citizenship

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by svmariane

Ummmm.... The Muslim religion allows a man up to four (4) wives, and he must treat them all equally in every respect.

Four houses {or sailboats } could be quite expensive.
Plus birthday presents, and etc.
And FOUR mother's in law!
Oy Vey !!!

I believe it was Eric Tabarly that said: you can always find another wife, but a good boat is hard to find... when asked about his poor record as a husband!

Could you imagine four wives? Those guys must have nerves of steel!

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

I wonder what background check the Canadians will be doing on these Syrians? And how soon before they can freely travel into the USA?

Good question...and the issue is complicated since there is no viable data base in many of the countries of origin just who many of those folks are.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

I wonder what background check the Canadians will be doing on these Syrians? And how soon before they can freely travel into the USA?

Now that is a good question. I hope and expect that once they pass all checks and security screenings that they would be treated with all the same rights and responsibilities as any refugee.

...

Just checked. Apparently there is an internationally recognized travel document that refugees can be granted by the host nation. So I assume Syrian refugees will be eligible to apply for this document just as any refugee would.

But of course it would not be Canada that decides whether they can enter the USA, or any other country, using this travel document. That would be up to the country they are trying to visit.

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Iaangus

Deleted long reply, no time to finish, I lived there 3 years Knew lots of people and use the painfully slow health care system and it wasn't free. You were thinking it was perfect? I'm just saying it should not be used as a gold standard.

Deleted long reply probably because you knew your actual knowledge of the system in the UK was very poor and incidental. As is your likely knowledge of the "economy" as referenced in your original post. Perfect? There is no such thing, and referencing it as a standard is a canard and a strawman.

Slow? Only if you approach it with sniffles or some non urgent ailment. By and large if you are properly ill you are treated swifly and with some of the best treatments, conditions and staff anywhere in the world. I have witnessed this many times at first hand, both in acute trauma care of myself and long term cancer treatement for close friends and family, up to the terminal phase. Earlier this year I visited an old family friend, a woman in her mid 70s, dying of acute heart failure in the High Dependency Unit of the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Her private room was immense, with (I counted) sixteen syringe drivers, ventilators, the latest monitoring and diagnostic equipment hung from a massive gantry in the ceiling, the whole absolutely state of the art and latest tech, with a curtained glass wall looking directly onto a nurses station manned 24/7 by numerous staff, whose attentiveness, professionalism and skill is second to none in the world. She was in there for the whole two and a half week period it took her to die. Cost of that to her and her husband? Nothing more than the taxes she paid.

My father was treated by the NHS for Mantle Cell Lymphoma. This cancer is (or was at the time) universally deadly. They gave him a 18 months of extremely healthy and fit life, before the inevitable relapse. He survived more than double the usual period for this illness, and his death took place in the ward dedicated to immunocompromised patients, at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. They allowed myself and my other close family members essentially to camp in the visitors room, which was pleasant and well equipped. His own surprisingly large private room had an ensuite toilet/shower room, its own fridge and a large window with a beautiful leafy outlook, as well as the most up to date equipment possible in such an environment. The staff were impeccable and their dedication, care, professionalism, and empathy were astonishing to behold. That three month period in that private room at the end of a comprehensively satisfactory two and three quarter year treatment period was at no charge to us or our family, other than the taxes we have paid and continue so to do.

Your comment that "it is not free" is typical of those who criticise such a socialised system, as if somehow we in the UK are a bunch of ingenues who have not the most basic understanding of economics or finance. I am FULLY AWARE that my taxes go to support the likes of this treatment to other people who I will never meet and about whom I know nothing and I am more than happy with that situation. It is one of the best things about the UK, and other systems like it. I am no socialist generally, and am rather right wing/libertarian when it comes to many issues. But socialised medical care for all and with guaranteed universal access is an absolute good. The insurance based system has its uses as an adjunct only but when it becomes the whole healthcare system, then healthcare is subordinated to profit, and a river of money flows out of the system and is lost to healthcare entirely, driving up the prices of everything extraordinarily. The US is the only nation excluded from "Worldwide Cover" on most international insurance policies, for a reason. It is just too expensive. You may or may not realise that we in the UK do not pay absurdly higher taxes than you do in the US. In some cases the opposite, and you still have to finance your own, uncertain healthcare privately and on top of that. As Tom Waits says: "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."

