5 Things I Would Change About the USA (as a German!) | Feli from Germany

[@FelifromGermany]

If you had the power to do so, what would you change about the US or the country YOU live in? 🤔 ▸Are you interested in trying therapy? Try *BetterHelp* and click betterhelp.com/feli for a *10% discount* on your first month!

[@brettwillard8892]

I would change the health care system to a more EU system over our single payer. More people are in debt over healthcare than anything else I believe. I live in the USA. I replied before watching the video.

[@_Chev_Chelios]

Socialized medicine is so great because everything is free! So naive. Socialized stuff costs more every time. When the people spend other people’s confiscated earnings on people who didn’t earn them, the choices are guaranteed to be less efficient and more wasteful compared to when people spend their own hard earned money. Refusing to acknowledge and accept this fact of human nature eventually leads to misery and poverty.

[@robsuffridge9298]

Left a comment and it was deleted so I unsubscribed to you! Alls I said was we spend more money on our military to keep the world safe more than the top ten countries combined! And that’s the reason why things are expensive! So delete my comment again.

[@_Chev_Chelios]

Take your socialist butt back to Germany, please. Unsubbed.

[@munkeefinkelbeen5395]

Honestly, I agree with your opinions, and I'd definitely be on board with better public transportation (bullet trains, buses and light rails, etc), tighter gun restrictions (there were tighter restrictions in the Wild West than what we have now), nationalized healthcare, and free university. Taxes will be a little higher, but if everyone is paying their share, it wouldn't be a big issue. Life is better when we work together

[@halvarf]

The fact that this video needed a three minute introduction to explain to people that you actually can criticize aspects of a country without being mean or ungrateful or unpatriotic can be considered a point in itself.

[@sherlockwho5714]

Yes exactly. We don't hate America because we want to change stuff. It's in fact a sign that we care about it

[@smenor]

Yup and even at that people watched for the gun thing ignoring that, like healthcare and walkable cities with public transit, the reason it was obvious is that the US is an embarrassment and laughing stock because of how ridiculous we are

[@donovanfoto3263]

As a 'FOREIGNER', you are in the PERFECT position to judge this country. Looking into the fish tank is a perspective shift that needs to be made.

[@FlashoftheBlades]

Reminds me of what Jim Jefferies said on his comedy-style news show, with the following quotes being some good examples of this: “What could be more patriotic than questioning your government?” “America is literally a protest that became a country. The events that have shaped this nation’s history have always sprung from rebellion. Events like, the civil rights movement, women’s suffrage, gay rights…protesting is patriotism. And we seem to have forgotten that.” “For some reason, protesting racial injustice is considered unpatriotic, but stockpiling guns so you can shoot up a government gone mental, that makes you a patriot. Wrapping yourself in a flag that represents a time when half the country literally tried to leave America…that makes you a patriot. And when you have a President who lets this slide (white nationalists bitching about the removal of a Confederate statue), but won’t tolerate this (black athletes protesting police brutality towards others of their own ethnicity)…that just proves their point.”

[@johnkitchen4699]

The saddest parts of this video is the reluctance of America to change (I understand the history and cultural differences - they are excuses not reasons) and the objectionable attitudes when the failings of the systems hear are pointed out (yes, I have been told to leave the country - a Christian friend (yes, a fellow church member) emailed my circle of friends and the pastor telling them I should get out of the country). My sister retired to Australia where her family live - after ten years, the Australian government provided her with Medicare and gives her a pension. I retired to America at a similar age for the same reason - my wife and I pay $19000 per year for Medicare and we get no pension. Our savings are disappearing! This video left me close to tears and praying that my family would move back to Europe so my wife and I can enjoy retirement not just try to survive it.

[@sgheindel]

Civil rights activist James Baldwin famously said: "I love this country, and for that reason, I insist on the right to criticize her." I greatly appreciate these points. Thank you!!

[@theromulanwarhawk]

Some people like to say, "My country, right or wrong." But they forget the rest of that phrase. It goes, "My country, right or wrong. If right, to be kept right, if wrong, to be set right."

[@nearly_blind1017]

A fellow persona 5 player? 😂

[@nearly_blind1017]

Nice, that Betterhelp worked for you Feli, but I have heard enough negative stuff about it that I have a bad feeling whenever someone promotes them…

[@ah6hy]

The problem is and always has been who gets to define what is right when two people disagree? If I get to decide, I'm perfectly fine with this. 😀

[@lauriewelsh8554]

and we would have presidents, not royalty.

[@anna-ranja4573]

​@@lauriewelsh8554 Both countries are democratic countries. The queen thing is only en example that one person can switch things. She could say if I would be a fairy. Same.

[@coldat6635]

Loved the video. I am an American who now lives in Germany. Wouldn't have understood all the contrasts before moving here but completely understand now. I am not looking forward to giving up all the wonderful things I have found here like Funnel beer, the Bakerei and so many wonderful experiences. And I pay out of pocket and am reimbursed by my insurance company and completely support your come he on the stark differences in costs for healthcare. And so completely different in my ability to walk or bike places instead of driving. Besides just easier, it's great exercise. And you didn't mention the ability to go to the local market to buy fresh meat and vegetables. Love it. Thanks for your videos and perspectives. Truly enjoy them!

[@elizabethbrown9312]

The price of tuition went up when the government started subsidizing loans to make it more affordable, the universities raised the price year after year.

[@ericbonds2302]

Not to mention some of the more notable Universities are sitting on multi-million dollar if not billion dollar endowments.

[@deltadarling23]

And the universities started expanding their administrative/bureaucratic departments at the same time. There are a lot of reports covering "administrative bloat" in US higher education.

[@Lonovavir]

After my sophomore year in University I stopped tracking how many unnecessary administrative workers there were. It was too depressing.

[@kurtschindler360]

Not quite accurate. In Michigan, at least, state government greatly reduced its financial support of state universities (as the state cut costs to pay for tax reductions). Result was tuition went way up to make up for some of the difference. Actual cost per student went down, as Universities also made cuts. But the biggest burden still came as higher tuition. It would cost government (taxpayer) far less to return to levels of state support for universities seen in the 1940s-1970s than to pay for guarantee of high student loans needed today.

[@mattp422]

What year was that?

[@JonMasters]

I moved here from the UK almost 18 years ago. I am impressed by how you have thrived and really integrated into the U.S. society but equally impressed by how you aren’t afraid to speak up about things that obviously should change - such as the ridiculous healthcare system. Also kudos on the new German citizenship law and I hope it makes your path easier as I know that one is crazy

[@Anon54387]

The problem with US healthcare is government involvement in it, and that increased when ObamaCare went into effect. ObamaCare is a disaster, it's much more costly and far less value to it. It also decimated the US medical device manufacturers with that excise tax. Excise taxes should be illegal.

[@BRigwald]

As a former middle school German teacher and current middle school Global Studies teacher, I'm surprised you didn't mention how much simpler it is to shop in Germany (and Europe in general), where the taxes are already included in the price. You don't have to calculate in your head what the final total is going to be, because everything includes the tax already. If the price tag says €10, you pay €10 at the checkout.

[@sandrayoung233]

I think it's good to be reminded with every purchase how much of your money is going to the government.

[@donaldharris3037]

To be honest I thought about this because growing up with it you roughly do the math in your head the biggest problem is every city county and state have different taxes so I'm not sure how it would work

[@fenrir7878]

​@@sandrayoung233 I literally don't care. I want more of my money to go to the government. I prefer to only buy from the government, or government regulated. Make's everything easier. If anything, it's good to know how much the merchant is taking from me.

[@fenrir7878]

@@donaldharris3037 Yea, some cities and counties have sales taxes, that are added to the state sales tax.

[@HotelPapa100]

@@sandrayoung233 And that's precisely the motivation behind this practice.

[@tammyblack2747]

Dr. Mike is a doctor in the US. He has a KZbin channel by the same name, and he addresses in his videos the problems with the healthcare industry, including insurance and access to healthcare. Very informative videos you should check out.

[@PhotogNT]

I recently had to have surgery in Australia 🇦🇺. Prior to admission I needed multiple blood tests + echocardiogram + CT Scan + MRI + ECG total cost to me $0.00. Surgery (4 hours) 2 separate surgical teams for 2 different procedures theatre cost, anaesthetics total cost to me $0.00. 3 weeks inpatient + daily blood tests + multiple X-rays + multiple ultrasounds + medications + specialist services total cost to me $0.00. After 3 weeks I just got out of bed and walked out and paid absolutely nothing. I love the Medicare universal healthcare system in Australia. I have absolutely no problems or worries about going to hospital emergency department or inpatient treatment because I know I have no issues with the cost’s causing financial stress or bankruptcy.

[@sylviav6900]

Similar here in Germany: My new GP did a full check, blood tests, ultrasound of the whole abdomen. Then, I got the info that I needed surgery. So, I went to a hospital of my choice for a first talk with the assistant medical director to check and decide, whether the surgery really should be done. He was all relaxed and dedicated more than sufficient time to me. I decided for it. So, two weeks later, I got another ultrasound check and blood test at the hospital to prepare for the surgery the next business day. They did a minimal invasive procedure by endoscopy to remove the culprit from my body (around 2.5 hours with two active surgeons). After that, I stayed in the hospital for a total of the days, food, medication, and care, plus two more blood tests included. Also, they gave me extra medication just in case I need it (I didn't) to take home - plus a prescription for more. After hospital, I have stayed off sick to recover for another 1.5 weeks (and should be getting back to work next week - even though my doctor votes for yet another week off me being off. I just don't think, that's really necessary. All this is being covered by my minimal compulsory insurance. No extra insurance involved. I just need to pay a fee of 30€ for the three days at the hospital. By the way: Before leaving the hospital, I enquired what I should tell my employer, by when they might expect me back. The reply was: "Well, in the US, this would have been an ambulant surgery and people would go back to work right the next day." ... I am soooo glad that that's not really the measure here! Couldn't have worked right the next day, plus it would have hindered the quick recovery. So sad, a well-developped and rich country such as the US calls for this.

[@nathan2813]

It doesn't SEEM to cost anything, but you ARE paying for it via taxes. Albeit, it's probably still not as expensive as in the U.S. b/c organized crime doesn't inflate the cost of everything healthcare-related like it does in the U.S.

[@Be-Es---___]

In Australia there is no profit in delivering healthcare. THAT'S the main difference.

[@walli6388]

​@@nathan2813Not a tax but a member fee(?) for one of the public healthcare services. That's paid as a share of your income. At 14,6 % but no more than a max of 8760€ per year. It's one of those solidarity based systems.

[@mreurovisionau]

Tell that to the thousands on waiting list, and why are Australians taxed higher if they don't have private insurance? The Australian system is great for emergency and necessary situations. It's not for things less pressing, and I've had two instances where I was forced to go private. One was to repair an AC should joint because it was deemed I could live with a permanent restriction in movement, and the other was surgery for a broken wrist that was deemed would likely heal satisfactorily if in plaster for 4 months.

[@markadams7046]

It amazes me how many Americans can't seem to understand that the health of the nation is also dependent on the health of the individuals in that country.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Yup and All the fatties that won't exercise or think smoking or vaping is a right...We re pretty fit in Denver with the bike paths and hiking

[@kevinprzy4539]

I think it's more so many Americans don't want to pre pay for health insurance (which is what countries like Germany do through very high tax rates) as most Americans go decades without life affecting medical problems and would be paying hundreds of thousands in taxes without truly needing expensive and important medical assistance until they're older and that's if they need it. There's also the fact many people are sketchy about leeches on the system and not enough people paying into it which places like the UK and Germany have plenty of (it's one of the many reasons the NHS is failing in the UK)

[@gerhardma4297]

@@kevinprzy4539 Unfortunately, your statements show half-knowledge. Our health insurances are not financed by taxes but every employee pays 50% of his salary and the other 50% is paid by the employer. And our overall tax burden is no higher than in the USA. Only the deductions from the salary are higher, the so-called wage or income tax. There are other taxes, but these are collected elsewhere. In total, however, we really don't pay any more than citizens in the USA and you can research this in many places on the Internet. And these people you call leeches do exist, but there are nowhere near as many of them as you think. And if you are referring to refugees, that suggests a bad attitude, which I am not trying to impute to you. Most countries with a functioning healthcare system function as a community of solidarity. If my neighbor has lung cancer because he smoked, I will contribute to his treatment even if I don't like the fact that he smokes. That's how compassion and a community of solidarity work. Not every selfish person likes this and because the USA is a community of mostly self-centered, selfish people without much compassion, it won't work there. Especially among the rich

[@kevinprzy4539]

@@gerhardma4297 lmao this was a total assumption comment and literally everything you said has been proven false, this feels like a fever dream with how ridiculous and wrong your comment is.

