>I would really like to see everyone in this country living a life that is safe, free, economically viable, and includes free healthcare and basic needs. However, I have a problem with the majority of our society in the lower income levels - I have been there and seen it firsthand in many cities myself. Too many have no drive and determination to do anything but would rather get everything for free. I believe in the merit program - you get what you earn. It is almost impossible to find teenagers today to work in fast food restaurants. They are lazy and do not want to do it.

We have lots of fast food places here in Silicon Valley and teenagers make up at least 95% of the employees.

Let alone work in a shoe or chicken factory.

We out sourced the shoe factories long ago. I am not sure who works at chicken factories around here but we do have our share.

My mother worked in many factories earlier in life and it was hard work. I spent my early years working on a farm. We got up at 4:30am and worked til the sun went down when we were not in school. Today, you can't find people with the work ethic and drive to do it.

I have noticed a huge disparity in work ethic between the North and South of the U.S.

>It is amazing. I don't know if it is the German/Scandinavian ancestry, but in Wisconsin and Minnesota the average person worked much much harder than down here in the South. They were more reliable as well. Am I discriminating? No, I am recounting my personal experience.
>

To survive the harsh winters and summers in the northern part of the mid west is not easy and takes a special type of person.

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>>>No, that would be Sweden (as far as quality of life and setting the best example):
>>>http://www.vexen.co.uk/countries/best.html
>>
>>That a great link.
>>
>>>But then Sweden is a social democratic state (as well as the Netherlands if I remember correctly from school). They also enjoy the highest tax revenues and one of the lowest inequality in income levels. (I guess that means most are average :o) It really is income redistribution in a sense.
>>
>>I know that the redistribution of income bothers the right wing since they see it as counter to things like individual initiative. But for most people in a society and society in general income redistribution is a good thing. One might say the great equalizer. This is one of the reasons that I'm centre-left my politics. I still have to formulate my ideas, and post why conservatism is illogical.