If Democratic Socialism is so bad, where are all the scandinavian immigrants? - img

[DFW]

114. I'm American and agree with your assessment of the domestic situation

In Germany, however, it far from being as rosy as you picture. German men neglect their child support as often as men of any other nationality, and there is no universal health care at all. It is not France. It is a patchwork system that asked me to pay €2500 euros a month for health insurance if I wanted German health insurance, even though I pay my taxes there. I keep my US insurance, crappy though it is, rather than lay out $34000 a year for health insurance. I mean gimme a break. You either don't speak German or weren't there very long. The child care is spotty. The word "kinderunfreundlich" is hard to pronounce to some non-Germans, but every Germany learns it early, and it applies well to the German approach to little ones. I've lived there for years, married to a German (SPD/Greens voter) and we speak German at home. I'm no stranger there.

I realize that Bernie isn't about to shoot anyone, no matter what his age. However, as one who has dealt with an existing version of "Democratic Socialism," the term makes me cringe. Not only because to all Europeans, it means the killers at the Wall, but because Bernie advocates a classic Social Democratic line as is practiced in most northern European countries, which is something else entirely. He's not running for Bundeskanzler of Germany, so it obviously doesn't matter in the States. Should he win, however, he had better have some reassuring talks with countries that have buried 19 year olds who died at the hands of "Democratic Socialists," as happened when their European version was in power.