Hello again fellow agents and
thank you for attending today's briefing. Due to all the reasons political
discussions, musings and curiosities, created by the current serving government
of the United States literary agents such as yourselves; not to mention
intellectuals looking for answers. And the ways of fixing or at the very least,
adjusting the current political climate, this book will definitely open up your
eyes to various as yet un-thought-out political possibilities and systems for
adjusting things like healthcare, family leave options, etc. I definitely believe
this book should be read by all current and budding Cascadian citizens. As the
author illuminates all of the possibilities that a distinctive region such as
Cascadia could become, given the right circumstances, the author also sheds an
interesting light on the "reality of the American dream." With an outsider’s
perspective, that provides a look at both the positives and negatives of the
"melting pot perspective." At the very least, agents, this book will
get you thinking about what works in the American version of democracy, and
what does not as well as possible solutions or at least ideas to address very
significant problems....
I picked up
this book at the library (more specifically as an e-book using the overdrive
app) because the title was intriguing and I liked the look of the cover. After
reading the dust jacket I thought it would be a lot of socialist drivel but
decided to read it anyway.
The author was born, raised and worked in Finland. She moved to the United States in 2008 and married an American. She became a US citizen in 2013 and still lives here.
I ended up being extremely impressed with this book overall. The main premise is the comparison between the governments of both countries, mainly focusing on how Finland's way of doing things would benefit the United States. i.e. Education, the tax system, healthcare, etc.
Finland is a "socialist" country, but not in the way that we Americans think. Finland doesn't have loads of people on the welfare dole like we do here. They don't create welfare queens. It's actually in your best interest if you work in Finland and contribute to society. The taxes you pay into the system are given back to you (not others) through:
Very low cost healthcare
Very low cost prescription medication (they don't allow drug companies to charge ridiculous prices)
Free K-12 education (children start school later, have shorter school days, have lots of outdoor time and are top in the world in their scores)
Free college
Free graduate school
Very low cost daycare
Very low cost elder care
Generous time off (years) for you and your spouse or partner if you have children
Generous yearly vacation (4-5 weeks, which you're encouraged to take)
Normal work hours
Generous sick leave
Unemployment coverage
I love how in Finland everyone is treated as an individual. You don't pay taxes according to your marriage status, you pay it individually. (By the way when you pay your taxes it's a 1-page, simple tax form for most people.) Your healthcare isn't tied to your employment, so if you lose your job you don't lose your health insurance. They also have a very generous unemployment package if you get fired or laid off so that you have time to find a new job and won't have to worry about making ends meet. It doesn't matter what your parents make, college is free and financial aid isn't dependent on your parent's financial status. Everything is driven toward helping the individual, and as a side effect making and keeping families strong. She calls this the "Nordic Theory of Love".
She also busts the myth that most Finns pay half or more of their income in taxes. For her it was about 30%, which includes federal and municipal taxes (approximately $18,000.00 out of the $67,000.00 that she made her last year working there). When you factor in what she got back in benefits, it's actually a very good deal.
Also, they are a Capitalist country. Ever heard of Supercell, Nokia, Ikea, H&M or Angry Birds? All Scandinavian creations, the way their system is set up makes it easy for entrepreneurs to open new businesses.
The main point I got from the book is "Smart government, not big government". I think the United States could learn a lot from the way Finland and the Scandinavian countries do things in general. Finland has gone through their own growing pains, as she readily admits, and made a lot of reforms starting in the 1970's.
The author loves the American spirit and generosity. I think she gave a very balanced view of both nations.
The author was born, raised and worked in Finland. She moved to the United States in 2008 and married an American. She became a US citizen in 2013 and still lives here.
I ended up being extremely impressed with this book overall. The main premise is the comparison between the governments of both countries, mainly focusing on how Finland's way of doing things would benefit the United States. i.e. Education, the tax system, healthcare, etc.
Finland is a "socialist" country, but not in the way that we Americans think. Finland doesn't have loads of people on the welfare dole like we do here. They don't create welfare queens. It's actually in your best interest if you work in Finland and contribute to society. The taxes you pay into the system are given back to you (not others) through:
Very low cost healthcare
Very low cost prescription medication (they don't allow drug companies to charge ridiculous prices)
Free K-12 education (children start school later, have shorter school days, have lots of outdoor time and are top in the world in their scores)
Free college
Free graduate school
Very low cost daycare
Very low cost elder care
Generous time off (years) for you and your spouse or partner if you have children
Generous yearly vacation (4-5 weeks, which you're encouraged to take)
Normal work hours
Generous sick leave
Unemployment coverage
I love how in Finland everyone is treated as an individual. You don't pay taxes according to your marriage status, you pay it individually. (By the way when you pay your taxes it's a 1-page, simple tax form for most people.) Your healthcare isn't tied to your employment, so if you lose your job you don't lose your health insurance. They also have a very generous unemployment package if you get fired or laid off so that you have time to find a new job and won't have to worry about making ends meet. It doesn't matter what your parents make, college is free and financial aid isn't dependent on your parent's financial status. Everything is driven toward helping the individual, and as a side effect making and keeping families strong. She calls this the "Nordic Theory of Love".
She also busts the myth that most Finns pay half or more of their income in taxes. For her it was about 30%, which includes federal and municipal taxes (approximately $18,000.00 out of the $67,000.00 that she made her last year working there). When you factor in what she got back in benefits, it's actually a very good deal.
Also, they are a Capitalist country. Ever heard of Supercell, Nokia, Ikea, H&M or Angry Birds? All Scandinavian creations, the way their system is set up makes it easy for entrepreneurs to open new businesses.
The main point I got from the book is "Smart government, not big government". I think the United States could learn a lot from the way Finland and the Scandinavian countries do things in general. Finland has gone through their own growing pains, as she readily admits, and made a lot of reforms starting in the 1970's.
The author loves the American spirit and generosity. I think she gave a very balanced view of both nations.
As always, agents, thank you for
taking time out of your busy schedule to attend today's literary briefing, and
remember "reading is just recreation for intelligence."
Author: Anu Partanen
·
432 pages
·
Publisher: Harper (June 28, 2016)
·
Language: English
·
ISBN-10: 0062316540
·
ISBN-13: 978-0062316547
Amazon
Kindle price $12.99, Hardcover $16.47, Paperback $11.59, audible MP3 download
free with membership subscription ($21.95 for a one-time download)
It would be wonderful if we could get our legislative body of government (also judicial and executive) to read this book. The USA is one of the only countries that does not provide health care for all their citizens. Our government lacks the courage to make changes that are good for the citizens. Instead, our politicians do what is best for their party and themselves. I hope lots of people read this blog and share this book with everyone they know.
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