed to the right (And that isn't looking like it will change any time soon).
We are a tool of US foreign policy.
Public opinion is consistently ignored on several important issues.

Some likes and dislikes about Germany...

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm not going into that. Let's just say life is pretty good, but has some flaws. And I really, really despise Die Linke.

I stand by my assumption America is infallible

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

I stand by my assumption America is infallible

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Even Oklahoma?

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Originally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars

Even Oklahoma?

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Land thieves are still people. ~;)....I guess.

if you have dual-citizenship, i guess that means that you have to evaluate two governments, right?
america: not perfect, as any democracy.
israel: see above.

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Originally Posted by hooahguy

if you have dual-citizenship, i guess that means that you have to evaluate two governments, right?
america: not perfect, as any democracy.
israel: see above.

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I dont know why we honor dual citizenship.

France mostly sucks. Most of our latest Presidents have been complete morrons or power-hungry bastards. We keep telling other people what's best to do while doing whatever the hell we want.
For some reasons, we're still stuck in Africa supporting dictators and what not.
And for some reason, we still think we're a great power that is to be taken into account on the international scene (lol).

French are a bunch of arrogant self-centered flowerholes, who always think they're right, even when they're obviously not (which happens every time I disagree with one of them).

Yet, I'm glad I live in this country, because honestly, it's far from bad and I like it.

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Originally Posted by CountArach

Pretty bad:
Racism and xenophobia are pervasive throughout all facets of society.
Our country's politics are skewed to the right (And that isn't looking like it will change any time soon).
We are a tool of US foreign policy.
Public opinion is consistently ignored on several important issues.

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What he said.

Although, most institutions are quite good in comparison to other nations, especially when you consider the small population base they serve.

Edit: I'm tempted to not even mention the UK. An absolute mess.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

I dont know why we honor dual citizenship.

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sometimes i ask myself that exact question.....

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Originally Posted by hooahguy

sometimes i ask myself that exact question.....

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Than why do you still hold it?

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We are a tool of US foreign policy.

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Better than being a tool of UK Foreign Policy. Same thing, nevermind.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Than why do you still hold it?

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He has no disadvantage, that I'm aware of, of holding dual citizenship. He mostly likely benefits.

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Originally Posted by Kush

He has no disadvantage, that I'm aware of, of holding dual citizenship. He mostly likely benefits.

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It's the principal of the thing.

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Originally Posted by Marshal Murat

Better than being a tool of UK Foreign Policy. Same thing, nevermind.

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Haha. Well, we were that before 1942.

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Originally Posted by CountArach

Haha. Well, we were that before 1942.

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We gave you Kola bears and fosters, quit complaining.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Than why do you still hold it?

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No doubt similar reasons I have dual. He loves Israel, like I love the UK, even though we aren't there permanently. Heritage probably plays a role. Plus the benefit of being able to vote in both, and being eligible for the benefits of both. For me being a UK citizen also has the benefits of being able to travel and gain work in the EU easier. And for hooah, Israeli citizenship can also be beneficial for getting work in the EU if he ever so desires.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

We gave you [...] fosters

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You can take it back. Actually, I demand you take it back!

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Originally Posted by Rythmic

No doubt similar reasons I have dual. He loves Israel, like I love the UK, even though we aren't there permanently. Heritage probably plays a role. Plus the benefit of being able to vote in both, and being eligible for the benefits of both. For me being a UK citizen also has the benefits of being able to travel and gain work in the EU easier. And for hooah, Israeli citizenship can also be beneficial for getting work in the EU if he ever so desires.

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I can understand the commenwealth a bit more but still. I really don't have an argument than a purely ideally American (ya know something I tell my self before the 4th of July before baseball)

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There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all... The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else." Teddy Roosevelt

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I realize this is different in other places for a reason. Its just one of my oddities. But for the Isreal/US, If a debate comes up whose interests are you going to have at heart?

hehe I sound like Bill O'Reily.


Edit: TO LATE ON THE BEER NO GIVESIES BACKSIES. AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE OI OI OI

I think there's some law stating that if you're Norwegian, you're required to spend at least one hour of every day bitching and moaning about the government....