[@Anon54387]

@@gerhardma4297 That is patently false. The USA tax burden is 27.7% of GDP and Germany's is 39.3%. BTW, when an employer is forced to pay something the public at large STILL foots the bill for it.

[@rgcookmd]

Amazing! I'm 75 years old and have lived in the U.S. my entire life. Your five things to change about the U.S. is the precisely the same as mine. And about that healthcare thing....I practiced medicine here for 44 years, and the healthcare system is the first thing I'd change if I could.

[@heshy14]

Do you feel guilty for making the amount of money you made as a Dr? I doubt it.

[@klaus2t703]

@@heshy14 Tell me that you are an American without... Money rules America. Let other people die .. it´s all good as long you getting rich by it.

[@wheeliebeast7679]

​@@heshy14 Why should he? He has skills that are far more important to a functioning society than those of many billionaires but earns a tiny fraction of the income

[@Lysandra-8]

​@@wheeliebeast7679this!!!

[@texasflood1295]

@@heshy14 4 years of pre-med, 4 years of medical school, 3-4 years of residency. Thirty years-old before making a return on investment. Why feel guilty?

[@reuvenraimundhuber6664]

I was raised by German parents in Canada and spoke German up to age 5. I now live in Madison, WI and became a US Citizen a while back. I am now in the process of getting German Citizenship as well through my mother since she was German citizen when I was born. I am really excited to be qualified to get the German citizenship added which would give me full EU access. I plan on actually spending some time in the Netherlands as I really love it there. I was in Groningen area which is close to the German border up in the northern area. I met alot of German students who go to school at the University of Groningen.

[@Helixdragon]

I miss good bread. (from Manheim, been here for 54 years now)

[@cimareco3617]

It’s written Mannheim (just FYI) 😊

[@TheEddyrose1]

@@cimareco3617 There is also a city in Germany called Manheim, with one M. 🙃

[@stevekelley1179]

Look for an Amish community. You’ll find good bread 🥖

[@kosmokritikos9299]

I'm not German, but I bake my own breads using German recipes. I'll never go back. German baked goods are the best on the planet.

[@Helixdragon]

@@cimareco3617 typo, I am from the 2 n's...

[@t.h.1982]

My son is in a relationship with a girl from Munich. My wife and I have traveled extensively so pretty open-minded. Your videos help us finetune the German mindset!

[@InglésconRobert2025]

It’s important to know the mindset. Some would argue that the mindset in Germany isn’t even German anymore. It is very leftist and godless, I will say that.

[@onlytheartofliving6936]

​@@InglésconRobert2025which is good

[@huawafabe]

​@@InglésconRobert2025I mean I'm pretty happy that the German mindset changed after 1945, if that's what you call "not German anymore" 👀

[@antjeschwarz7874]

It is a mindset of a German girl from Munich. Nothing more, nothing less. What is important is her honesty, her integrity, her love for humanity. And that is what counts about every citizen of every country in the world. That is what can be learned from every system, be it political, healthcare, food related, art related, ideological. If there is a slip off of humanity, integrity or truth, without a serious attempt to fix that, it is not worth any defence.

[@seanautilis15]

big whoop

[@jonasbartels1716]

Coming from Germany, It seems like the USA are a whole different universe. Right now, I'm sick with a torn ligament, still getting paid 100% of my wage for 6 weeks and, if needed, around 60-70% of my wage after that, as long as I am unable to walk normally. I was driven to the emergency room with an ambulance, went to the radiology, got a prothese for my ligament and walking support, went afterwards to an orthopedist for further check-up, got pain medication and Thrombose medication, just went to my primal care doctor to renew my sick leave (first one was just for 2 weeks, now it's another 4 weeks) and got new medication. Total cost for me so far for all of this? Around 30€ copay for the medication, nothing else. A good Health system is focussed on getting healthy again, not prolonging your sick leave with stress due to insanely high bills and the fear to get sick. You can focus on getting healthy again. Also, I get back my vacation days I planned, which now fall into my sick leave. No loss of paid time off, or vacation days. You get them back. I never had to pay for education, just lending school books and buying writing supplies. I got paid during my apprenticeship (dual system, love it) and my further job education to Bachelor professional was partially financed by my federal state and partially a credit, which was cut into half for succesful finish and even got 4.000€ bonus from the federal state, so effectively I got paid 2.000€ for the education :D Also could reduce my taxes with the costs for the classes by a few thousand Euros. A good country must support their people with good education and health system. It's not socialism, it's investment into your country.

[@jonasbartels1716]

@@Cole5271 So I'm not allowed to share my personal experience with the german education and health care system, unless I study the american system? No experience sharing allowed?

[@robertapeterson8644]

Perfect , I totally agree! Thank you 💯👏

[@JeffKantin]

How can these other countries afford such things for their citizens? Its almost like there's a whole other country contributing the lion-share of funding for things like the United Nations, aid to war torn areas like Ukraine, and things of that nature. So I wonder if that large contributor would be able to do so much more for its own citizens if these other countries paid their "fair share" of the costs... 😜

[@Paul-ju5px]

I love the "Didn't cost me anything" mantra. SOMEONE pays for EVERYTHING. It is socialism and government's main business is protecting it's citizens, not "investing" in anything. Private business does most anything better and cheaper than government can. Farmers don't come to your door and give away their food, doctors don't beg you to allow them to operate on or treat you for free, no company just loves to pay you not to work because you tore something playing volleyball. If you don't pay, SOMEONE does, either through higher product prices, higher taxes or higher bills that they have to pay to compensate for you not paying. It's simple economics. People complain about the cost of drugs but it's the drug companies that cover the huge cost of research, raw materials, the time and expense of the approval process, etc. And when they get sick and there is a drug to cure them they thank God for the drug. SOMEONE pays for EVERYTHING. "It didn't cost me anything" may be true but the cost is passed on to someone else. Pure communist manifesto: 'From each according to ability; to each according to need'.

[@Cole5271]

@Paul-ju5px You put it better than I ever could. Thank you

[@RalfSteffens]

Yes, healthcare costs in the US or Europe: A few years ago my dermatologist diagnosed me with cancer and performed outpatient surgery on me. A few days later, the laboratory diagnosed malignant cancer and the doctor referred me to the university clinic. I was thoroughly examined and operated on in four places. Then a radiological examination that found no cancer. I had to pay 70 euros for seven days in the hospital. The follow-up tests (free for me) found no cancer. How many citizens in the United States are being consumed by cancer cells because they cannot afford my treatment?

[@manuelsantiago1810]

There is a lot of cases that are rare in excessive costs. Where in the world can you find a child cancer or fatal disease treatment research hospital that has an 80+% cure outcome for children at no cost for the child or parents? I know several cases of terminal diseases cured for pennies on the dollar all around the US. Why do you think millions of people around the world immigrate to the USA? Why most leaders and celebrities from Europe come to the US for their surgeries or treatment?

[@fischersfritz468]

​@@manuelsantiago1810they usually don't. Only if the only specialist for the specific cancer type works in the US.

[@grisall]

None. If you can't afford treatment it will be given to you.

[@Donutplaywithfire]

I also know personal stories where people traveled to Mexico for necessary treatment that insurance wouldn't cover so they had to seek help outside the country or they would die.

[@RalfSteffens]

@@grisall Who would give it to me? I mean, exactly which address would I send a letter to to help me cover my costs?

[@rlGinjaNinja]

On the health care system... Yeah, I'm in that right now. AFTER health insurance, I currently owe about $7,000. For a 15 minute procedure that can typically done at an urgent care, but due to circumstance had to happen at the hospital. It's so messed up

[@Anon54387]

Our health care problems are because of government intervention. We need to get government out of health care. It's just gotten worse with ObamaCare.

[@davwill124]

thats a feature of the US heath care 'system'

[@johnclaybaugh9536]

Get better insurance. I've never paid a medical bill.

[@justchillin4065]

​@@johnclaybaugh9536BS...No insurance covers 100%

[@billsnyder6391]

@@johnclaybaugh9536 Right. Blame the victim.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Servus Feli! Unlike you, after my initial 6-yr contract working in the US, my kids and I returned home. If I hadn't had school-age children, I might have chosen differently, as I had excellent healthcare insurance. Our deciding factors were safety for my kids, and the poor standard of secondary education. My oldest was 9 when we arrived in VA, but he tested out as grade 7, and already had three languages which weren't available at all until grade 9. Those issues, and refusing to helicopter my kids, made our decision easy. Grussi!

[@Cole5271]

Our school system had huge reform around the early 2000s and it has only progressively gotten worse. Kids can't even stand at the bus pickup spot by themselves.

[@yaimavol]

The schools are being dumbed down deliberately. Not to mention used for programming and indoctrination now. The same thing is going to happen in Germany. This is a global agenda.

[@sharonlibbra7424]

You are so right. When we were in Europe we enjoyed not needing a car.😊

[@johnclaybaugh9536]

My kids and I all have degrees and no debt. Mo medical bills. It's mostly about choices. As far as languages, most languages aren't available everywhere. And languages aren't the only way to measure something.

[@johnclaybaugh9536]

​@@sharonlibbra7424I've never needed a car in my life. So there's that.

[@ibnorml5506]

I agree, healthcare cost in the US is out of control. My surgery for a triple bypass (granted, serious surgery) cost $8000 per MINUTE for just the operating room and staff, forget the doctors and anesthesiologist. Total cost, over $500,000 for just the hospital. Fortunately for me, insurance covered 90% of that cost.

[@kevinprzy4539]

I have family with crappy practically free state insurance (my dads triple bypass) only ended up leaving him with a $4000 bill they broke down to $15 a month for him to pay.

[@TicatHockey]

$50k out of pocket... bonkers ... Should be free? paid by publicly funded health care

[@kevinprzy4539]

@@TicatHockey yeah I'm part of the public and I dont want my tax money going to some random persons health bill I'd rather have it benefit me and my local community.

[@ibnorml5506]

@@TicatHockey Paid by tax dollars. Charge me more tax, I pay into the pool, people who need the assistance use the pooled money. Plus, the cost of healthcare managed at cost and not at cost plus profit.

[@walli6388]

​@@kevinprzy4539I just love the US that most Christian nation of them all! Love your next, brother!

[@vijayanchomatil8413]

Every American should watch this video. You hit upon issues that effect everyone below the top 10% living paycheck to paycheck, even people who are upper middle class are struggling.

[@cathywestholt5324]

It was very interesting learning the differences when I had an exchange student from Germany. You nailed it on number 1. That was exactly my pick! I not only base this on what I learned from Benjamin, but a friend's daughter was an exchange student in Germany and had a horrible skiing accident. She had excellent healthcare and her parents here were good!

[@bryan1174]

I live in California, i broke my hand (14 metatarsal fractures) went rh the check in desk, and before stating the problem was asked for my id card and insurance and only after she typed all the information in did she say "what brings you in today" i told her i broke my hand and without looking up "so you broke your finger huh" no my hand inm literally holding my hand that is swollen 3x its normal size. After an hour in the waiting rpom watching sniffles, sprains and i kid you not a headache all receive treatment " because all patients are seen based on severity" i finally get in and a nurse practitioner looks at me says i bet rhat hurts orders x rays and a boxer splint! No setting of the bones no cast no pins. Tldr i have a hand tlwith no structural viability, no strength, and loss in sensitivity. So in 2 weeks i get to have my hand rebroken at every fracture set, pinned and a couple of rods ilto rebuild something simple. American medical system is a joke oh that first bill was $8477.24 Edit: this was all done with no pain medication meanwhile the headache patient my roommate the headache guy received 2 shots of morphine and a script for narcos or whatever

[@seegee7728]

Wow that's seriously Fd, do that in Australia would have cost only a couple hundred dollars as our Govt medicare system would have paid for the rest.

