Fionn, I really resonate with what you're saying. Whenever I bring up the Northern European and Scandinavian countries and make the claim that they are quite probably the most civilized countries in the world, far more civilized than most—including the United States—and explain why I think so, the argument I almost invariably get back is "But they're socialistic!"

Now, I've never probed into the nature of their political systems and the finer points of how they do what they do, but when a country has free high quality health care for everybody; an excellent educational system; virtually no poverty because of a social safety net that really works; is virtually crime free compared to, say, the United States; has laws that mandate long vacations and limit the amount of time one can be required to work in a day (and still maintains its position in the world economy); honors it's elderly and takes excellent care of them; values its history, culture, and folklore; has, in general, a healthy, happy, productive population; and has been at peace with its neighbors for generations—it strikes me that they must be doing something right. We should study them and see how they do it.

When I say this, what I hear back is "but they're socialistic!" and "but their taxes are so high" and "but they're not a democracy, they have a king!" (maybe true about the king, but not true about not being a democracy), and in general the arguments go "butting" around like a flock of nervous goats.

Where are these people's values? Look at the results. If it means socialism, then so be it! However they do it, we need some of that here.

If circumstances can be brought about where somebody doesn't have to sleep in their second hand Ford Windstar van because, even though they are employed, they can't afford rent, it somehow doesn't concern me a great deal if those same circumstances mean that the CEO of a local company has to give his son a Miata for his high school graduation present instead of the Lamborghini he wants.

But the way things are going, that'll be a cold day in hell. . . .

Don Firth