Half of US soldiers to potentially pull out of Europe.

[bannork]

Germany generally has a higher standard of living than the United States in several areas, despite the US having a higher median household income. 

Germany has more generous social programs like paid leave, stronger labour protections, and a lower cost of living for many essential goods and services. 

While the US has advantages in housing and educational spending, particularly at the tertiary level, Germany scores better in quality of life, safety, and access to affordable childcare and education. 

 Germany generally has a higher standard of living in:

Social Welfare and Protections:

Germany grants more paid leave, sick leave, and parental leave than the US. German workers also benefit from strong labour protections and shorter working hours. 

Cost of Living:

While US household incomes are higher, the cost of living in Germany, especially for rent, food, and utilities, is significantly lower. 

Quality of Life:

Germany scores better in quality of life surveys due to factors like strong social safety nets, robust healthcare systems, and a higher focus on work-life balance. 

Public Services:

Germans have more comprehensive and often free or subsidized public services like childcare, education, and healthcare. 

Areas where the US may have some advantages:

Median Household Income:

The US has a higher median household income, which fuels private consumption.

Housing:

Americans, on average, have more space per capita in their homes, although US housing is often less energy-efficient.

Educational Spending:

The US spends more per capita on tertiary education, although Germany's focuses strongly on vocational training.

standard of living comparing germany and usa - Google Search

[TedG]

 

 

[TedG]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Germany generally has a higher standard of living than the United States in several areas, despite the US having a higher median household income. 

Germany has more generous social programs like paid leave, stronger labour protections, and a lower cost of living for many essential goods and services. 

While the US has advantages in housing and educational spending, particularly at the tertiary level, Germany scores better in quality of life, safety, and access to affordable childcare and education. 

 Germany generally has a higher standard of living in:

Social Welfare and Protections:

Germany grants more paid leave, sick leave, and parental leave than the US. German workers also benefit from strong labour protections and shorter working hours. 

Cost of Living:

While US household incomes are higher, the cost of living in Germany, especially for rent, food, and utilities, is significantly lower. 

Quality of Life:

Germany scores better in quality of life surveys due to factors like strong social safety nets, robust healthcare systems, and a higher focus on work-life balance. 

Public Services:

Germans have more comprehensive and often free or subsidized public services like childcare, education, and healthcare. 

Areas where the US may have some advantages:

Median Household Income:

The US has a higher median household income, which fuels private consumption.

Housing:

Americans, on average, have more space per capita in their homes, although US housing is often less energy-efficient.

Educational Spending:

The US spends more per capita on tertiary education, although Germany's focuses strongly on vocational training.

standard of living comparing germany and usa - Google Search

 

Yet, Germany has a higher poverty rate than the USA. 

[Yagoda]

7 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Is that because Sarah Palin can see Russia from her back porch and will sound the alarm if she sees anything suspicious, which scares off the Russians?

Well that sounds educated. I guess you don't know what the roads are like up there, nor the climate, nor the infrastructure. I bet you don't even know where the potential lauch and the landing sites are. Can you tell us what highways leave from the Bering Sea Coast and end up in Anchorage or Fairbanks? After all, you're not going to move heavy equipment across Tundra without a road are you?

 

You do know that there are two large Air Force bases in Alaska too don't you? Tell us what the Russian air assets are up there.

 

So basically, you made a post which, as usual, contains no factual basis whatsoever and is sort of a made-up little fantasy. Well that's pointed out to you, you respond with flames. Typical and pathetic from your lot

[NorthernRyland]

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Anyway, the issue was one of poverty and the fact remains that poverty is intense in MS. There is a segment of the population that does very well, but there is a larger segment of the population that doesn't. It is about quality of life. Having access to medical care, good education, social services, elder care and living in peace and security costs. The people of MS don't want to invest in that, whereas the people of Germany do. 

 

 

MS has the biggest black population is the country. The capital city Jackson is 80% black.  Look at the Wiki, they are totally <deleted>. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Mississippi. Poverty rate is 3x higher for blacks than whites but still lots of poverty in the white population. https://talkpoverty.org/state-year-report/mississippi-2020-report/index.htm  How do you invest your way out of that? They've been trying for decades and they're broker than ever.