[@57thorns]

@@seegee7728 Try about $20 US for the visit to the ER, and you could probably get a taxi fair paid for of course.

[@yaimavol]

CA is now a 2nd world society headed for 3rd. When people think of LA now they think of homeless camps everywhere

[@mattp422]

U.S. physician here (Pennsylvania). There are no metatarsals in the hand. There are metacarpals…five to be exact (including the thumb, which is typically not injured by the same mechanism as that which involves the other four MCs). In the 35 years I’ve been practicing, most of them at level 1 trauma centers, I’ve never seen any hand with 14 fractures involving the 5 metacarpals. Even in industrial crush injuries, MVCs, falls from heights, never. That’s just not how MC fractures work. Also, in patients with such a massive hand injury, I’ve never seen a patient splinted and sent home. There is invariably nerve and vascular injury. Such patients are always admitted to a trauma or hand surgery service with surgery performed no more than 24 hours after presentation. If there is no hand surgeon coverage at the hospital where the patient presents, they are transferred to one that has a hand surgeon available. I also seriously doubt (no offense) you would not have been given heavy-duty pain medication. Last, upon arriving at the triage desk, you would have been whisked to an exam room, stat, and an admission receptionist would have met you there, to get your info…if you were stable enough to do so. (When we receive a Level A or Level B trauma, patient care is so paramount, no clerical people even get to see the patient, let alone ask for insurance info; it’s common for them to be admitted as a "John Doe" with a temporary ID medical record number). You’re either misremembering, telling a tall-tale, or…California hospital ED care is so horrific, you need to move.

[@bryan1174]

​@@mattp422Sorry for the mistype and the breaks weren't from a fall from hight, but rather from being tackled by a dog knocking me free of the electric scooter sending me in the opposite direction of the initial inertia of the scooter. More importantly the hospital in my town lost their trauma certifications more than 10 years ago. Normally any and all trauma cases are lifeflighted or receive ambulance support after stabilization. And as a Dr you should know better than to assume you've seen everything. I wish KZbin comments allowed pictures so you could see the x-rays and updates and read the summery reports including the determination made by my current orthopedic surgeon who is treating me now. I hope that clarifies the situation for you. And in all my years of riding bikes motorcycles and scooters this was the first time I was tackled by a dog while riding thank you for correcting my errors

[@fraupolster]

Do you follow Type Ashton? She really digs into the costs of healthcare and education in comparisons to Germany. She is very thorough with her research. Don’t worry about all the haters, most of them do not know what they’re talking about. You have a great channel and good information. In addition, you make it fun to learn and watch. 🥰

[@Anon54387]

Type Ashton is an idiot or, worse, a liar. She doesn't understand that the problems with US healthcare are due to government involvement, and that just got worse with ObamaCare. Moreover, she actually insists that something in the Bill of Rights, and referred to as a right in the 2nd Amendment itself, is actually a privilege contingent on membership in a militia.

[@matthewthomas3413]

Seeing someone on KZbin bring up how critical mental health is to someone's health is amazing to hear that.

[@MarkMiller-i8q]

She's right about the high cost of medical insurance here. Americans shouldn't be maxing out their credit cards or even going broke paying for medical care. The rich, like she said, don't have that problem. It's the middle-class that gets squeezed the most. The United States has a shortage of general practitioners. If you don't believe it, you haven't been to the emergency room lately. There's also the ridiculously high cost of prescription medication. Some insurance just covers generic meds that, as most of us know, don't work as well or, in some cases, they don't work at all. The United States falls far short of being the proverbial "greatest country in the world" when it comes to health care.

[@heatherturner2366]

No it's not the middle class aka suburbanites, it's the poor who get screwed over the most

[@yaimavol]

It's a conundrum, because in terms of the advanced leading edge treatments, the US is the best place. That's why people come here from all over the world including the UK and Canada for treatment. Especially for rare conditions.

[@susden9654]

No the middle class can lose everything with a bad diagnosis such as cancer. Most poor persons can qualify for medicaid as long as they don't live in a greedy state.

[@alexysq2660]

Unfortunately, the US ¨falls far short¨ when it comes to soooo very many things....

[@chrisjohnson1599]

Because they are to busy paying to defend the world who refuses to pay for its own defense. If we were reimbursed for the costs of our military personnel and equipment defending all of these other countries who do not pay for their own defense, like Germany for one, perhaps the American government could pay for our health care, or at least stop taxing us so much so we could use that money on our own health care.

[@radioboy75]

As far as gun violence, come live in a small town. My experience is much more like you describe in Germany. No experience with gun violence at all except hearing about it on TV (or these days, online).

[@parryhotter3138]

as for gun violence, come live in a big city in germany. No experience with gun violence at all and not hearing about it on TV (or these days, online).

[@owenlaprath4135]

Really? You have apparently never lived in some of the small USA-towns my friends and relatives spent time in or are still living in. The statistics are actually blasting this nonsensical FOXNews talking point, as rural America is more violent and sees more drug use per person than big cities now! In a place with 1000 people, it may be less likely to witness violence, than in a city of 2 million. HOWEVER, if the big city has 100 murders/year, and the small town has 1, or maybe just 3 bar fights a year, that is actually more than the big city has at 2000 times the population! Do the math! 1 murder in a town of 1000, which is NOT uncommon, translates to 2000 in that city of 2million!

[@artm1973]

@@owenlaprath4135 That's pretty much the case in most small or even largish towns, lots of guns but gun violence is almost non existent. Yeah a lot more drugs than there used to be unfortunately but little to no gun violence.

[@Skissig]

I’m from a small town and gun and other violent crimes are very rare, we also have very pro self defense laws.

[@johnclaybaugh9536]

​@@parryhotter3138I live in a big city in the US and don't have any direct experience. So there's that.

[@AngelaVEdwards]

I find it absolutely amazing that you have a perfect “accent”. I was born, raised, and still live in the Pacific Northwest and you and I speak exactly the same. I took three years of German in high school and college and I NEVER mastered the language. I’m impressed.

[@facistdic]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate how amazing her hair is? It's basically perfect

[@juanheredia2293]

If you grew up in the hood of any major city, you can tell the difference between fireworks and guns, even small explosions.

[@justarandominternetdude2579]

This is spot on.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

And that's due to the popularity of varmint hunting?

[@juanheredia2293]

@@BrandonLeeBrown I guess that must be it

[@brileeka]

No, not always. A majority of the time it's fireworks but there are definitely times I've thought I heard fireworks and it turned out to be gun shots. Meanwhile my mom thinks everything is gunshots.

[@juanheredia2293]

@brileeka ionno The number of pops and the pattern of the pops gives it away

[@nathanmeece9794]

In December 2021 I spent 3 weeks in two hospitals. First was in local hospital being treated and diagnosed as having a ischemic attack causing a small stroke. The bill was around $10,000 dollars. All I had to pay was $175 dollars since I had medicare insurance. I spent two weeks in hospital for rehab. The bill for second hospital stay was around $20,000 dollars. I guess insurance paid entire amount as I've never heard from them. I've used ambulance a few times, bill being around $2000 dollars. My Medicare monthly premium is $114 a month. I pay 3 dollars for one medication and $1.87 for another each being a 90 day supply. One thing I would change is term limits for Congress members

[@Novusod]

Medicare for ALL would be a great system. It shouldn't just be for seniors 65+.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

@@Novusod NO. I know I and my wife do not want to pay through the nose for "ALL", including those that are just too lazy to work. No thanks.

[@m.s.3041]

@@TeutonicNordwind you already do through taxes… but they are bad spended so just the minority of the population have medicare from it… if everyone joins it will be better and less expensive for the individual person

[@TeutonicNordwind]

@@m.s.3041 No. You are silly. We only pay for the Medicare of seniors or those who cannot work and have proven that they qualify for Medicaid. That is NOWHERE NEAR 'paying for everyone'. We have good health insurance through our employer and it hardly costs us anything for top notch care. If I need and MRI, for example, I can get one within 4-6 days. Not wait for months. If I need to schedule a surgery, (and I have had 4 major ones since 2018) I can get in for it within 3-5 weeks. My cardiologist fit me in for a heart catheterization in three days. We do not need the European system of health care. NO THANKS! If somebody wants better health care, they can go purchase it or find a job that offers excellent healthcare benefits like we did.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

I do not want Europe's taxation rates, its healthcare system or its silly gun laws. Me and my family are just fine.

[@slamtilt01]

The problem with what you have suggested is the people who have benefited from the current system will not be willing to have it changed. They will say “Why is it necessary to change it. I and my family and friends have successes, you can too (Without any changes)”.

[@Flo-vn9ty]

And for some reason there seem to be more people that think they benefit from the current system than people that actually do.

[@kosmokritikos9299]

And they are a slim minority, but that does not matter to them since they will tell you that the U.S. is not a democracy, but a constitutional republic. When you ask them what they mean by a constitutional republic, they will tell you that a constitutional republic is a system in which they get everything their way regardless of how few of them there may be.

[@davwill124]

except that isnt true is it

[@solconcordia4315]

​@@kosmokritikos9299 The U.S.A. is a democratic constitutional republic. The 2022-Jan-6 attempted coup d' etát was to sever the constitutionally mandated Congressional process to delegate the people's power resulting from the democratic votes of the electorate of the various states to the U.S.A. federal government.

[@22kelseydillabaugh]

I’m American who now lives in Italy and she’s so right. I’m from Toledo. I want to know how you feel about trumps victory, women’s rights, if you want to stay in America, etc. I would love an update about that post-election

[@realblackbetty2204]

What rights are being taken from you as a woman?

[@acousticmagnum5200]

yes, us Americans are being raped by the Health Care Industry (Hospitals, Medical Insurance Companies, etc). I have health insurance and even i am still scared sh!tl%ss to go to a hospital. Im surprised that this has been allowed to go on as it has. Utterly sad. For someone to get really sick and stay in a hospital for only 3 days could potentially cost them THOUSANDS, and be in debt for the rest of their life. This boggles my mind! Where have all the good people gone!

[@blondeenotsomuch]

Ahem., if you come here and miss something like your wonderful bread, cheeses, and quark (especially quark) please open a business with the real thing. We want that stuff. We sneak it home in our luggage. So please open a cheese and bakery shop in my town, I guarantee you will be busy. Meanwhile, not about you, but when I was in Germany I missed our humor and laughter. Bring yourself to our country, be yourself, share the pleasures you find in your homeland.

[@themuskrat5776]

Healthcare and insurance are two of the most regulated industries. This is why it’s so expensive.

[@wora1111]

More rules than in Germany? I sincerely doubt that.

[@prutteltje1300]

I'm flabbergasted about the fact that if you don't have insurance the bill is less. So the health care is scamming the insurance company and therefore they bill the citizens. How is it that I as a Dutchie get all the bills paid by my insurance company if I get ill or in an accident in America. No question asked.

[@axhed]

@@prutteltje1300 it was a response to insurance companies flatly denying all claims, then saying "ok, we'll pay you 75% go away" the hospital has to hire people to fight for those claims, it takes time away from the doctors and nurses to file endless paperwork to fight for the claims. imho you would have to be a complete sociopath to sit between a person and their health care provider to demand your cut of the transaction. for-profit health care should be outlawed again.

[@karelianshaman]

About that insulin. I am type 1 diabetic from Finland. My insulin cost for me about 65€ per year. Yes per YEAR.

[@Anon54387]

Yes, and here insulin prices went up by multiples as a result of ObamaCare. There are many, many problems with that law and Justice Roberts went through some seriously twisted logic to uphold that law as Constitutional.