But in all seriousness, I'm content and happy. I'm well fed and properly clothed. We do have absolutely pathetic political "scandals", however, but in the end that's probably a good thing. A shame that good politicians have to retire on ridiculous grounds, but that's better than having utterly corrupt scumbags in charge...

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Than why do you still hold it?

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Originally Posted by Kush

He has no disadvantage, that I'm aware of, of holding dual citizenship. He mostly likely benefits.

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the only "disadvantage" is that i have to join the IDF at 18, which is only 1 year and 7 days away.

My country is fine 8/10.

Dutch politics: some of the stuff that goes on around in The Hague is mind boggling or even embarrassing. While I never particulary liked the two biggest parties in power right now, I've grown to despise them since they entered in a coalition government.

Dutch society: mostly okay, I guess. There are things I don't like but not enough of them for me to consider moving.

It's a matter of perspective, the Politicians come down to choosing the lesser evil. I've really, really come to hate the CDU and their scaremongering to make this a surveillance state, ban computer games etc. although Merkel seems relatively okay so far, it's some guys in the lower ranks who come up with all this idiocy, luckily not much of it has been realized so far.
The companies know that most _germans are very gullible and use this to rip everybody off and then complain that we're all bad customers, well that or something is fundamentally wrong because prices seem really high, service is rather bad or maybe mediocre and my own pay per hour is below the minimum wage in many countries(countries where prices are also lower...).
Well, it's a student job and you can see how that comes when you have unemployment around 11% or so in the city, I was lucky to get a job at all but that doesn't change the fact I feel a bit ripped off.
You get almost twice as much for washing dishes in cities where students are needed, supply and demand... :wall:

Otherwise life seems relatively fine, socially it's not too great for me but then I'm special. :dizzy2: :sweatdrop:
It's hard to give an overall score, but I'd settle for somewhere around 5.0 considering there are far worse developing countries. Compared with other first world countries only, you could add 2 or 3 points.

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Originally Posted by CountArach

Pretty bad:
Racism and xenophobia are pervasive throughout all facets of society.
Our country's politics are skewed to the right (And that isn't looking like it will change any time soon).
We are a tool of US foreign policy.
Public opinion is consistently ignored on several important issues.

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The same goes here, more or less.

[old man]Hell in a handbasket I tells ya, hell in a handbasket![/old man]

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Originally Posted by Husar

It's a matter of perspective, the Politicians come down to choosing the lesser evil. I've really, really come to hate the CDU and their scaremongering to make this a surveillance state, ban computer games etc. although Merkel seems relatively okay so far, it's some guys in the lower ranks who come up with all this idiocy, luckily not much of it has been realized so far.

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:yes:

I think I'll vote FDP. Except I'm anti-EU. Lesser evils? They're everywhere.

ignore

I didn't realise this was the isreali palestine thread, i would like to thank the last two posters for putting the thread back on topic...

sorry :embarassed:

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Originally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars

I think I'll vote FDP.

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Wow, I thought the same, not like I'm really into politics and all that but from the bits I hear and read here and there they seem to be the most reasonable party nowadays.

Finland. 8/10. We have the usual European problems and benefits. We aint broke, but the government could be more efficient and less bureucratic. The EU market has profited us, but at the same time we are being in process of becoming part of a large and ambitious federation, which usually does not create anything good to the ordinary people, other then trivial things like power and influence, in face of other countries, which doesnt mean jack to any guy on the street.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

My country is fine 8/10.

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We all suck except for the Dutch. :shame:

So I was assuming 10 would be the worst here, now we get 8/10 and that's supposed to be fine, do you guys have really low standards or do we have two different rating systems now? ~;)

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Originally Posted by Husar

Wow, I thought the same, not like I'm really into politics and all that but from the bits I hear and read here and there they seem to be the most reasonable party nowadays.

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Out of the standard CDU (CSU for me)/SPD/Die Linke/Green crowd they're looking like the best option by a long shot. When it comes to third parties, I have made a firm decision that I can never morally cast a vote for the NPD (or Die Linke, for that matter), so they're out. The two options that are really left are Die Republikaner and the FDP. I don't personally believe Die Republikaner are as far-right as they are made out to be, and I prefer their European stance to the FDP's, but I doubt they will win any seats. On the other hand, I prefer the FDP to all of the other parties currently with seats in the Bundestag (except certain factions of the CSU), so there is a good chance my vote will go to them.

