On Tue, 4 Jun 2002, Bob Blick wrote:

> On Tue, 4 Jun 2002, Dale Botkin wrote:
> > Finland?  Small, rather typical European industrialized consumer economy,
> > relatively recently independent from Russia, flourishing on commerce and
> > trade...  I'm afraid I'm missing your point.  And no need to go on the
> > attack, Bob, have I taken an all-or-nothing stance on something that
> > offended you?
>
> How about health care and education in Finland versus here in the US? How
> about the speeding ticket the Nokia executive recently got? How about
> Linux? It's a completely different way of thinking from dollar-based
> republics.

I have to admit I don't follow the local police blotter reports from
Finland, so I don't know what the average speeding ticket is there.  I do
know there's one hell of a difference between managing the health care an
education system for less than six million people, in an area less than
the size of Montana, under a single central government (Finland) and for
278 million people scattered throughout fifty semi-autonomous states.

> I think you're confusing me with someone who thinks a society is
> successful based upon monetary wealth

Not at all, I picked up on your point right off the bat.  I have a couple
of sisters who think the same way.  Well, used to anyway.

> I consider social justice and equality to be much more important than
> financial success.

Yeah, me too.  That's why I don't live in California (or Finland).
That's why not only do I pay a significant amount of money in taxes to
support government services, the poor, the disabled and the lazy, I also
contribute equally significant amounts (of money and time) to
organizations who do with it what they can to improve the situation.  I
believe in equal *opportunity*, not absolute equality...  big difference
there.  I won't give up my financial success, such as it is, so that
someone who chooses not to put forth the effort I have can enjoy the same
standard of living.  That would be at odds with my respect for social
justice.

Dale

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