[@moleman1976]

100% agree about the bread issue. As an American, I grew up with WonderBread, and never had any idea of questioning it. Then I went abroad (to Berlin first, then other European cities), and discovered how much better bread can be! A simple bread and cheese sandwich from a street vendor in Berlin is so much better than most of the fast food we have here in the US, and it's because their bread isn't cake!

[@desireest.george5052]

I agree with you on these points. Hopefully people stay respectful. I love how you present topics like this. Tschuss!

[@Bartrum]

All really good points. As an American who now lives in Spain, I don't have to worry about going bankrupt over medical costs. In general, the bread does suck in the US, too soft as you mentioned.

[@johng5710]

Let a french bread loaf sit out for a day and it turns crusty...or buy a baguette that is already crusty...I can go to my local grocery store in Indiana and get one whenever I want

[@inigogarcia4336]

​@@johng5710tell me you haven't had decent bread in your lifetime without actually telling me you haven't.

[@TheGovernor-vw9cf]

Spain is another woke shit show. World bully nato eu

[@thomasday8155]

92.1% of US Citizens have Health insurance. Thus 7.9% need to be covered through programs via Medicaid, unfortunately this has not been effectively implemented. Having lived in the EU for 3 years recently as a legal resident, I was under an EU Healthcare System. While the Healthcare was inexpensive, my Income Tax was through the roof - 65% of my salary. Thus my payment was more in the EU than my Insurance fees in the US. The issue to note was the availability of Primary Care Physicians, but the exceptional delays among specialists. I had a Knee Replacement surgery in the US that took place within two weeks of making the decision. I saw work colleagues wait years for this type of procedure. A similiar story with Collegiate Education. We saved money for both our sons to earn degrees without debt. The money I saved was very much in line with the extra tax I paid in EU. The biggest difference is the unbelievably overstaffed and overpaid faculty and admin staff in US compared to EU.

[@lilawendland1648]

There is no country in the EU where you pay 65% income tax!

[@thomasday8155]

@lilawendland1648 The Average (I was the CFO of an Organization, so I was a higher salary) for Austria, Belgium and France are all 55% or higher. Go ahead and look it up to see for yourself, easy to find with a Google Search. So yes, there is Income Tax at 65% and don't forget the 22% Sales Tax (in Europe the Value Added Tax VAT). The taxes are exceptionally high. So do you want to pay for your Healthcare and Education up front through your tax, or do you want to control yourself with personal savings and choice selections of the Insurance Plan that fits you best. As is done by 92% of the US Population. The real issue in the US is to get proper coverage, likely via Medicaid, for the remaining 8%.

[@thomasday8155]

Look it up yourself, a Google Search will easily find it. For example, Austria, Belgium and France all AVERAGE 55% Income Tax rates. Higher brackets, like mine, easily reach 65%. Please don't forget to add the 22% Sales Tax (Value Added Tax VAT) that I paid on the items I purchased.

[@thomasday8155]

@lilawendland1648 Look it up yourself. Austria, Belgium and France all AVERAGE over 55%

[@thomasday8155]

@lilawendland1648 My Payment to Bank was approximately $120,000 per year, thus about $360,000 salary. I'd also note the company fully paid for my car and apartment, with a value of about $50,000 per year that was not taxable. But only consider the $360,000 salary. The difference in rates between US and Europe was about 30% on an Income of $360,000 or $98,000 per year in additional taxes. Would you rather have $98,000 to control yourself through investment, or just give it to the government to provide low cost to free Healthcare and Education?

[@oliverkerins5628]

In Britain, it literally is free. No health insurance needed. Its government controlled and paid through general taxation. Its one of the uks proudest achievements.

[@eugeniorossi1384]

In Italy too.

[@MarkMiller-i8q]

But how good is that free care? I've heard where it takes months to get needed surgery and procedures in the UK and other places. The UK also has private medical care for those that can afford it.

[@SpidermanandJeny]

How are your taxes? Have there been protests about the govt trying to change anything about the benefits received? How does it feel to have to pay almost 1/5 (18 percent) of your income just to healthcare?

[@oliverkerins5628]

@@MarkMiller-i8q waiting lists being high is a relatively new phenomenon. The current conservative government have driven the health service into the ground. The NHS was one of the best health services in the world 14 years ago under the labour government. The way they've dealt with the health service is one of the main reasons the conservatives are over 20% behind the labour party in the opinion polls and are facing oblivion at the next election. It's not the system that's wrong, it's the people that have ran it.

[@oliverkerins5628]

@@SpidermanandJeny actually per person Britain spends far less than America when you factor in government spending in both countries on healthcare. And no there are no protests over taxes. The most unpopular prime minister in my life time only lasted for less than 50 days because people didn't like how she was going to cut taxes.

[@teckyify]

I actually thought point 4 is a Confirmation Bias, because you get only presented negative events because negative events are news, so you'll only see exactly what is expected and you'll enforce the impression

[@nathan2813]

It's best to not rely on media reports to accurately gauge incidence of gun violence. Rather, check statistics online reporting injury & death from guns. Then compare that between metro cities & rural areas. I think you'd find it's most-often associated with drug sales & gangs in metro cities - men aged 16-35.

[@jjboyd01]

the last thing drug dealers want is gunmen lurking round. gangs? living in USA gangs serve a purpose of protection... There are far too many people for police protect.

[@gerhardma4297]

And what is that supposed to tell us? That these dead are therefore not relevant? That these people don't count? Second-class people? Criminals, scum? And what about other crimes carried out with armed force, such as robberies? Surely that's only ever black people and drug addicts or gangs, isn't it? And the statistics alone with the categorization of 16 - 35 year olds already show how broken the USA is! 16-year-olds are included? In the rest of the world, 16 to 18 year olds are busy with the opposite sex and are not part of the statistics for murders. It doesn't help to always talk yourself up. The USA is very close to the abyss... but not just because of the guns but because of its politicians and the rift through society.

[@karlstreed3698]

I live in rural Brown County Ohio. Our violent crime rate is very low, possibly because almost every house has a gun and children are taught gun safety. I am 71 and know of no one who has been shot outside of military service. I am friends withe retired and active cops, none who have been shot. Several have been involved in shootings. When I was in college, I was a part time armed guard in East. St. Louis which was a very high crime area and was never required to use a weapon. If you are aware of the area you are in and avoid situations that could be dangerous you will not have any problems. By the way, I have a concealed handgun license and have carried a gun every day for the last 20 years.

[@hartmutholzgraefe]

I'd like to offer a different view on the topic, based on statistics: About 1000 persons are shot do death by US police per year on average over the last years, and the number is slowly rising. At the same time here in Germany, at about one quarter the population, and higher overall population density the number of shots fired by police on human targets is at about 50 to 60 per year over the last two decades, and the number of actual kills per year is around ten on average. Whether you blame that on the quasi omnipresence of guns in the US of A, or the usually much shorter education time of police officers is up to you. I'd say it's a combination of both ...

[@jjboyd01]

@@karlstreed3698 drugs are everywhere but in your county,

[@halfdemon_setsuna]

My fear as a german is, that germany is going the way the USA does in the future. I got a knee injury lately and I had to wait one month to get my MRT done, because I'm "gesetzlich versichert" ( statutory health insurance) and I know some people with more complicated issues had to wait 2-6 Month. To get an appointment by some specialists you have to wait the same amount of time or longer, if you're not lucky. If I had the money right now to go to a "Selbstzahlerpraxis" so pay for myself by a private specialist or a private MRT-Service, I would pay my 400Euros, my appointment would be in a few days... sad enough

[@etopsch369]

As a German I can say that appointment in the USA would cost you $5000. That is sad. I agree that privately insured in Germany are better off, but there are obviously also some disadvantages. On average the cost of healthcare is about 15 to 20% of American healthcare I had to pay $18,000 at Miami hospital for one night

[@halfdemon_setsuna]

@@etopsch369 Yes I know that but I have that fear, many hospitals are in really bad condition… I hope this changes but I fear it won’t… some private investors will be at hand and statutory health insurance wont be accepted in this new private hospitals. Maybe there are differences from Bundesland to Bundesland but in Bremen its bad.

[@Flo-vn9ty]

Yes the German system has it's flaws too, but it is still a lot better than in the US. Unfortunately most of this flaws were introduced because of some really dumb political decisions that were supposed to improve the system but actually made it worse. Like not paying the doctor if he already treated a certain amount of publicly insured patients. Of cause doctors now try to make patients wait till they get paid again. I also don't understand how any politician could really believe that privatizing hospitals could make them cheaper. Before hospitals just had to cover their expenses. Now they have to cover their expenses and have to make profit. How could this be cheaper?

[@Anon54387]

Yet in the USA we don't have to wait. BTW, my dad had to have a shoulder surgery. No waiting unlike our Canadian counter parts, and my dad was able to set up a (as is standard) a payment plan on the co-pay portion of the surgery at no interest.

[@Flo-vn9ty]

@@Anon54387 Well if I decided to get private insurance or pay myself in Germany I usually wouldn't have to wait much either. But the treatment and especially the hospital care would be a LOT cheaper than in the US. And it is not only the treatment that is cheaper but also important medicine. In 2018 the insulin price in Germany was $11 (not the copay, the actual price) in the US it was $98.70 !

[@jphunkpunk792]

Unfortunately, most of all of the negatives are by design here in the US. I would like to change those things, too.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

Of course millions of us don't view like you do so nah

[@timphares3061]

Education costs have spiked in a massive way since we started government-insured student loans. (I say that as a graduate of a private college that does not take any government money.)

[@Myrtlecrack]

It sounds like Canada might be what you want. My part of the US has heavy gun ownership, and yet "gun violence" is VERY rare, I actually like to see citizens carrying a gun in public. I personally only carry in public when I am camping and/or hiking in remote locations. Like many Americans, I like driving my own car, and in my rural home it is the only real option, I tend to steer clear of large cities since I have no need or desire to be in one. As for the rest, all these social programs take money, and I believe it is the responsibility of the individual to provide themselves with higher education and health care.

[@pepita46]

so why do you pay local taxes for the police force? You have a gun, you should be able to protect yourself! And do you pay local taxes for a fire brigade you might never use? According to your logic, people should provide basic needs for themselves!

[@kataetwas2825]

While you're at it, be your own doctor. And if you're sick and need a nursing home and you run out of money, just provide the care by yourself as well.

[@Ljw48]

Ridiculous responses. Police, fire and medical are protection for all people we are responsible as individuals for our own needs. Society can’t pay everything unless you don’t care how much tax you pay the government for these FREE things. There are thousands of jobs that don’t require a 4 year college degree. And as people that have graduated have found out just because you have a degree you don’t necessarily get a job that compensates for the cost of your education.

[@pepita46]

@@Ljw48 if you are responsible for your own needs, is calling the police or fire brigade when you need help any different? I am sorry but you are the one who is being ridiculous! Why should you pay to repair a section of the highway if you don’t need to use it according to your logic? Maybe you are not aware that the costs of a degree is very affordable in Europe and in some countries even totally free …

[@Myrtlecrack]

@@pepita46 If you can read English then you will see I specified health care and higher education. Saying that I am against paying for anything else is a "strawman" argument.

[@The_Dudester]

1. Healthcare-a very complicated subject. 2. College-My college, it now coasts 20 times as much to go to school there as compared to 1989. I am told that this is to pay the ultra high salaries of professors. Suddenly, community college seems very appealing. 3. Public Transportation. Again, a complicated subject as HOA's have really screwed things up. 4. Gun Laws-a really good fix is, you commit a violent offense, you will spend the rest of your life behind bars. A lot, and I do mean, A LOT of violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders. 5. Bread & Dairy-For a brief moment, when I was 8, my family was part of a trading circle. Somehow the USDA got wind of us and shut the whole thing down because unpasteurized milk, to the USDA, was a scary thing. We would let the milk naturally cool, skim off the cream and turn the cream into cheese. Since no one was being harmed, why did the USDA threaten to drop the hammer on everyone in the circle?

