Poll: What is wrong with America?

[Laurie Barnes]

I used to watch "The Daily Show, With John Stewart" and have a righteous laugh, but now, for what feels like a year now, it only manages to piss me off what some Americans can get away with. The most recent debate, of the Wisconsin Teachers union set off a new level of ire for me. I felt my blood boiling, and the thought crossed my mind that if bombs fell tomorrow and leveled the entire country, they might actually be better off starting at square one than continuing like they have.

Being a Canadian I have an special view of our big brother down south, being that I get both sides of the argument up here, and it baffles me when I see that one side has so little merit compared to the other and yet in America this seems to amount to nothing because that is the side that is winning. What the hell? On top of that, 9 times out of 10, the people perpetrating the merit-less argument are none other than Fox News and CBC News. They seem to portray the teachers unions as fat-cats who are taking advantage of the system and handouts, which is absolutely nothing like the fat-cats on wall street taking advantage of the system and handouts.

I really need some feed back on this, because I am honestly not sure what to believe anymore, and it is hard for me to accept that nuking the whole god awful mess would actually be for the best.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I don't like unions, myself.

But the governor is a fucking idiot.

 

[Dethpixie]

What's wrong with America?

Sexual tension. Every problem can essentially be boiled down to it and you'll be hard pressed to find a more repressed country.

 

[Laurie Barnes]

What's wrong with America?

Sexual tension. Every problem can essentially be boiled down to it and you'll be hard pressed to find a more repressed country.

I can't tell if you are serious.

 

[Bretty]

I have a huge issue with Unions in General. BUT!!!! There are industries where they are still desperately needed. Teachers salaries are rediculous. Many teachers that I know and went to Uni with have actually had to get second jobs. Take away their benefits and what is the point?

Current Auto workers union and the teamsters? Bad

Local teachers unions..... GOOD!

 

[Cowabungaa]

Care to explain the actual story? What's happening with the Teacher's Union? What's the governor doing? Not everyone gets the same amount of news from the States, we across the pond are currently paying more attention to Libia. Those bastards captured some of our soldiers!

I don't like unions, myself.

But how else can employees organise and come up for their rights?

 

[Space Spoons]

The GOP hates unions, public education, and generally anything that provides even a modicum of happiness for the middle-class. This is old news, and thus, the actions transpiring in Wisconsin don't come as a surprise to me.

If it's any consolation, the only people who seem to really be against the teacher's unions are union-busting politicians. Real, everyday American people aren't having it. There are protests happening all over the country. Heck, there were walkouts in Idaho a few days ago. Idaho, of all places, the reddest state in the union. Kinda gives me hope.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I don't like unions, myself.

But how else can employees organise and come up for their rights?

I'm fine with that, but unions suffer heavily from corruption, like all powerful organizations and the government itself. Only people seem to ignore that, and think that being anti-union is the same as being against the profession of said union.

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

I see a thread like this almost every week now. America really isn't such a bad place to live in.

As for Fox News, its a joke. Even worse is that most of our media strives to be like them.

 

[Laurie Barnes]

Care to explain the actual story? What's happening with the Teacher's Union? What's the governor doing? Not everyone gets the same amount of news from the States, we across the pond are currently paying more attention to Libia. Those bastards captured some of our soldiers!

I don't like unions, myself.

But how else can employees organise and come up for their rights?

You might want to find a second opinion on this, because I am hardly a reputed source, and my source material is flimsy at best, but I will do my best.

Essentially the Governor of Wisconsin is trying to pass a bill that would make it illegal for unionized teachers to strike as well as demand better wages, not to mention hack/slash their benefits. To me that seems insane because teachers have a tough job and are hardly earning that much cash as is, without the ability to bargain or strike there is no point in a union, and furthermore the deserve those benefits, god knows their salary doesn't cover dental.

 

[Laurie Barnes]

I see a thread like this almost every week now. America really isn't such a bad place to live in.

As for Fox News, its a joke. Even worse is that most of our media strives to be like them.

If you see this thread once a week, don't you think there might actually be something wrong if so many people seem to think so?

 

[Cowabungaa]

I don't like unions, myself.

But how else can employees organise and come up for their rights?

I'm fine with that, but unions suffer heavily from corruption, like all powerful organizations and the government itself. Only people seem to ignore that, and think that being anti-union is the same as being against the profession of said union.

Ah, well I suppose those things are worse over there in the States. You don't hear a lot about that kinda stuff over here. It's a bad thing, of course, and must be eliminated.

You might want to find a second opinion on this, because I am hardly a reputed source, and my source material is flimsy at best, but I will do my best.

