Reply to your post is inline below:
="GRULSTMRNN, post: 4946128, member: 505416"]
https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/opinion/articles/2019-10-17/trudeau-has-canada-s-economy-humming
Canada is becoming ever more attractive while the US is self destructing as society and free wheeling capitalist economy that destroys the small man. I see several factors that make Canada way more attractive than the US in the long term:
1) Canada does not worship its military complex. US pushes hundreds of millions into a useless military black hole each and every single year.
It is my understanding a significant part of the Canadian defense strategy, like some other countries, is to rely on US being their ally, saving themselves a ton of money.
2) Social welfare and social security. Canada is already where most Americans could dream to arrive in 10-20 years. A balanced society that takes care of those who fall sick or otherwise on hard times.
My perception is the Canadian healthcare system is a much better value than the US, but for some healthcare needs, Canadians travel to the US. Some in the US travel to Canada to gain access to better pharmaceuticals that are illegal in the US.
3) Canada has the best immigration system bar none. Countless advanced societies copy Canada's point based immigration system that is incredibly smart and long term oriented while the US is swinging back and forth between immigrant hatred and "let whoever enter, even if illegal)" idiocy.
Don’t have an opinion on Canada’s immigration policy, but agree with you the US is a disaster with it’s immigration policy.
4) hardly any gun violence in Canada. Thousands of murders and shot people in the US every year. Overcrowded prisons, sentences for minor drug offenses is pushing the US beyond the bearable. Welcome to wild west vs a society that respects each other and different cultural values.
The US has a substance abuse problem that includes illegal hard drugs and alcohol has reached epidemic proportions. Most of the gun crime and violence is related to substance abuse. The US has a high per capita police force, especially when one considers the dozens of entities in the US whose purpose falls under the broader category of law enforcement. So huge illegal drug problem and huge ability to enforce, but drug use still trends up means the underlying problem is politically and culturally based.
5) A Canadian sense of self worth and respect for one's health and body. Crossing the border from BC into Washington state just a few weeks ago was a shocking experience. Food portions at restaurants 2-3 times the size than in Canada. Obese people literally everywhere. Extremely unhealthy diets for average Americans. And we are talking Washington state not Missouri. Quite an eye opening experience. One only has to quickly get a taste of things in the political forum of this website to understand what I am talking about.
Seattle has high per capita coffee consumption. Caffeine combined with sedentary tendencies can adversely affect many people’s endocrine system causing them to feel hungry and overeat. Sugar, another abused substance in the United States, has a similar effect.
6) US is engaged in a quasi civil war of opinions and politics. People are destroying each other. Families and friendships break apart over different political opinions. I have not seen things to such degree anywhere in Canada, and it's literally 3 days before the federal election. Grownups understand that it's just politics and life goes on. Only children make a fuss and behave as if a political stance or opinion is everything that defines a human being.
The media and the political parties are behind creating the current political environment. In my opinion, all this effort is related to a few established wealthy, focused, and powerful families in the US as well as some foreign influences seeking political control. The US media is also being used as a form of circus to entertain those in poverty in order to reduce the potential for rioting in the inner cities. However, this strategy increases the chance of civil unrest in the general population. Examples of rioting, looting, and civil unrest include LA riots, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and one of the Eastern seaboard blackouts. The US news media also grossly underreports the extent of civil unrest.
Looks very much that the little brother has grown up and runs circles around big daddy. I will receive my PR in Canada quite soon and settle in BC, which by the way, is turning along with Toronto into a high tech hub. Could not be prouder of my chosen country of permanent residence. What has happened to America? Things were not like that 25 years ago. Imho Americans should be extremely careful whom they depict as shithole countries.
I have visited Canada several times and have been to most of its provinces. Canadians, particularly outside of Montreal, are much friendlier than Americans, from the way they drive to how they act in nightclubs.
Another cause of cultural weakness in the US seems related to a significant number of children being brought up in a single parent household where the television is often used as a substitute parent. Speaking of television and its programming, let’s compare the difference between Canada and the US: Canadian television programming is much more positive while American programming is often about violence and revenge.
Lets hear from the friends down south.
The American experience and US influence has peaked. We are in a cultural decline brought on by laziness, greed, and corruption. When things are easily obtained, oftentimes they get taken for granted and people tend to put forth less effort. In my perception, the US has been declining culturally for several generations and it will take a major, live threatening shock event for there to be a chance of a cultural turnaround. But hey, with a large arsenal of nuclear weapons and increased dependence of automation, the potential of a shock event is certainly there.