[@Anon54387]

Indeed. We are WAY too lax with the wantonly violent and infringe the rights of those of us who are never violent which just further emboldens the criminals. My state is particularly bad about this, almost every murder ends with the reporter saying and the suspect has a long history of violent crime. The 6 safest states all have permitless carry, and Ohio recently went to permitless carry and saw a decrease in the homicide rate in 6 of the 8 biggest cities.

[@solconcordia4315]

Milk that hasn't been pasteurized can transmit deadly diseases such as tuberculosis. If you are the producer and consumer of unpasteurized milk on your farm, the FDA probably won't know unless you squawk about it. FDA regulation prevents massive outbreak of diseases via the drinking of milk.

[@michaausleipzig]

The US already has the highest incarceration rate of any western country. It's obviousely not working. And US prisons would be considered human rights violations in any civilised country. And don't get me started in the prison industrial complex. As long as your only answer to reoffenders is to cry for longer prison sentences, nothing will change. Many european countries have great success with rehabilitation programs. The US could easily take a leaf out of their book. If only that weren't such an un-american thing to do...

[@reineh3477]

Being in prison cost a lot of money for the state. Prisons in US is many times private own, they care more about money than rehabilitation. 8 of 10 prisoners in US commits a new crime when they get out. Prisons in Scandinavia treat prisoners like humans and help them to get back to society. 8 of 10 prisoners in Scandinavia get a job when get out.

[@Jasper118]

@@reineh3477the cost per inmate in Scandinavia is almost 4-5 times more per inmate and their criminal culture is comically tame compared to the US

[@amyyost5261]

Just a note: crème fraiche does exist here. It’s often found at places like Whole Foods, Publix, etc.

[@benktlofgren4710]

Real butter and crème fraiche are the backbone of any kitchen, just like good olive oil, nice tomatoes, and onions.

[@jaycee330]

I found it in Kroger (Vermont brand for $5.99 and Bellwether Farms for $6.99), I think she should take another look there.

[@phoebus007]

You can substitute creme fraiche with sour(ed) cream in most recipes.

[@benktlofgren4710]

@@phoebus007 it is not the same, for me it is like substituting milk with soy or oat milk.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

@@phoebus007 Not the same. Maybe "the next best thing" but nah

[@omsi-fanmark]

08:30 In Germany, there is a "Selbstbeteiligung" (a co-payment) for the people of the legally-required health care insurance (the most common here, unless you are already paying for a fully-private insurance). So have have to pay a certain amount for example for pharmacy prescriptions, ambulance transports and staying at a hospital for a day or more, but it is usually below 20 EUR per incident (which is approx. 20 USD). For a short time, we also had a 5 EUR "Praxisgebühr" (a once-per-quarter fee to see your doctor), but that was quickly reversed back to zero since it didn't reduce the number of times people went to see their doctor as it was intended. And most people do go to their doctor if the need arises, better safe than sorry. The default German healthcare insurance monthly fee is directly collected from your income (on the employer's side), so you'll never see or miss it directly and it depends on your income. The more you earn, the more insurance costs. So if you have a low income, you will still be able to pay for your insurance, since it is much cheaper then. When visiting a doctor or a hospital, you'll just show your insurance card and you'll be cared for. It is recommended to have some money on hand for the co-payments mentioned above, but some of them are billed to you later by your insurance company (they pay first, then ask for their money back from you, that's mainly for ambulance transports and staying at a hospital). Insurance usually pays for everything that is *requied* for your health, but they dont pay for unproven, experimental treatment. Prices for medicines are regulated (with a few exceptions for brand-new medicines), so big pharma companies can't just ask for any unreasonable price. So in most cases, mediation is - even wihtout insurance - typicallxy much cheaper in Germany than in the US. If you are interested in those prices, there is an Android app called "arznei aktuell" by IFAP. It is in german of couse, but it contains a big database (several hundreds of megabytes) of all medications including their (german) pharmacy prices,, the usual co-payment fee and all information required by the patient (use cases, doses, risks, count-indications, ...).

[@jtom2958]

I absolutely love driving and road trips are fun, but high speed rail between major cities would be nice. I go to Jacksonville fairly regularly and it’s an almost 7 hour drive from where I am. I am also perfectly fine with the concept of privatized healthcare, but I do think it needs massive massive reforms

[@Anon54387]

Road trips are great, and cars offer a freedom to go where one wants that mass transit does not. Jacksonville area is great for a history buff like me, Saint Augustine is a place I really enjoyed.

[@jtom2958]

@@Anon54387 absolutely agree, but mass transit would be nice for frequent trips between cities.

[@torejorgensen5344]

What I would change in US is the "winner takes it all" political system that results in just two political parties (even though there technically are more than two, only the Democrats and Republicans matter). That results in compromises being made from slightly to one side of the center and all the way to the extreme politicians at that side, instead of isolating the extreme politicians and make compromises around the center and moderate politicians to either left or right. If USA could fix that, lots of the other stuff could probably be fixed as a result.

[@thatguy8869]

👍

[@plektosgaming]

The way to fix this is to have every district's vote count as it was cast. California, for instance, has been basically throwing away 1/3 of its votes every election as one party has a lock on the state. Same with Texas. So in both states, the other side's agenda is never even brought up and often explicitly targeted. Resulting in two extremes in how the state is run - one is basically a free-for-all, and the other wants to return to 1950. With anyone in the middle or on the other side being simply ignored. Where I live now ( I used to live in California, my son in Texas - so I've seen both sides of this extreme ), it's a 50/50 state and we all have to (often begrudgingly - lol) cooperate to get anything done.

[@torejorgensen5344]

@@plektosgaming In Norway we have a storting (similar to congress) with 169 members. Currently 10 political parties are represented there, some big and some small. If a country with 5.5 million people can have 10 political parties (plus several that didn't get into the storting), USA could easily have 20 or more if the election system was different. Then the sane parties could make alliances with other sane parties and let the maniacs scream in the corners without having much influence. I'm not saying our political system is perfect, but it does make it harder for outlayers to block decisions, and people can find political parties they mostly agree with.

[@plektosgaming]

@@torejorgensen5344 No, I agree. Our system here is completely broken and designed to keep the two parties in power. The thing most people don't realize is that it's all fake. That is, that these same people eat lunch together, their kids go to the same schools, they go to the same social events. They basically choose which "party" to be part of based on their state but in the end, it's two sides of the same group of people who play the "politics" game. 95% of it is fake to keep the normal people thinking there are huge differences. In the end, it's all about maintaining power. Say the right things, play the game and act a lot for the press and life goes on as normal in the easiest job in the country that also makes you a millionaire in the end.

[@gregblair5139]

Maybe American houses should have German-style windows.

[@FelifromGermany]

Absolutely!! 😍

[@Mabinogion]

Maybe American houses should be built from something other than cardboard!

[@miguelalmeida5806]

​@@Mabinogionindeed.

[@majdiawad1282]

Facts

[@aleshaswords3976]

I need my screens but yes 😂

[@idiotluggage]

I 100% agree on your bread and cheese stand. When I lived in Germany and would travel with my German friends, I always went to a local store to buy different breads and cheese. They thought I was really weird for this, but I loved how fresh everything was. During one trip, they took me to an "American" restaurant, it had hamburgers and shakes. The shakes were more of a really thick chocolate milk than what they are in American (tasted good though) and they didn't have mustard either.

[@MrGlenspace]

Feli, you might need to visit other states or upper middle clans areas etc. you can all the food products you desire including authentic German food.

[@michaelkrue4528]

You talked about safety. When I was in Germany I walked the streets without fear. At midnight in Berlin I saw old people strolling down the avenue and a kid riding a bicycle doing the same. I was on my way into München from Neuschwanstein when the terrorist attack came in July, 2016. Listening to Antenne Bayern with my limited German language they were reporting things like shelter in place, no one is allowed to come into the city, and other safety concerns. As you say the city was shutting down. People went the next night to the Marienplatz with memorials and the priest knelt and led the rosary. We have our guns to preserve our freedom. We here just have too many people who have the criminal mind and no regard for life.

[@johnbarnett6128]

Germany and the rest of Europe are changing due to cultural enrichment.

[@InTimeASMR]

Imagine someone saying: We have guns to preserve our freedom. - Wow... do you know how silly this sounds? That you need guns for this... wow.

[@johnbarnett6128]

@@InTimeASMR where do you live?

[@racer_x_624]

​@InTimeASMR What he means in having guns to preserve our freedom; is that when the United States was founded, the core principles and God-given rights, was the right to self-preservation. And the self part is a huge reason for being able to have freedoms. Because there is no freedom without responsibility. Most people who carry guns on them don't wish to use them, but they take the responsibility to carry the tools needed when a bad person trys to do something bad. Because bad people do bad things. The best way to fight against that is to have a culture that supports good guys with guns opposed to demonizing them. Which unfortunately the United States has been failing at since the 1920s. So yes it is a necessity to have a gun if you wish to preserve your own autonomous freedom.

[@michaelkrue4528]

@@InTimeASMR Aren't you afraid of your government? Don't you see government is becoming more tyrannical as we speak? And we have enemies around the world waiting to attack us.

[@carlfenger]

... how about the ridiculous 2 weeks of vacation most Americans get per year! That's inhuman! How about zero maternity leave?

[@tyler93539]

people are getting 2 weeks????? everyone i know gets a week at most

[@JeffKantin]

Maternity leave must be nice for the people who get it, but the people still working while they are on leave get screwed. I had two ladies leave on maternity leave and a bunch of their work got dumped on me for 8-12 weeks. Did I get extra pay for all that extra work? Nope. Did I get 8-12 weeks of vacation when they returned and my work got dumped on them? Nope. And the irony is, if I asked for a raise to compensate for all this extra responsibility, when the ladies returned they would probably shout my getting paid more than them amounted to the gender pay gap... "we're working the same job but he's getting paid more than me! SEXISM!!" 🙄

[@inigogarcia4336]

​@@JeffKantinthe business should be prepared and, anyhow, they could hire a substitute. After all, maternity and paternity leaves are paid by taxes, not on business money (at least, here, so business don't have ridiculous excuses to overload coworkers).

[@JeffKantin]

@@inigogarcia4336 Hiring a temp (or substitute, as you put it) would cost the company money - if they won't pay extra for me to do the work, they're not going to pay extra to hire someone temporarily either. And here, maternity leave is paid for either by the company or by short-term disability insurance (which is also paid for by the company, which is why not every company offers it). Also, not all jobs can be trained in a day or even a couple weeks. At the technical level at my work, it takes up to six months to get someone properly trained to do the job...these are high level accounting positions, not entry-level data entry type jobs. You don't want to spend the time and effort to train someone for those positions just for a few months - and even finding someone who would want to only work them for a few months would also be difficult. This is where the reality of business meets the fantasy of people who don't know how businesses work.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

America is a paradise for wealthy racists and intolerant religious hypocrites. Educated, progressive, tolerant types are viewed with suspicion and resentment.

[@ericgilbert994]

My Dear Feli, I am so impressed with your Podcasts, this one especially. I spent more than 10 Years in Germany doing two different types of businesses. These Memories were to this day so dear to my Heart. My Family Tree goes back to the 14th century in Northern Germany and My relatives still live in Hamberg. Im so pleased you are becoming deservedly so popular on UTube for all the topics you cover that hopefully will open American Eye's to the education and culture you are highlighting and your criticisms of the big problems in our society here in the US. Danke Dir for all you are doing.

[@warrent1490]

I would say one of Americas biggest problem is also it's greatest strengths, is the fact that we are a mixing bowl of so many cultures. Other countries don't have so many people from such different backgrounds and cultures all trying to live together.

[@alvallac2171]

*problems *its (possessive pronoun) it's = contraction of "it is" or "it has" All contractions have apostrophes. Possessive pronouns never do.

[@nathan2813]

U.S. life expectancy is likely lower because of obesity & injury & death associated with alcohol & drug abuse. We're much fatter here (thus more heart disease) and drive more (thus more driving injuries & deaths) than in most countries.