 

 

Quote

 

High criminal activity, particularly the homicide rate, is a major reoccurring issue in the city. Crime has had a negative impact on the city's economy and population. Most parts of Jackson are considered a food desert because important grocery stores and restaurants have closed down or left the city as theft and other crimes have worsened since 2000.[91][92][93]

In 2020, the city's homicide rate reached its highest in history with 79.69 homicides per 100,000 residents, with a total of 128 homicides.[94] Of major U.S. cities, only St. Louis surpassed Jackson's homicide rate.[95] The homicide rate in 2020 represented a significant spike after years of declining homicide rates in the early 2000s.[96] Property crime remains much lower than in the 1990s and overall violent crime has not increased as significantly as homicide in recent years and is below the peak in 1994 as of 2020.[97]

 

 

Remember when their pipes failed and they had to import drinking water?  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/jackson-mississippi-water-crisis.html

 

After integration in the 60s the white population started to flee to the outer regions of the city and this has been going on for decades now. The black population is not capable of maintaining the existing infrastructure or institutions.

 

[Patong2021]

7 hours ago, TedG said:

 

 

 

At risk of poverty or social exclusion, abbreviated as AROPE, corresponds to the sum of persons who are either at risk of poverty, or severely materially and socially deprived or living in a household with a very low work intensity. People are included only once even if they are in more than one of the situations mentioned above. The AROPE rate is the share of the total population which is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. It is the main indicator to monitor the EU 2030 target on poverty and social exclusion and was the headline indicator to monitor the EU 2020 Strategy poverty target.

 

This does not sound rosy for 21% of the population. 

 

You still don't get it, either because you are intentionally trying to present an incorrect comparison, or you are not able to comprehend basic math.

The  Section above that you quote is a narrative to explain why the EU  used a 60% threshold.  The USA uses 40%.

If the EU used 40%, the  poverty rate in the EU  would be significantly lower.  

[placeholder]

41 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

MS has the biggest black population is the country. The capital city Jackson is 80% black.  Look at the Wiki, they are totally <deleted>. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Mississippi. Poverty rate is 3x higher for blacks than whites but still lots of poverty in the white population. https://talkpoverty.org/state-year-report/mississippi-2020-report/index.htm  How do you invest your way out of that? They've been trying for decades and they're broker than ever.

 

 

 

Remember when their pipes failed and they had to import drinking water?  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/jackson-mississippi-water-crisis.html

 

After integration in the 60s the white population started to flee to the outer regions of the city and this has been going on for decades now. The black population is not capable of maintaining the existing infrastructure or institutions.

 

Mississippi has repeatedly refused to participate in the Affordable Care Act which pays 90% of health care costss. In Republican states where referendums on the issue have been offered, it has always prevailed.

[Patong2021]

3 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Well that sounds educated. I guess you don't know what the roads are like up there, nor the climate, nor the infrastructure. I bet you don't even know where the potential lauch and the landing sites are. Can you tell us what highways leave from the Bering Sea Coast and end up in Anchorage or Fairbanks? After all, you're not going to move heavy equipment across Tundra without a road are you?

 

You do know that there are two large Air Force bases in Alaska too don't you? Tell us what the Russian air assets are up there.

 

So basically, you made a post which, as usual, contains no factual basis whatsoever and is sort of a made-up little fantasy. Well that's pointed out to you, you respond with flames. Typical and pathetic from your lot

 

So I take it then, that Sarah Palin won't be keeping a lookout for the Russian bombers that continually probe the Northern border of North America?

 

Maybe you could have a word with Trump's hero Putin and ask him to tell Vlad to stop sending his nuclear weapon capable bombers to stop the probing of the airspace seeing how Russia isn't much of a threat to the USA now.

 

 

[Yagoda]

2 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

So I take it then, that Sarah Palin won't be keeping a lookout for the Russian bombers that continually probe the Northern border of North America?

Sarah is a private citizen, I doubt she keeps a lookout for the bombers 800 miles away. But hey, she has IG, ask her?

