The following will be eye opening to many. A British friend now living in America, Maureen Fuller, describes her experience living in England:
What is it like to live in a socialist state?
As a British immigrant to the USA
and having just recently lived and worked again in the UK for seven
years, here are some views I would like you to ponder.
Health care
The national health care system is 'free'. You can always see a primary care doctor, but if you need a specialist you may be referred and wait many months. If over 65, you may not see a specialist, or even be able to have some operations. End of life care is without proper caring and dignity in a hospital, unlike the caring we expect here. If you are admitted to a hospital, you will be in a ward together with 6 or more patients who may be mixed gender. If you need an X-ray you will have to wait, as doctors do not have X-ray machines or scanners in their offices, so you are sent to a hospital. Hospitals are not clean and have a high infection rate. Because of the lack of specialists you will not likely be referred to one easily. If you do get an appointment, you may see his assistant instead. Doctors will not talk to you in hospitals. Amazing as this may seem, I found you can be standing next to a specialist and his nurse but you have to talk to the nurse, who in turn relays it to the doctor, as if translating for you, but you are all speaking English. You are not expected to ask the doctor about your condition; you are just the patient. It is all very impersonal. Doctors were very surprised when I asked questions. Many doctors are from other countries and lack good training. Very high taxes pay for this inadequate system. There are few malpractice law suits, as you are taking on the government, which would be a huge expense. Remember, all medical personnel are employed by the government.
If you buy expensive private health insurance, you will see a specialist fairly quickly. These are the same specialists you would have seen on the National Health Service (NHS) however, now if needed, they can order tests and medicines not available on the NHS. Diagnostic testing is a low priority on the NHS. Ordering tests is very limited and people are not offered preventative care, such as a yearly check up. Mammograms are offered up to age 65. I would like everyone in this country to have health care but please, not under an invasive system such as Obama care, which is based on the UK system.
Running a business
It is hard to run a small business, as Health and Safety can shut it down anytime. They are a government force that have absolute authority. Our family business closed because of a new ruling that required construction of scaffolding, for anything previously done with a ladder, therefore, costing too much to do business. Why would the government do this and who would take over? Large Government contractors.
Housing
A new home developer has to provide over 25 to 80 percent of their homes as
government (social) housing. The percentage is decided by each town housing
authority, so differs by area. Housing is therefore very expensive.
Social housing is ultimately paid for by the home buyer. I was in new
home sales and can attest to the fact, that much anger is directed to this sad
state of affairs. Google; 'percentage of social housing on new
developments' to read more. I am sure most of us would be happy with the aged,
infirm and disabled being helped in this way. I am talking about the
healthy people who want a government hand out. Local housing authorities
can also take over older houses and apartments. Suppose you are living in a
nice house and the Housing Authority takes over an apartment next door. A young
girl with a baby and her boy friend move in and create noise and mess. Your
house is then burglarized twice by her unsavory boy friend. You have no
recourse. This true story is my own experience and goes on all the time.
Teenaged girls who have a baby, have to be given free housing and support.
They are not required to work. If they deny knowledge of who the father is,
they can claim more benefits. Their boy friends are not supposed to live
with them, but naturally they do.
There is a tax on buying a new or resale home. It is a percentage of the
purchase price. Taking a sale price of 300,000 GBP ( approximately
460,000 USD) the tax would be 13,800 USD (3 per cent). This tax is on a sliding
scale starting at 1 percent for a home over 180,000 USD to 7 percent for over
3,000,000 USD. Paying 300,000 GBP (460,000 USD) is not much for a small 3
bed house in the UK.
Google; 'Stamp duty Land Tax Rates' for more information and to see
what is likely to happen here in due course, especially to pay for our massive
debt.
Secularism - salvation through government
God is rarely mentioned in the media or socially. The state has taken over, so why do you need Him? I believe one of the reasons that a socialist government works at minimizing God, is to make the people look to them as benefactor instead. As things begin to crumble under such an unsustainable system, there is again an interest in God in the UK .
Privacy
Video cameras are everywhere in public. It is estimated that you are photographed 300 times every day, while going about your business. The police don't need to pull you over on the roads, as the cameras pick up your bad driving. Cameras are on most main roads, bridges, traffic lights and many buildings. You get used to it, but I always felt I was being watched, and noticed I had a feeling of freedom when I returned to the USA. The only upside is that it can help, if a crime has been committed.
Concluding comments
Prices of goods and gas are high, due to the taxes needed to support this system. When our president talks about spreading the wealth this is what will happen. Government takes the wealth and distributes it how they see fit. Our freedoms will be compromised and business will be stuck with what is unimaginable to American business and public. Am I for programs to help all people to lead a better life? Of course, but surely we Americans can find a better way, than to let the government micro organize our lives. This is not freedom. A socialist government wants people to think it is a good benefactor, so they give a few gifts here and there. Every winter you receive a small check to help you pay for heating. Ever get that warm fuzzy feeling? At Christmas you get something like 15 USD from the government. Merry Christmas! When you reach 60 years of age you can apply for a free bus pass. People think this is really great. It is like a rite of passage into old age. I wonder how much that free pass really cost the taxpayer?
America
From a foreign perspective, America is looked upon as a nation with Christian principles, despite our President declaring otherwise. People look to Americans for help in troubled times and to help them to be free. America is there for all disasters and gives billions in support, even to our enemies. I am thankful that America helped to save Europe in World War II. Yes, mistakes are made, but we must remain strong for ourselves and others. Consider the alternative. I know which country and system of government I prefer to live in.
Please vote. Many have given their lives to give us this precious freedom.