Essentially the Governor of Wisconsin is trying to pass a bill that would make it illegal for unionized teachers to strike as well as demand better wages, not to mention hack/slash their benefits. To me that seems insane because teachers have a tough job and are hardly earning that much cash as is, without the ability to bargain or strike there is no point in a union, and furthermore the deserve those benefits, god knows their salary doesn't cover dental.

That sounds pretty damn stupid indeed. Teachers all over the globe aren't getting the respect and wages they deserve, and now that governor only wants to make it worse? Good gods are people shortsighted sometimes, can't he see that good teachers are the cornerstone of a thriving economy?

 

[mjc0961]

I'm more interested with what's wrong with other countries if all their citizens have to do is come onto forums across the internet and make anti-American threads like these. Not just here, but all across the net. Seriously, this feels like it's the next big meme. So in this case, I have to ask, what's wrong with Canada? Making sweeping generalizations about an entire population of people based on just the actions of a few is easy!

If you wanted to discuss the Wisconsin unions thing, that should have been your thread title. Not "What is wrong with America?" which is nothing but offensive flame bait.

 

[Laurie Barnes]

I'm more interested with what's wrong with other countries if all their citizens have to do is come onto forums across the internet and make anti-American threads like these. Not just here, but all across the net. Seriously, this feels like it's the next big meme. So in this case, I have to ask, what's wrong with Canada? Making sweeping generalizations about an entire population of people based on just the actions of a few is easy!

If you wanted to discuss the Wisconsin unions thing, that should have been your thread title. Not "What is wrong with America?" which is nothing but offensive flame bait.

Maybe you should stop being a victim and try to ponder on what is making all these people worldwide hate your home. Maybe you should contribute to the discussion rather than complaining. Maybe you should be a little less entitled.

 

[kittii-chan 300]

Care to explain the actual story? What's happening with the Teacher's Union? What's the governor doing? Not everyone gets the same amount of news from the States, we across the pond are currently paying more attention to Libia. Those bastards captured some of our soldiers!

I don't like unions, myself.

But how else can employees organise and come up for their rights?

You might want to find a second opinion on this, because I am hardly a reputed source, and my source material is flimsy at best, but I will do my best.

Essentially the Governor of Wisconsin is trying to pass a bill that would make it illegal for unionized teachers to strike as well as demand better wages, not to mention hack/slash their benefits. To me that seems insane because teachers have a tough job and are hardly earning that much cash as is, without the ability to bargain or strike there is no point in a union, and furthermore the deserve those benefits, god knows their salary doesn't cover dental.

okay now that i understand i can say,"the govenor of wisconsin is an ass" (i am restricting my rage right now) i agree teachers jobs are really hard (judging from the fact that most of my class' teachers leave the school crying) this law would also be taking away peoples free will (which is wrong)

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

I see a thread like this almost every week now. America really isn't such a bad place to live in.

As for Fox News, its a joke. Even worse is that most of our media strives to be like them.

If you see this thread once a week, don't you think there might actually be something wrong if so many people seem to think so?

Not really, considering most of the threads come from people who only hear about America from our media (which we all know is a wholehearted reliable source) and our government.(again)
It's fine to point out stuff like that, but it kinda hurts when everyone makes America out to be a terrible place in general. I live here and I can tell you it's not as bad as everyone thinks.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

Neither side is perfect, with the Governor trying to take away something we need and Unions often getting taken advantage of, but in this case, that governor is just an idiot. Maybe the Union system isn't perfect, but this is the wrong way to change it.

 

[Laurie Barnes]

I see a thread like this almost every week now. America really isn't such a bad place to live in.

As for Fox News, its a joke. Even worse is that most of our media strives to be like them.

If you see this thread once a week, don't you think there might actually be something wrong if so many people seem to think so?

Not really, considering most of the threads come from people who only hear about America from our media (which we all know is a wholehearted reliable source) and our government.(again)
It's fine to point out stuff like that, but it kinda hurts when everyone makes America out to be a terrible place in general. I live here and I can tell you it's not as bad as everyone thinks.

Yeah and how the hell else are we supposed to learn about America? I use the internet, I start discussions like this to better my understanding. Furthermore, if your own media,(and/or government) is portraying your country as not only a cesspool of the ignorant but a oozing sore our planet would be better without(whether this is true or not), and you still don't think there is something wrong, then you are delusional.

 

[Zaik]

I'm really on the fence here. From my point of view, both sides seem wrong.

I would typically be 100% behind anyone willing to try to take down the teachers union in any capacity, they certainly do deserve it. However, paying teachers even less isn't really the right way to go about it.

I'm sure there's much better places the money could be taken from, but on the other hand the teachers union has turned the entire education system here into a pathetic joke up until college. I really can't say who I like less.