 

3 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Maybe you could have a word with Trump's hero Putin and ask him to tell Vlad to stop sending his nuclear weapon capable bombers to stop the probing of the airspace seeing how Russia isn't much of a threat to the USA now.

Please show us how Putin is Trumps hero? If you cant, your are a troll and a liar.

 

Please tell us how long Bears have been flying around Alaska? Probing airspace. If you implying it only started when Trump became President, you are a troll and a liar

 

Please tell us where the Bears are when they are first spotted by our Radars. Bet you dont know. Typical of a troll.

 

You Troll, lie, flame and spew ignorant nonsense you dredge up from the sewer of your Trump hate madness.

 

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Sarah is a private citizen, I doubt she keeps a lookout for the bombers 800 miles away. But hey, she has IG, ask her?

 

Please show us how Putin is Trumps hero? If you cant, your are a troll and a liar.

 

Please tell us how long Bears have been flying around Alaska? Probing airspace. If you implying it only started when Trump became President, you are a troll and a liar

 

Please tell us where the Bears are when they are first spotted by our Radars. Bet you dont know. Typical of a troll.

 

You Troll, lie, flame and spew ignorant nonsense you dredge up from the sewer of your Trump hate madness.

 

 

Let Trump's words speak for himself.  CNN did a nice job of documenting  the 80X  from June 2013- Feb 2017 Trump had something to say about  his pal Putin   https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/03/politics/trump-putin-russia-timeline/

 

See if you have a favourite. mine is this;

Feb. 26, 2016 Trump says at a press conference that he can’t imagine Marco Rubio meeting with Putin.
“I joked recently about, ‘can you imagine Putin sitting there waiting for a meeting and Rubio walks in and he's totally drenched,” Trump said. “I don't know what it is, but I've never seen a human being sweat like this man sweats.”

 

I never said the Russians had started in Trump's tenure. There has been an increase in Russian activity since December 2024 though, and  no I do not blame Trump for this. Russia had stopped doing this for 15 years and resumed the  stupidity in 2007. It was part of Putin's Make Russia Great Again program.

 

One would hope that now that Putin has a friend in the WH, that  Putin would ease back on sending nuclear weapons capable aircraft to North America.

 

It is rather silly to  call me a troll and a liar just because I present documented fact that you don't like.

You know what else you probably may not like. A fellow by the name of Mr. Zelensky has had sexual intercourse with Putin's daughter, Katerina. Mr. Zelensky was so effective that he impregnated her. Did you know that? It is reported that they are still lovers to this day. Poor fellow. Imagine having a KGB assassin as your father in law. I wonder if they get together at holiday time and Vlad tells Igor to go get him some more Vodka.

[Purdey]

11 hours ago, Mike_Hunt said:

She never made that claim.

You are correct. 

 

The basis for the line was Governor Palin's 11 September 2008 appearance on ABC News, her first major interview after being tapped as the vice-presidential nominee. During that appearance, interviewer Charles Gibson asked her what insight she had gained from living so close to Russia, and she responded: "They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska".

SNL took it and ran with the ball.

[Yagoda]

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Let Trump's words speak for himself.  CNN did a nice job of documenting  the 80X  from June 2013- Feb 2017 Trump had something to say about  his pal Putin   https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/03/politics/trump-putin-russia-timeline/

 

See if you have a favourite. mine is this;

Feb. 26, 2016 Trump says at a press conference that he can’t imagine Marco Rubio meeting with Putin.
“I joked recently about, ‘can you imagine Putin sitting there waiting for a meeting and Rubio walks in and he's totally drenched,” Trump said. “I don't know what it is, but I've never seen a human being sweat like this man sweats.”

 

I never said the Russians had started in Trump's tenure. There has been an increase in Russian activity since December 2024 though, and  no I do not blame Trump for this. Russia had stopped doing this for 15 years and resumed the  stupidity in 2007. It was part of Putin's Make Russia Great Again program.

 

One would hope that now that Putin has a friend in the WH, that  Putin would ease back on sending nuclear weapons capable aircraft to North America.

 

It is rather silly to  call me a troll and a liar just because I present documented fact that you don't like.