[@gerhardma4297]

As always, you can explain it well and understandably, but in the end you in the USA have surrendered to the industry and the lobbyists who bribe your politicians to maintain the status quo. Whether it's healthcare policy, gun policy or any other area that affects society as a whole. Profit and greed have taken over in the USA

[@themuskrat5776]

Pretty sure it’s stress.

[@Myrtlecrack]

Yes, and we have less of a "monoculture" than other places on Feli's list, the US is a huge place with lots of different kinds of people.

[@irmapersoff5385]

The lower life expectancy comes from many causes: sedentary lifestyles from a car-centric culture, poor nutrition as well as over eating, lack of accessible health care, high maternal and child mortality, racial health care disparities and a highly individualistic culture which equates to lack of family anf social support.

[@themuskrat5776]

@@irmapersoff5385 racial healthcare disparities? They don't exist. Its a talking point with no solid data to support it. Car centric is because we are a large country. Many Europeans come here thinking they can see everything in a couple of weeks not realizing how spread out this country is. The USA defines infant mortality differently than most countries and how the WHO defines it. Its broader here than in Europe.

[@jimtaylor2443]

Great video. I am 77 and have never known anyone who has been shot. I like your comment that people say that Cincinnati is violent and dangerous. Statistics show it is the most violent city in the US, so I am not surprised by your comments. I agree with most of what you say. Thanks.

[@stevewood3171]

St. Louis consistently ranks as the most dangerous city in the US. Cleveland consistently rates as more dangerous than Cincinnati, btw.

[@landslave]

If what you say is true, about Cincinnati being the most violent, I am shocked! I would have guessed the most violent to be Baltimore, St Lou MO, NOLA, or Memphis. I would have guessed Cincinnati to be in with less violent cities like Chicago, New York. Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

[@christineherrmann205]

The point is to actually check state gun laws. A lot of these federal problems are mitigated in some states. Should they be better at a federal level? Yes. But there's no denying the effects of state laws.

[@pmberkeley]

Yeah, I went to visit by cousin in Cincinnati when she was there for college and it was over new years and within a few days there had already been several homicides in the news. Many places that I've lived, the first homicide of the year was maybe sometime in the spring or summer. Not several in the first few days of the year! I was shocked. I had no idea it was such a dangerous city.

[@briannavisconti5112]

I'm in Yonkers next to the Bronx. I don't know anyone who'd ever been shot. I don't know why people live in fear. I'm more scared of knives, honestly.

[@tammyblack2747]

You should have mentioned the food here as well. In the UK and Europe and other places, certain colors and other food additives are banned. But here in the US that garbage is allowed. I know someone from here in Texas, who visited Italy with her husband. They ate the same things they always eat here, pasta, bread, etc., all those carbs that make you gain weight. But instead of gaining weight there, they lost weight. There are Facebook posts where people show a product that is sold here, such as oats or cereal. The ingredient list for that product in the US is much much much longer than the one for the same product in the UK. I know also that many colors and things they put in candy here are banned in Norway.

[@Anon54387]

There is a lot of unprocessed fresh foods available in the USA. No one forces anyone to purchase the unhealthy processed foods.

[@bennett8535]

Great list! As an American, I agree with you 100%.

[@Gaston413]

Wait a year for help with mental illness? You can have that in Germany too. Waiting times for appointments with specialists have become quite a problem. Probably precisely because doctors are sometimes inadequately paid by the statutory health insurance and private patients are illegally preferred.

[@thejourney1369]

Our healthcare system definitely needs a major overhaul. I’m legally blind because for years I couldn’t afford the meds and care to treat glaucoma. I’m 67 and live in a rural area and I don’t know anyone who has been shot or affected by guns. My cousin used to live next door to my parents and her husband often did target practice, so I’ve definitely heard gunshots. I’m bummed because with my sight loss, I can’t get a conceal carry permit. And cities and states that have the strictest gun laws have the most gun violence. In England, it’s knives. You can’t legislate changes to peoples hearts, that has to come from them.

[@brentwoodbay]

"And cities and states that have the strictest gun laws have the most gun violence" Totally pointless if people can move freely between gun and no gun areas! .

[@Pystro]

"You can’t legislate changes to peoples hearts" true. All those people in the US who it turns out shouldn't have had access to a gun, probably shouldn't own airsoft guns or pepper spray, or carry knives either. (Not to say that there aren't probably similar shares of the population in other countries that shouldn't have access to the latter items - and thus by extension guns.) But there's still a difference between someone having to pull the trigger once from across a parking lot to put you into an early grave, and them having to stab you 5 times to achieve the same.

[@mackereltabbie]

There's way more knife crime (per capita) in the US than in the UK, what are you on about?

[@MT-jd8cj]

In state college is 12k a year for 4 years. Dorms are on top of that, Germany dorms are not free either and although you "can" get low cost shared rooms, they are obviously in high demand so you are paying about the same as in the USA. Food is also not free but also subsidized for lunch. You can opt to live at home, or can dorm at university and get a meal plan or live off campus. The 20k you are quoting is for tuition, room, and board. Also the major difference is that German has a college track, you can not barely pass HS at a low level and go to college, you have to be in a college bound HS. In the USA anyone can go to college from any HS. That means in Germany you are only getting applications from people that are probably proficient in math and know that taking on 200k in debt is a terrible idea. I would for sure change the primary school in the USA to be more inline with the German model and have many more vocational training high schools for those that are not college bound.

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Great video, I especially agree about the public transit investments being so direly needed here! 💯

[@allon33]

I went to the USA for a holiday, they had sugar in their bread, I was shocked. 😕

[@HomeWorkouts_LS]

Don’t go to Asia then 😅

[@peeweesmellyrat]

That's a donut 🍩

[@Pork-Chop-Express]

I'm a Data Analyst. Breaking down your Health Care spending, adjusting for Net Tax Nominal GDP per capita, Germany's health care is 18%, U.K. is 12.8%, Swiss is 12%, Netherlands are 13.1%, Sweden is 15%, Australia is about 14%, Canada is about 19%, France is almost 17%, USA is 25.2% !!

[@Anon54387]

As a data analyst, you should know that correlation does not necessarily equal causation.

[@Pork-Chop-Express]

@@Anon54387 How does that apply to my comment?

[@57thorns]

@@Pork-Chop-Express Ignore the redneck botnik. It is paid rubbles per character.

[@patmaurer8541]

The fact that in the US spending is higher, yet outcomes are worse--that's a convincing argument for considering the systems elsewhere.

[@Lisa-uf7wv]

I agree with you on every aspect to include the bread. It must be because I’m a German American. I gravitate to my German side, love the time with my family in Nuremberg and was even stationed in Germany for almost six years. Just got back to the states and think I am going to move back to Germany where it’s safer, better food, can walk around without looking over your shoulder and cheap health care. To me and my son, life is more simpler in Germany. It’s rough though when I say hello or good morning while walking and they just continue walking by without saying anything back lol

[@johnvonsauers8867]

great show Feli,❤❤❤❤ I'm over 80 years old with one foot in the grave, so I really no longer care what they do.

[@hellskitchen10036]

I'm with you dude !

[@solconcordia4315]

As long as you haven't died, you should care about what others have to live with. Haven't you heard of "leaving a legacy" before ?

[@Paranguro]

Totally agree something needs to be done for all citizens of "greatest" country to have access to healthcare. The last year of my 93yr old mom was spent in and out of hospital which is not unusual for someone that old. She racked up tremendous medical bills that she couldn't pay living off SSC only. When dad died, she inherited house. Then when mom died I inherited it. But before she died, there was chance that medical providers could've gone after house after her death for bills due. Unbelievable ! I had to talk to lawyer and we did some legal maneuvering to help keep buzzards away. During last week when she was in hospice, a rep asked us if we still wanted them to try to bring her heart back if it stopped. When we replied yes, the rep implied without directly saying that bill collectors could possibly go after house. Unbelievable and shameful! My dad was a WW2 veteran who bought house with help of government backed loan.

[@themuskrat5776]

Didn’t she have Medicare?

[@jonok42]

She should have had Medicare and medicaid. What makes you feel that it's shameful for Bill collectors to require payment from the estate of the deceased? That happens everywhere. It doesn't matter how they acquired the asset. They still have to pay their debt. I'm not opposed to a better Healthcare system in the US, but payment of debt is still the law.

[@kenkaufman9998]

The obvious solution is to TAX everyone to do that. Lets do what Germany does and tax EVERYONE, 14% to pay for it. No Expections.

[@Paranguro]

Correction. Mom was living off dads gov pension not off SSC which is requirement to get medicare

[@levidezern3190]

@@kenkaufman9998 the first 10,000 is untaxed no exceptions you left that part out

[@MrGlenspace]

In NY we have uncle Giuseppe’s, stew Leonard’s and wegmans. All three will give you good mozzarella.

[@christineherrmann205]

I keep preaching to her that she needs to consider a bluer state. I have family in OH; I've visited. I'd never move there.

[@johnsy4306]

Wegman's is the best!!!

[@jaycee330]

@@christineherrmann205 Well, Indiana is practically next door, so it's an option.

[@RJGrady]

Feli, I know it's a convenience issue, but there are bakeries here, and you can get good bread at the grocery store, at least in larger towns and cities.

[@kenoverbay-baker4653]

It's still not going to be as good as German bread. Not even our so called artesian bread is as good as German bread.

[@RJGrady]

@@kenoverbay-baker4653 That's ridiculous. Where do you shop?

[@kenoverbay-baker4653]

@RJGrady I usually shop at Fred Meyer. No, it's not ridiculous, have you actually been to Germany and tasted the bread over there? There really is no comparison.

[@jeffro221]

Feli, you speak Eng;lish with absolutely no German accent! I would have assumed you were a native American speaker. Amazing. Perfectly fluent. You must have studied English since you were very young.

[@johnlaine2654]

Actually she moved to the US in 2016 as she states at the start of every blog. However like many people in Europe ,they learn English in their schools. The learning is generally taught to US ENGLISH . I have cousins living in Europe and they all speak with the American accent. It sounds weird.As a frequent visitor there, I always found it unsettling to hear locals speak with an American accent.I live in Australia now and was always asked by the younger generation to say something in “Australian” as it sounds so different to the way they speak English. It’s a funny world we live in.

[@DSP16569]

In most parts of Germany (everywhere except in areas next to the french border) English is a mandatory first foreign language we have to learn in school (For the french border areas it is/was English or French). I'm old and therefore (in the 1970s) english starts at 5th Grade (4 hours a week) until end of school (in my case 13th Grade - 9 years of english lessons). Nowadays they start with the "Second Language" earlier (3th Grade or even at first Grade in some states). When I was in school French was the second foreign language starting at 7th Grade but could be "de-selected" at 9th Grade (Realschule/Hauptschule - the Schools for more practical education like Craftmansship, Salesmen,...) and 4 Years of a second foreign language was only mandatory for Gymnasium (the school to prepare for University). Therefore my french is non existent anymore (except maybe "J'ai ne parle pas fraincais", "Merci" and "Pardon" and some word meanings that are common on french streets (Peage - Forgot where the accent was, interdit, Rappel, tout le directions, l'autre directions - very helpfull 🙂when you reach a T-Crossing and the sign says "Right all directions" and "Left the other directions" ). At my time the English we learned was the so called (BBC-English) - The English-Standard used by the BBC. But because of high american influence (Movies, Songs...) later the ones that still needed their school-english commonly got more and more americanized speaking. The ones that after school more or less never needed english anymore (Internet, streaming etc. cames 10 to 20 years after) forgot most of it. And yes most Germans have a problem with the "th" because we do not have such a sound in the german language (like many english speaking people have trouble with the hard german "R" or the German "sch" (it is not sk or sc it is more sh like in engliSH)).

[@jeffro221]

@@DSP16569 Thanks for the info. That was very informative.

[@mae2759]

Education is so expensive due to government subsidies and guaranteeing student loans. The government also made student loans not dischargeable in bankruptcy. College was very affordable prior to the 90s and government subsidies. Feli even mentioned that US colleges have too many amenities like rock climbing walls and spas. European schools do not have that.