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Originally Posted by Vladimir

We all suck except for the Dutch. :shame:

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Well there are problems of course but nowhere as bad as in other countries. Politics is at times pure kafka and Fenring isn't the only one who can drink the two biggest party's blood by now, police is useless and we are taxed way too much. But we are still rich as :daisy:, it's clean, people are friendly, bestlooking women of the world, beautifull architecture old and new, as far as I am concerned the Netherlands is closest a country ever got to being a paradise. Love this place couldn't live anywhere else.

Bulgaria. Typical Eastern European and Balkan country. Our politicians immediately got amnesia after the elections and are absulately deaf to public opinion. For a poor (compared to the other European countries) corruption is a way of political life. On the top of that the Bulgarians are getting more and more politically inactive, which I think bad way to show your dissatisfaction from the politicians.

On the Bulgarian political stance. Bulgaria is a member of NATO and European Union and to some extend on key position in Russian interests. Yet it fails to use it effectively its advantages and there are rumours for quite bad conditions for Russian gas and petrol. On the other side(though it's slightly off-topic and I'm supporter of the European integration), I was slightly offensed by the clumsy interference of the EU Court in the affairs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. I'm not religious but I still think church should have larger role in the society (Greece is a good example, I think).

Yet compared to more developed countries, in Bulgaria it is relatively safer to walk in the streets.

5.5/10

Australia is fine... There are a number of concerning trends when it comes to racism/xenophobia, but they're kept under contorl. At the same time we've finally got a chance to make some progress on significant questions about the nation, which were stiffled under Howard.

To me the real tragedy of the second two terms of Howard (I'll also bring the republican referendum into this category even though it happened outside of these terms) was how he forced the Australian social debate to mimic his 1950s worldview of society. It's not that I disagreed with his policies (I figure in the washup I probably sat right down the middle for agreeing/disagreeing with him), but that instead of allowing an honest and frank debate, Howard and his crony's would stifle the debate and try to impose their view of Australia onto the nation without any true discussion.

Hopefully in the post-howard political landscape we can move on...

Aside from that little rant, Australia's pretty good. We've got a reasonably well functioning multi-cultural society, an economy in ok state (relative to the rest of the world). There's a few major issues to deal with (finding someway to support indigenous Australians into society in particular), but overall good.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

I dont know why we honor dual citizenship.

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Well you couldn't be a Texan and an American if you didn't.:coffeenews:

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Originally Posted by Productivity

Hopefully in the post-howard political landscape we can move on...

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I hope so too, but I'm not sure Rudd is the person to do it. He's just not 'Labor' enough...

Japan

History: 1/10 crapness

Great history, culture, tradition. Oh and Sumou!

Food: 1/10

One of the best. Maybe slightly worse then China

People: 5/10

Some great peoples. Slightly pessimistic. Although we have increasing number of those with suicidal thoughts, over all depressing. And some younger kids have no manners. Some of the older folks are too much of a pervert. But other half are polite and very nice peoples.

Government: 9/10

I don't know what they are trying to do.. :wall:

Pride: 5/10

Our history books teaches us to hate our country for losing WW2 although shifting slowly to more patriotic... we still support some of our sports as long as they win.

Overall: 3/10 crapness

Don't ask me how I got 3 :sweatdrop:
Good country to live in. Slightly hard for the foreigners, but we are generally inclusive. Great food, great culture but our government and education needs a serious change.

China (my second nationality)

Food: 1/10

Love it

People: 3/10

Dislike the selfish behavior in bigger cities but in the country side where my relatives are, and most of the Chinese peoples are selfless and very nice folks.

Government: 9/10

Communists, Tibet, Other country side. They should allow independence of regions which are cultural different.

Pride:8/10

Proud country. Which gets to the stage of arrogance. But government are to be blamed not the peoples.

Overall: 5/10

In few years maybe. China will be lovely. Until then..