You know what else you probably may not like. A fellow by the name of Mr. Zelensky has had sexual intercourse with Putin's daughter, Katerina. Mr. Zelensky was so effective that he impregnated her. Did you know that? It is reported that they are still lovers to this day. Poor fellow. Imagine having a KGB assassin as your father in law. I wonder if they get together at holiday time and Vlad tells Igor to go get him some more Vodka.

Got it. Praising your opponent is hero worship. Joking about a third parties sweat is hero worship. 

 

Troll and liar.

 

If Russian Bears had nothing to do with Trump being in office, what raise them.? To troll.

 

How about another troll, are you associating Putin with MAGA now? Putin has a Make Russia Great Again? If so whats the relevance other than to make a snide, trolling comment about Trumps so called connection to Putin?

 

Why would I care who Zelensky knocked up? You trolling the Zelensky worshippers here?

[Chris Daley]

More numbers being moved around.  I am thinking of pulling out of 5 of my girlfriends and staying in one of them.  No sources on that yet.

[Kinnock]

US troops need to leave Europe before WW III so they can maintain their record of being late to each world war.

[Mike_Hunt]

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

You are correct. 

 

The basis for the line was Governor Palin's 11 September 2008 appearance on ABC News, her first major interview after being tapped as the vice-presidential nominee. During that appearance, interviewer Charles Gibson asked her what insight she had gained from living so close to Russia, and she responded: "They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska".

SNL took it and ran with the ball.

Yeah, that @Patong2021 dude gets his political takes from SNL.

[Mike_Hunt]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

US troops need to leave Europe before WW III so they can maintain their record of being late to each world war.

Yeah, they must hang out in Europe to save the Europeans from themselves again. 

[Mike_Hunt]

6 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

MS has the biggest black population is the country. The capital city Jackson is 80% black.  Look at the Wiki, they are totally <deleted>. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Mississippi. Poverty rate is 3x higher for blacks than whites but still lots of poverty in the white population. https://talkpoverty.org/state-year-report/mississippi-2020-report/index.htm  How do you invest your way out of that? They've been trying for decades and they're broker than ever.

 

 

 

Remember when their pipes failed and they had to import drinking water?  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/jackson-mississippi-water-crisis.html

 

After integration in the 60s the white population started to flee to the outer regions of the city and this has been going on for decades now. The black population is not capable of maintaining the existing infrastructure or institutions.

 

 

I hope they keep flowing into Europe from North Africa for diversity's sake. 

[sandyf]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:12 PM, Mike_Hunt said:

It’s time the people of Europe built their own armies for defense. 

Been on the table for a long time.

 

 The European project was a few votes from launching as a military project rather than an economic one. The idea of a common European force was revived in the 1990s as the European Union was formed, but the concept lost favor due to U.S. opposition and commitment to NATO.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/why-its-time-reconsider-european-army#:~:text=Europe on paper has nearly,Europe collectively a military power.

[scorecard]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:45 PM, NorthernRyland said:

This is good. Why does Europe wan't to rely on American troops instead of supplying their own defense?

 

Old friend just mentioned - many times the US has gone ahead, little discussion and moved big contingents of troops to many other countries. And in those days the US had a lead role in NATO, didn't bother to ask the receiving / surrounding countries, just moved the troop in, built offices and barracks, airports, weapons storages etc. 

 

[sandyf]

On 4/13/2025 at 2:39 AM, TedG said:

 

Why should a soldier from the USA be willing to die for Europe when they refuse to fund their own defense?  

You really should do the homework before making such ludicrous statements.

You seem to forget that Bush conned Blair into taking the UK to war against the will of the population. Nothing more than a US face saving exercise where British forces were killed by US pilots,  justice was never served and the US population should be hanging their heads in shame.

Time all US forces packed their bags and went back to where they came from, world would be far better off.

[NorthernRyland]

6 hours ago, placeholder said:

Mississippi has repeatedly refused to participate in the Affordable Care Act which pays 90% of health care costss. In Republican states where referendums on the issue have been offered, it has always prevailed.

 

Well I'd like to know WHY or this is meaningless. Come to think of it I didn't know you could opt out even if you wanted to or what the state of the program is currently.