[@inigogarcia4336]

Lack of public educational institutions has that problem: public subsidies go to private profit.

[@mae2759]

@@inigogarcia4336 Most colleges are state funded.

[@steves3234]

Yes, the government destroyed affordable college. This was the liberals fault.

[@Jasper118]

Basically the same issue with healthcare, government involvement is what caused the run away costs

[@j.p.1859]

Without watching this video, first thing coming to my mind is the U.S. health insurance system. It sucks big time! As a German living here for over 20 years, I really miss how it works over there.

[@Proteus3000]

Yup the healthcare system here in the US is terrible. I got charged 4000 dollars for 10 stitches and a tetanus shot.

[@kevinprzy4539]

I would agree until I lived in the UK for 6 years, 6 years worth of extremely high taxes when the only thing I did was a yearly checkup every year (which would cost me $4 in the states with crappy free state provided health insurance)

[@gerhardma4297]

@@kevinprzy4539 Here we have another typical case of someone who has not understood the principle of socialized healthcare. The people in it are part of a community of solidarity. I pay my share for the treatment of other people I don't even know and that's a good thing. Because I am doing something good for society as a whole. Americans don't know and understand this principle. A country full of egomaniacs, intolerance and a lack of compassion. And you show this once again in your statement, and also that education has failed you because otherwise you would have understood the principle

[@christophercole8114]

Maybe I'm not a "typical American" but I am not going to criticize anyone for having a point of view of what they'd change about a country, especially if they've lived there for awhile. So with that said I appreciate what you have to say and as someone who recently visited Germany on a Rhine River cruise there are a lot of things that I appreciate about your country. I did want to address a couple of the things you've mentioned though perhaps to give you a more complete context rather than criticize your points (which I promise I won't do). My mother worked in the medical field for many years, almost 40, and she had many ideas of what could be done to cut costs of healthcare to make it more affordable. Often the cost has more to do with things not directly related to health, rather administration or fees associated with insurance. There are also protections for doctors and hospitals that insulate them from malpractice lawsuits that definitely aren't cheap and the cost gets passed onto patients. But I also grew up near the Canadian border and would laugh (along with some of my Canadian friends) about how the government healthcare is some great thing when many Canadians don't like it, but at least it clearly distinguishes them from the US. And lastly on this point, there are many insurances that operate only on a state to state basis. If competition were to be increased and insurance could carry over from state to state, I believe costs would be lowered. On the gun violence I understand your concern and I agree with it. Sadly, the solution is not as simple as stricter laws. Some of the cities with the strictest gun laws have the most gun violence. I don't know how much history plays into it but I suspect in an area of the world where the majority of the people had, at one time, been under the protection of kings and nobles and lived behind city walls and fortifications, commoners having weapons for protection or even hunting just wasn't common. They were reserved for the nobles, the rulers, etc. The Americas may have been colonized by Europeans but we developed a culture clearly that was not shaped by nobility. We didn't have walls in our cities and protection from the king may be weeks or months away. So the commoners here had weapons. Gun ownership and the right to have one is a deeply American thing that many (not all) will sadly kill over. Personally, I'd rather choose something else to tie my American identity to, yet that's at the heart of the issue for many. While I'm not opposed to gun ownership, I think the deeper issue is one of respect (or the lack of) for human life and feeling that your personal rights are more important or valuable than someone else's. Now one area I will definitely agree with you on is dairy. We went to Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands on our Rhine River cruise and were blown away by how much better the milk and cheese especially were there than here. If you could make dairy better I'd support you for queen of the US!

[@maryhildreth754]

I may not agree with some of the things you want to change,but you have every right to have and voice your opinions. We Americans certainly criticize our own country and countries we have never even visited, so discussing things you would prefer to change is perfectly fine.

[@jonathanfinan722]

You say that like an opinion is a privilege tolerated begrudgingly. In the actual free world that isn’t the case. We have the freedom not to live under the yolk of relentless and brutal capitalism. We live in a fair and decent world which, by any reasonable definition, the USA is not.

[@maryhildreth754]

@@jonathanfinan722 you must not have read my comment at all.

[@maxman4948]

German is changing to communist state.

[@pepita46]

Of course, it's perfectly fine! It's called having an opinion. Especially as Feli actually lives in the US and experiences firsthand all the issues she is talking about. She is entitled to a different opinion and if you think that is criticising, we definitely have different ideas of the concept.

[@maryhildreth754]

@@pepita46 that is not what I was saying at all. Please read what I said without trying to make it into something it isn't. My post was to support her in her right to voice her opinion, even though some may disagree with some things she said.

[@shark619ify]

Yeah Im 53 yo and I can remember a time when there were towns you could walk or bike through and get your stuff etc... but Walmart,shopping malls,strip malls and especially now The Internet killed the small town American Dream and public transportation and roads have always been in the toilet..

[@FelifromGermany]

That sounds awesome!!

[@shark619ify]

@@FelifromGermany I was born in a small town in PA and by the time we moved away when I was 9 and my Dad joined the Navy it wasnt much of a town anymore but that was due to loss of industry and jobs and a hurricane flood that devastated everything a year after I was born..and they didnt have relief programs like now and central PA went to Shit in A Big Way..

[@Anon54387]

Roads have NOT always been bad. They were excellent in my state until the state government started dumping the gasoline tax into the general fund whereas prior they actually went into a road and highway fund that could only be used to build and maintain, you guessed it, roads and highways.

[@Anon54387]

I know small towns that still have thriving local mom and pop stores and restaurants in their downtown areas.

[@jaycee330]

The restriction of mixed-usage neighbourhoods has contributed to the problem.

[@eileenderheim3768]

100% agree with all your suggestions. Lack of walkability is very frustrating; there are many areas in my town where there are not even sidewalks. Public transportation is VERY lacking and think you hit the surface on the guns. We could do better!

[@kevinprzy4539]

guns is your average Americans fault not the law, teaching your kids the importance and how to safely use a gun and teaching them it's not a toy is very important and would lower gun violence not to mention majority (70%) of gun related crimes are committed with an illegally obtained gun.

[@dnocturn84]

@@kevinprzy4539 You're the dad of a family in the US. You own guns, because you believe in "protecting" your family. You teach your kids everything the right way. But just the fact that you own guns, guns that you, your wife and your growing up kids can get their hands on at any time, always remains. There are so many instances that happen to human beings over the course of a human life, that can trigger somebody doing something really bad and stupid. Just to name a few: Your wife might start cheating on you - you freak out, anger starts growing and you might use that thing on your wife. Or you cheat your wife and your wife does it. Your finances might collapse and mental health issues occur - your health insurance doesn't pay for all of this and you might choose to do something stupid. Your son gets bullied and has issues in school. Your son has mental problems during his teenager period. Or a failed love that breaks his heart. You develop serious family issues with other parts of your family - oncles, aunts, fathers, mothers, cousins. There are various problems, that might pop up over the course of a human life. You can not prepare your kids to never ever make a stupid error involving a gun. That's not possible. We're human beings with emotions and subject to sicknesses and reflex reactions that we later regret. We aren't robots. And your kids won't be any different, even if you're the best mom or dad on the planet. I'm sorry to say that, but it is true.

[@julienelson6506]

Okay I get that this is just one person's experience but when my daughter was born 9 weeks premature and had to have surgery to remove 1 inch of her esophagus when she was a week old (she weighed about 4.5lb / 2100 g by that point). She spent a week in the NICU and our cost was $0. Now fast forward and our oldest daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and it was expensive... i am not going to joke around.. it was about $650/mo for her care. Then everyone was all excited when ObamaCare was passed. After that her "durable goods" were gradually no longer covered (25% per year) so before it passed we paid $0 for her insulin pump... 4 years later when it had to be replaced we had to cover 50% by that point and it cost us $1600. On top of that some meds (Glucagon which is basically the diabetic equivalent of an epi-pen went from being 3 free per year to $350 for each dose). I am not a fan of government bases healthcare. At least for us it was much better before

[@GlassicGamer]

College is expensive because the government got involved. Just look at the time when federal loan programs started vs the costs before.

[@jaycee330]

There are a number of reasons why, but primary of which is when the Federal Government took over student loan management, instead of private institutions as it was when I went (I paid $10,000 total for my education, paid off in less than 10 years). Since the Unis were getting guaranteed money from the government, it took price control away, and thus the inflated costs with the subsequent quality going down - college should never have been pushed by companies as a requirement to get a job. I think, with the number of students going on to college (especially men) going down, and with the various lack of quality exposed to parents of future children. I suspect parents will be pushing (especially to boys) children to explore various trade schools instead, which will eventually force a much needed correction the the University system (along with getting rid of useless degree programs that do nothing for a student's future).

[@Lonovavir]

The increase of non-teaching staff is also a serious problem. Some universities have a 1:1 ratio of professors to office workers.

[@solconcordia4315]

​@@jaycee330 Companies don't pay for their job seekers' college education so having a college graduate as a worker is a no-cost gain. I, generally believe that after four years of college education, a college graduate becomes more adaptable than a high-school graduate.

[@dhm7815]

CHEESE. As an American I despise our flavorless cheese. It should be labeled "cheese-like dairy product". I am in full agreement on that.

[@carrdoug99]

What state do you live in? We have wide access to excellent cheese of all kinds.

[@heshy14]

That’s because you but Kraft American singles 🤮

[@joeb4294]

@@carrdoug99 I think they were specifically referring to "American Cheese". Of course other real cheeses are available.

[@robertewalt7789]

I see many grocery stores offering many types of premium cheese, imported and domestic.

[@moi01887]

I'm pretty sure "American cheese" is actually just dried latex paint.

[@chromeninja6811]

I'd have more than two viable political parties. I hate the binary choice. The two we have don't really represent me, it would be nice to have other realistic options to vote for.

[@johng5710]

RFK Jr?

[@raymonddrake3675]

It's very hard to create a stable system of government which does not give out-sized leverage to fringe parties with a multiparty system. The problem with coalitions as in Europe is that little, sometimes crazy parties can easily become king-makers in a governing coalition. That's the flip side of the coin in terms of the alternative political system.

[@mikkorenvall428]

@@raymonddrake3675 Can, but do not nessecery become. And the best side is that also minorities get noted and representented.

[@alvallac2171]

*me. It (to fix your comma splice run-on)

[@alvallac2171]

@@mikkorenvall428 *necessarily *represented.

[@alandahlstrom7213]

As far as I am concerned, you have as much right to voice your opinion as anyone else. No place is perfect and your ideas are not far off from what many others think.

[@andrewk911]

While college may be expensive in the US, but I'm under the impression that accessibility is much less in Europe. It is very competitive there. That's why so many foreigners come to the US for degrees -- they aren't able to attend in Europe. Especially for advanced degrees.

[@andrewmacdonald5884]

It’s less accessible and more competitive in Europe sure but also you don’t need a college degree to make a decent living in Europe.

[@jcrhea001]

@@andrewmacdonald5884 nor do you in the US

[@DaveWSimmons]

The Founding Fathers were adamant about the Second Amendment because they understood that an armed populace was essential to preserving liberty. Having experienced tyranny firsthand, they made the right to bear arms fundamental to ensure citizens could defend themselves against any force threatening their freedom-whether foreign invaders or domestic government overreach. The language is clear: 'the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.' The Founders knew that a disarmed populace would be powerless against those in authority, making every other right vulnerable. That’s why George Washington stated, ‘A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined,’ and Thomas Jefferson reiterated, ‘No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.’ The Second Amendment isn’t about hunting or sport shooting; it’s about ensuring the people remain a check on power. It was meant to protect access to the best means of self-defense, just as it did in the Founders’ time.

[@moshedayan9049]

As someone who has lived around the world, we call it gun violence, however do we call it knife violence or hammer violence when something else is involved? Is it car violence? It is people who are the problem.

[@YodaPagoda]

She lives in Ohio, where any lawful individual can carry a concealed firearm. I've lived around the world as well, and even in a place like the Philippines, where people can buy and carry guns, people aren't being mowed down regularly. It's the crazy people pulling the triggers of the guns that's the problem!