You really don't know what you are talking about with regard to the UK or other similar systems.

[Muckle Flugga]

The above said, as this is a thread about US citizenship and I do not wish to give the wrong impression, I am generally a fan of the US and its people, and consider the cruising grounds and folk of its coasts some of the finest in the world. I particularly love New England, where I have worked under sail and feel especially at home.

[groundtackle]

And you'll be welcome!


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[Rustic Charm]

this has to have been one of the most open ended questions in ages. The OP is long gone and still five pages later and still discussing it.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by nshawdvm

I'm a Canadian. I love America. There are things about America (and things about Canada for that matter) that I don't love. Donald Trump is one of them. I hope you vote him into oblivion before he really makes history in the worst possible way.

But if he did get elected? I still love you all, just not him!

The great thing about real democracy is everybody gets to vote. The sad thing about democracy is everybody (EVERYBODY!!) gets to vote!


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Except...the USA is not actually a democracy. It is a "representative republic", you are really voting for a representative (delegate) in a presidential election. The Founding Fathers didnt really trust the masses either.

So, hopefully if one of the clowns from the clown car actually gets elected, esp Trump, then the Electoral College will do their job and vote against the popular vote. IIRC its only happened once in USA history.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Except...the USA is not actually a democracy. It is a "representative republic", you are really voting for a representative (delegate) in a presidential election. The Founding Fathers didnt really trust the masses either.

So, hopefully if one of the clowns from the clown car actually gets elected, esp Trump, then the Electoral College will do their job and vote against the popular vote. IIRC its only happened once in USA history.

Yes, it is a democracy. The representative system is simply how it happens. It's still very much a democracy.

[rourkeh]

I can think of a couple of very good reasons to renounce U.S. citizenship.
1. U.S. citizens are one of only two countries in the world that tax their citizens on their worldwide income. The other is Libya. That means no matter where in the world you live and work you are still required to pay U.S. taxes. Even if you renounce your citizenship you still have to pay taxes to the U.S. government for ten years.
2. Americans are not well loved by the worldwide community the way they were 50 years ago. Especially after causing the latest worldwide financial disaster. There is a huge amount of resentment out there for the U.S. government, and the people pay the price for their heavy handed policies.

[CheekyMonkey]

I believe someone should establish a virtual country that issues passports and driver's licenses using Bitcoin.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by dgsingle

Haven't checked Sailnet or Cruising World yet. Did a Google search and found that many larger "high end" boats like Oysters have them installed. Of course, they probably have full time crew members to deal with any problems.

There is another Bristol with a "Leisure Furl" in-boom furling system which has the advantage of allowing a battened main. I don't know if that would be any more reliable than the "Stoway".

Greg Singleton

Sealand

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[ryon]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Yes, it is a democracy. The representative system is simply how it happens. It's still very much a democracy.

It certainly wasn't intended to be a democracy, but it has degenerated into one. Sad.

[Steven UK]

Cheeky monkey... Interesting point. Floating tax haven even?

Just reading through some of the posts over the last couple of days and thought I'd add something. I was rased in the uk and I've been to hospitals in uk and us. The striking difference to me is one is run as a service paid by tax and the other a business that has to make a profit to survive. Both systems work in there own way. I am a green card holder in the US and Singapore and carry a British passport. So even though I have very good insurance in the event of a major health issue it may be better for me to jump on a plane. Last year I spent two nights in hospital and the bill was reportedly 20k, though thankfully I never had to pay a penny because I had just finished an oversees assignment and had special insurance. I can't help feeling 20k was a bit excessive for two nights observation.

[bcripps]

Yeah. The US is a free country. Right? Right?
Yeah... right!