 

Don't you think one of the poorest states would want someone else to pay for 90% of their healthcare? It's probably something like "look senator Bob Jones voted against the Save the Children Act clearly indicating his hatred of children" and then you go on to discover the act contained a tax increase used to fund missile production. Seen this enough to know the game being played.

[3NUMBAS]

Further into isolation they go 

[GroveHillWanderer]

21 hours ago, TedG said:

 

European Allies Appeal to the US to avert Shock Troop Reduction.  

 

Reading is fundamental. 

 

Yes it is, so try reading the articles again, carefully. Neither of them states that "many people" want the US troops to remain. The first article makes it very clear that the "shock" they want to avert is a withdrawal without proper coordination - not the withdrawal itself.

 

It clearly states that European officials have accepted that a withdrawal is almost certain, they just want it to be coordinated properly. 

 

And the second article  is not in any way about Europeans wanting US troops to stay, instead it talks about how the US can't be trusted and Europe needs to get serious about protecting itself.

[saintdomingo]

On 4/12/2025 at 10:17 AM, placeholder said:

Had your read past the first paragraph, you might have learned that the article wasn't just about the IKEA attack. And it's kind of weird how selectively right wingers and fake socialists get all heated up about terrorism.

Irony not your thing ph.?

[Patong2021]

4 hours ago, Mike_Hunt said:

Yeah, that @Patong2021 dude gets his political takes from SNL.

 

It seems that reading comprehension isn't one of your skillsets  or is  your bias so overwhelming that you assumed something I did not write? I merely inquired if Alaska was well guarded because of  Sarah Palin's keeping a watchful eye out for Russians. Mine was a question, not a definitive statement. The response was that Sarah will not be keeping an eye out for Russians, so now we know.

 

[Patong2021]

6 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Got it. Praising your opponent is hero worship. Joking about a third parties sweat is hero worship. 

 

Troll and liar.

 

If Russian Bears had nothing to do with Trump being in office, what raise them.? To troll.

 

How about another troll, are you associating Putin with MAGA now? Putin has a Make Russia Great Again? If so whats the relevance other than to make a snide, trolling comment about Trumps so called connection to Putin?

 

Why would I care who Zelensky knocked up? You trolling the Zelensky worshippers here?

 

Nice spin. "Praising an opponent". Mr. Trump could not even muster basic courtesy for President Obama with his false birther claims.

Somewhat  funny that you have the arrogance to call me a troll. That's the best you can do now that the Trump tariffs  have initiated significant economic problems for the USA. Try harder . I's not going to get better for Trump as the  USA slowly comes to its senses.

Putin need not murder 32 people on Palm Sunday. And as expected, Mr. Trump, President of the USA did not feel the need to comment.

[Yagoda]

8 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Nice spin. "Praising an opponent". Mr. Trump could not even muster basic courtesy for President Obama with his false birther claims.

Somewhat  funny that you have the arrogance to call me a troll. That's the best you can do now that the Trump tariffs  have initiated significant economic problems for the USA. Try harder . I's not going to get better for Trump as the  USA slowly comes to its senses.

Putin need not murder 32 people on Palm Sunday. And as expected, Mr. Trump, President of the USA did not feel the need to comment.

Definate Trump hate madness.

 

Birther claims lol

[black tabby12345]

On 4/11/2025 at 10:39 PM, placeholder said:

Given that, under Trump, they might end up fighting for Putin, maybe it's best that they do leave.

 

American grunts, might be fighting for the bald headed dictator in the future?

With Trump, it makes a perfect sense, Lol.

 

In Europe, they now even recognize the US of A, their  new enemy siding with Russ.

 

The US is now the enemy of the west

 

Yes, America Is Europe’s Enemy Now

 

Trump’s America is Putin’s ally now – POLITICO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kinnock]

5 hours ago, Mike_Hunt said:

Yeah, they must hang out in Europe to save the Europeans from themselves again. 

..... because Nazi Germany was just a European problem, and Japan was part of Europe to?

 

And I suppose the post war situation with the USSR was just another European issue too? 

[Kinnock]

2 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Further into isolation they go 

Not totally isolated .... they have Russia and North Korea as friends.