America Vs. Europe

Seeing as there is alot of discussion on both America's and Europe's government I thought this thread may be useful. The title says America Vs. Europe. So it basicly means who is doing better and where. I would like to discuss various topics here such each's political standing points. Thouh anyone could arise a topic to dicuss in the thread.

Who would like to start? You can discuss anything as long as it has to do with title.

As an American, I personally envy most of Europe over their secular governments. We are supposed to have one of the most secular governments in the world, yet there is so much entanglement with religion.

I actually cannot care which country is doing better.

Naturally though, I think America is doing better, me being a European, but as I said, it doesn't really matter.

Australia is clearly superior. Kangaroos etc.

YoSoyJu said:

We are supposed to have one of the most secular governments in the world, yet there is so much entanglement with religion.

In what way? "In God we Trust"? A motto referencing a deity does not make a nation non-secular. The US government doesn't allow only one religion, it doesn't officially emphasize one over the other, and religious organizations can't officially support a political candidate.

Well today being declared the National Day of Prayer by President Obama even after it was ruled unconstitutional is a good example of religious entanglement.

gogobananas said:

Australia is clearly superior. Kangaroos etc.

Got to agree with this guy.

Personally; I really don't see why you are classing it as Europe because there is about 50 god damn countries in there that it is a bit difficult to pin it down to how well in general they are doing.

Australia because when it's time to vote; it is against the law not to, that means that it as actually the peoples choice and not half the country who has nothing better to do.

^ I don't know how it is in the majority of Europe so I can't compare.

YoSoyJu said:

Well today being declared the National Day of Prayer by President Obama even after it was ruled unconstitutional is a good example of religious entanglement.

There's a National Day of Prayer? I honestly never knew that, even though I have been going to Catholic schools for 5 or 6 years now. How exactly is that entanglement? It's not like the government is saying that you are required to pray or anything.
In addition, most European countries celebrate Easter and Christmas as Public Holidays, and many have other religious holidays.

Lyk I iz 2 orshu 4u said:

gogobananas said:

Australia is clearly superior. Kangaroos etc.

Personally; I really don't see why you are classing it as Europe because there is about 50 god damn countries in there that it is a bit difficult to pin it down to how well in general they are doing.

Well it is kinda like The fact that Europe and Asia are separate. Plus america is the same, alot of our states are the sizes of countries.

nightmare2 said:

Well it is kinda like The fact that Europe and Asia are separate.

I mean, why not Britain maybe because I'm pretty sure it's a different system of Government than France. You know; ones a monarchy, ones not etc.

Both are European countries are they not?

Plus america is the same, alot of our states are the sizes of countries.

Size does not mean it is under a seperate Govenment.


« Last edited by Lyk I iz 2 orshu 4u on May 6th 2010 »

gogobananas, please don't post anything that doesn't contribute to the discussion. 1 post deleted.

Lyk I iz 2 orshu 4u said:

nightmare2 said:

Well it is kinda like The fact that Europe and Asia are separate.

I mean, why not Britain maybe because I'm pretty sure it's a different system of Government than France. You know; ones a monarchy, ones not etc.

Both are European countries are they not?

Europe meaning each separate country. I really wasn't in the mood for listing each one. America Vs. all the countries on that europe continent. Britain's monarchy is now just a figure head. If they were to stop with the King and Queen stuff they would have alot more money. Money which could be spent on alot of problems they have.

rate_me said:

YoSoyJu said:

Well today being declared the National Day of Prayer by President Obama even after it was ruled unconstitutional is a good example of religious entanglement.

There's a National Day of Prayer? I honestly never knew that, even though I have been going to Catholic schools for 5 or 6 years now. How exactly is that entanglement? It's not like the government is saying that you are required to pray or anything.
In addition, most European countries celebrate Easter and Christmas as Public Holidays, and many have other religious holidays.

Prayer is strictly a religious exercise. It has no secular purpose. It fails the Lemon Test. Here are a couple videos that show exactly why this specific law is unconstitutional:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...PtmoXrJo

http://www.youtube.com/watc...COmVXUBE

Lemon Test?
Thank you very much for that video, I knew what Obama declared was unconstitutional but that video did help me understand alot more on why.

@rate_me: Most European do celebrate it as a national holiday as we do (americans), we also have jewish and islamic holidays national. Most european countries have a much higher population of christians than America also. Germany, sadly.

But those countries don't have the constitution, which does say that we have freedom of religon for ourselves, but as a whole country we cannot be forced or have a day cliamed under one religon without definate means.

YoSoyJu said:

rate_me said:

YoSoyJu said:

Well today being declared the National Day of Prayer by President Obama even after it was ruled unconstitutional is a good example of religious entanglement.

There's a National Day of Prayer? I honestly never knew that, even though I have been going to Catholic schools for 5 or 6 years now. How exactly is that entanglement? It's not like the government is saying that you are required to pray or anything.
In addition, most European countries celebrate Easter and Christmas as Public Holidays, and many have other religious holidays.

Prayer is strictly a religious exercise. It has no secular purpose. It fails the Lemon Test. Here are a couple videos that show exactly why this specific law is unconstitutional:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...PtmoXrJo

http://www.youtube.com/watc...COmVXUBE

I'm not saying that it is unconstitutional. I'm saying that you'll be hard pressed to find a completely secular country, even if you discount little religious holidays nobody's ever heard of or even observes.

nightmare2 said:

Lyk I iz 2 orshu 4u said:

nightmare2 said:

Well it is kinda like The fact that Europe and Asia are separate.

I mean, why not Britain maybe because I'm pretty sure it's a different system of Government than France. You know; ones a monarchy, ones not etc.

Both are European countries are they not?

Europe meaning each separate country. I really wasn't in the mood for listing each one. America Vs. all the countries on that europe continent. Britain's monarchy is now just a figure head. If they were to stop with the King and Queen stuff they would have alot more money. Money which could be spent on alot of problems they have.

Queen may be a figure head; but it doesn't mean the country has a President.

There are also countries in Europe in the same type of Democracy as the USA.

gogobananas said:

Australia is clearly superior. Kangaroos etc.

yea man Australia FTW

also since i dont know much about either governement except i know Europe is under the queen and USA has a president.So does USA also follow the queen or what?

ShadowStriker64 said:

gogobananas said:

Australia is clearly superior. Kangaroos etc.

yea man Australia FTW

also since i dont know much about either governement except i know Europe is under the queen and USA has a president.So does USA also follow the queen or what?

America doesn't follow the queen and neither does Europe, there isn't a queen of Europe. Neither is England for that matter. The queen has absolutely no role in the government whatsoever, and the monarchy haven't had a dominant role in government for several hundred years. I believe the same is true for other European monarchs, the vast majority is governed by some form of parliment.

Yes exactly. The queen of England is really unneeded. The money they put into the royal family is completely wasted. They could be using it much more efficiently. There are problems that could be solved.

nightmare2 said:

Yes exactly. The queen of England is really unneeded. The money they put into the royal family is completely wasted. They could be using it much more efficiently. There are problems that could be solved.

Though it must be said that they do bring in quite a bit of money throught tourism etc and any money gained from getting rid of them would be insignificant compared to the amount needed to combat any real problems. They also play their role in foreign relations, it means we can at the very least appear to care by sending the Queen of England etc over to countries without having to send anyone like the Prime Minister over when he could be doing more important things. Also at the end of the day I suppose it is traditional and almost every country wastes money on image, for example the US president could do his job living in a one bedroom appartment and just using a normal office for work but instead they use the White House.