[@brentwoodbay]

Knife, hammer, vehicle violence happens all over the civilised world, on a fairly equal per capita basis. Only in gun violence does one country have a much higher rate than the others!

[@brentwoodbay]

@@YodaPagoda Are you saying that the US has more crazy people than other countries?

[@lundril]

Let's take your argument... Why do you have a speed limit? Cars don't kill people, people do, right? So obviously there shouldn't be any speed limits right?

[@mariasantana6861]

@@brentwoodbay in america ..guns are used less than bats, hands feet, ,knives,etc

[@tomrimer1120]

Totally agree with you on all 5!

[@stormstaunch6692]

As an American, one of the first things I would do is implement immigration reform. Alot of Americans talk about illegal immigration being bad, and I can't say I disagree with that sentiment, but the fact of the matter is that people come here illegally because coming here legally is often incredibly difficult. America should do it's best to prevent illegal immigration while also making it actually feasible to come legally.

Immigrating to a country should be difficult, otherwise the country would be overrun with undesirable people. I am a legal immigrant myself. I had to have a job offer from an American company before I set foot in the USA. I also had to have a medical exam, background checks and be finger-printed.

[@jerrypeal653]

Government student loans is a big factor in why prices are so high.

[@jerrypeal653]

Government student loans is a big factor in why prices are so high.

[@fredjrpearce1247]

What illegal aliens want won't hurt them. A million come here legally every year. America decides who and how many foreigners get to come here, not the illegal lawbreakers(8USC S1325). Either get in line and go through the process like everyone else or stay out of here. There is no right to come to America just because you want to.

[@ahapka]

One thing I've always hated. A bill from the doctor and the hospital. When you take your car in to be fixed, you don't get a bill from the mechanic and the shop. Like why can't they be employees like everywhere else?

[@anton1949]

People don't understand that insurance companies lose money when they provide healthcare.

[@AdDewaard-hu3xk]

Wha

[@philw6056]

@@anton1949 But they should also only able to earn money when they provide healthcare.

[@anton1949]

How can they make money providing healthcare when providing it costs them money? Not providing it is what makes them money. Just like any insurance.

[@philw6056]

@@anton1949 If an insurance doesn't pay out money every once in a while, everybody would stop being their customer. Being reliable is one important factor, how much they cover is another and their price is important, too. Shouldn't we see some healthcare providers that try to outcompete their competitors with lower average profits per person, but more customers?

[@wardkrause9022]

I pretty much agree with everything you said. I think you are spot on with your assessments. Thank you for being willing to be honest! That takes a lot of guts.

[@katereinert3040]

Thank you, as an American, for offering your perspective! The gun violence here is truly horrible. I have known so many people killed or otherwise impacted by gun violence, even though I am not a gun owner and typically avoid being around guns altogether. Living in a medium sized US city, I hear shots at least once a week, more in the summer.

[@MegaMerlin2011]

"Well, there's American food all the way across town." Lady, I was in China for 6 years and Thailand 6 months. You tell me there's pizza 2 hours away, I don't care I'm going. :D

[@Verkinggettorix]

I think almost every American agrees on the healthcare thing …..and I respectfully disagree about the gun laws I never want to rely on the government for my protection…. I live in a more rural environment though and I understand it’s different in the cities….all in all I enjoy hearing your take on things 👍

[@TeutonicNordwind]

You are WAY OFF about your statement "almost every American" LOL (it's ridiculous. Really) With ya on guns though

[@j.s.7335]

Excellent point. In rural areas guns protect you, in cities they hurt you, basically. Makes the issue really difficult for sure, especially because people forget this (I'm guiltier than I like to admit). Good to hear that someone sees both perspectives. Thank you.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

@@j.s.7335 Guns in cities "do not hurt you". They may save your life or those of who you love in your home or someone accosting you on the street. Bad guys will always have guns. In cities or in the country. They don't follow rules. That's why they're bad guys.

[@TheGovernor-vw9cf]

exactly. I agree about the guns. Yet they want American guns to slaughter Russians

[@Jasper118]

@@TeutonicNordwindwait there are Americans who think our healthcare system is perfect, or even good?

[@jebediahkerman3946]

Health insurance isn't the solution, it is the problem. When my father started practicing medicine in the 60s, it cost $90 to have a baby at the hospital he worked at. It's now about $35,000. People will say it's because the technology is so much better now. That's nonsense. The price of technology in a free market always goes down over time. Insurance has driven healthcare costs through the roof because the insured patient doesn't care what the procedures cost anymore, so the hospitals and medical device manufacturers, and doctors push the prices to the max. Healthcare in America is not a true free market.

[@Myrtlecrack]

Absolutely correct!

[@Anon54387]

It's government, not insurance, that drives prices up.

[@jebediahkerman3946]

@@Anon54387 yes, it was government creating a solution to a non-existent problem via Medicare. Private insurers followed suit as Medicare fixed prices and the providers max out the limits. A convoluted mess.

[@robertdendooven7258]

Also, the number of frivolous lawsuits has caused malpractice costs to go up. The only winners are lawyers.

[@mwoods8988]

Feli, the problem of fearing about your safety could be that you live somewhere like the Clifton (University of Cincinnati) suburb in Cincinnati. I grew up and lived in different middle-class suburbs all around Cincinnati for decades, and the only non-police stranger I've ever seen with a gun was a restaurant owner showing it to his friends at a dining table. It was around 11:00 in the morning, and they may have been the only other people dining. I'd been to that restaurant 1 or 2 times before, it was really weird, and I never went back. So, I've never had a concern about weapons or crime. My biggest crime concern is about people opening their car doors and denting my car. It would be interesting if you would go to different areas of Cincinnati and ask people whether they were concerned about crime and their personal safety in Cincinnati, and ask them whether it is a product of news or whether they actually have a personal reason. Although the probability of me ever personally encountering a mass shooting is *extremely* tiny, the USA's daily mass shootings are a problem. To dramatically reduce mass shootings, I think all automatic, semi-automatic, devices that allow rapid firing, and high-capacity magazines should be illegal for both the public and police. I think guns designed to kill people should be illegal. I think the only police who should carry guns, tazers, etc., should be swat teams. Most police never shoot their gun, so all of them carrying a gun is basically an accident waiting to happen. And police really shouldn't be dispatched to domestic disputes; psychologists and social workers should respond to those incidents. These are some things I would change about the USA (as an American).

[@stinla8844]

Agree with all of mwoods8988, and live in East Cinci, safely without guns. They are owned, not used. But I would change the healthcare system by making it like Germany’s, where (correct me if I err) the private drug manufacturers must transparently negotiate drug prices with the private insurance companies and doctors/clinics.

[@mwoods8988]

@@stinla8844 Glad (but not surprised) to hear that East Cincy has safe suburbs too. I've lived in suburbs in its NE, SE, and SW. I agree that we need changes to the healthcare system. With all that I've read, I think what we need is at least something like either (A) a public option like the USA's current Medicare or Medicaid, but open to everyone, or (B) a single payer system (sometimes called "Medicare for all"). With a public option #A, the government offers insurance plans that compete with plans from insurance companies. Currently, Medicare and Medicaid have negotiated lower prices than insurance companies because of how many consumers Medicare and Medicaid represent. With a single payer system #B, the government basically replaces insurance companies. This would give the government even more negotiating power. It's antiquated that in the USA, healthcare insurance is usually through your job, because who chooses a job based on liking the job's particular healthcare insurance plan? I was never presented with an insurance plan until I was actually hired. And when someone loses their job, they're probably going to be uninsured. A step that's further than all of these is (C) the government running hospitals like the USA's current VA (Veterans' Administration) hospital system, but every hospital. Cincinnati's VA hospital is very good -- my dad went there several times. My dad even got his medicine from the VA, without a copay, for a lifelong prescription that otherwise (if he had gotten it through insurance copay) would have cost him over $1000 per month. One now not-so-secret secret is that prescription prices vary immensely both between which pharmacy you go to and between which insurance plan you use. The easiest way for me to price compare is through GoodRX.com, where I often see 10:1 or 50:1 price differences between pharmacies. You would be amazed. The reason for the huge difference in prescription and hospital prices is, many years ago, insurance companies wanted bigger discount percentages, so the pharmacies and hospitals raised their prices on everything, through many cycles over the years, and insurance got their bigger discount percentages. So, usually, if you have to pay out-of-pocket (i.e., the non-insurance price), you're paying an outrageous price. (An exception is sometimes for a prescription, where the non-insurance price is less than the insurance's copay price when there's a secret kickback in the copay, and their secret contract says the pharmacy can't voluntarily mention that the non-insurance price is lower.) Fortunately, dentists have largely been spared from these insurance negotiation cycles, so their non-insurance prices are pretty reasonable. If the USA had a single payer system #B or ran hospitals #C, there wouldn't be surprise bills from out-of-network doctors who might check on you for a minute during recovery. With single payer, the per capita spending on healthcare would drastically decline from the USA's current double of what other developed countries spend. Of all of these options, I like #C or #B. Everyone would be covered and no surprise bills. With C#, stockholders and outrageously paid executives wouldn't be siphoning money out of the system. A lot smaller share of America's GDP would be spent on healthcare, and healthcare outcomes would remain about the same as currently in America and other developed countries. The obstacle to healthcare reform is the lobbyists, because there's so much money being made currently. So, public funding of elections is another thing I would change about the USA. It would greatly reduce the impact of lobbyists. Ranked choice voting is another thing I would change about the USA. It would make it much more likely that political moderates would be elected, even if gerrymandering continued. I think Feli hasn't considered how impactful public funding of elections and ranked choice voting would have on what she would change about the USA, because they'd be my first changes.

[@davidweihe6052]

Who will you dispatch to domestic disputes when all the social workers have been shot? Handling domestic disturbances is where police are most likely to be shot.

[@mwoods8988]

@@davidweihe6052 Other countries that do this haven't had all of their social workers shot, so "Who will you dispatch to domestic disputes when all the social workers have been shot?" is a ridiculous rhetorical question. When there's a fire, get the fire department, who are experts in firefighting. When there's a medical situation, get the ambulance service, who are experts in first aid. For everything elso, get the police, who are experts in...everything else? Your "Handling domestic disturbances is where police are most likely to be shot" is a good point, but I look at it this way...American police are far from experts in de-escalation, which significantly contributes to their risk of being shot and the risk of police shooting innocent bystanders. That's exactly why they shouldn't be the first responders in domestic disturbances. Police actually receive more training in weapons than in de-escalation, even though de-escalation is a much deeper subject. There is some truth in "If what you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". However, if the situation is described as dangerous, send in a SWAT team, which gets significant training in de-escalation. If domestic disturbances are handled by social workers and SWAT, there will be undoubtedly be some social workers shot, especially because of American gun ownership and gun culture, but the number should be far fewer than the number of current shootings during domestic disturbances handled by armed police.

[@jaycurtis5036]

I would have thought Cincinnati would have more German food options as it is known as being more of a German immigrant destination. As to your gun issues. We unfortunately have more crime problems here than in Europe possibly due to the education items you brought up, but also due to poverty, which breeds crime. I am from Toledo, just 200 miles north on I-75 from you. There are parts of my city I would not go into in daytime just driving through. The area I live in though I am not afraid of going out at night.

[@thehoneybadger8089]

Medical insurance really didn’t take off until after WW2, and that is what has really driven up medical costs.

[@jakeoncall]

Good point. There was a time in this country when a doctor would accept a chicken as payment.

[@kaleidoset2569]

There's a lot more to it than that

[@blindleader42]

@@jakeoncall And a chicken's worth was about how much good the doctor could do, if that.

[@Anon54387]

Government involvement has driven up medical costs.

[@robertewalt7789]

During WW2, US had price controls on salaries, and many other prices. Some companies offered medical insurance as a “perk” to salaried employees, more benefits to workers, not price controlled. After WW2 unionized workers also bargained for medical insurance. Soon it was standard for all full-time workers.

[@timduncan6750]

Some of these might be controversial to some but I think we can all agree on the bread. I hate I can’t get good bread where I live.