[Thunder]

That's funny Anjae. 

People go here go to Canada to get cheaper prices on meds.

Something is wrong with this picture.   

[KeepItTogether]

My MLCH LOVES Trump. Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I think my vote cancelled his out as I live in a blue state. 

[Thunder]

Me too Keep, me too.   

[OldPilot]

Not to disagree but the principle of the electoral college is to
give each state more power.

It sought to reconcile differing state and federal interests, provide a degree of popular participation in the election, give the less populous states some additional leverage in the process by providing “senatorial” electors, preserve the presidency as independent of Congress, and generally insulate the election process from political manipulation.

The Constitution gave each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of its membership in the Senate (two to each state, the “senatorial” electors) and its delegation in the House of Representatives (currently ranging from one to 52 Members). The electors are chosen by the states “in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct “(U.S. Constitution, Article II, section 1).

http://www.history.com/topics/electoral-college

In this election although the vote was very close the country is mostly RED if looked at in a by county perspective.
The big cities are all blue.

Apparently a lot of Democrats stayed at home and did not vote.

[Anjae]

Yes, something is wrong with that picture.

Of course meds here are more expensive than what we pay for them with a National Health System prescription (GP, hospital, etc), but never in the range of the US. And people like Grandmother and my mother (and many others) have a special discount on the prescription. We also have meds that do not require prescriptions.

So that you have an example, aunt's was treated for free for her cancer in the hospital. Grandmother was treated for free on the hospital.

For free, of course, meaning a portion of taxes is allocated to the National Health System.

I think our system is similar to other EU ones as well as to the UK one. In its present form, its origin, in the late 1970's, was inspired by the British National Health System.

Ours is mostly the creation of a lawyer and politian called António Arnaud, the British one was invented by Aneurin Bevan, a welshman that come up with the idea in, if I am not mistaken, the early 1950's.

Canada's health care system is a creation of Tommy Douglas, who first intruduce it one of Canada's provinces in the 1950's.

Arnaud is a socialist, Bevan was labour, Douglas was a social democrat. Currently, the Portuguse Social Democrat Party is more of a right-centre party than a social democrat party, and the socialist are a mix of socialist, social democrats and liberals.

Looks like it takes a socialist/labour/social democrat to come up with one of those systems.

But not all is faboulous around here. And, often, charities are necessary to help people.

Like as any other country, we could do better for our people. In many ways we have regressed in key areas.

Of course we have health insurances and private medicine for those who want or can afford. When I lived in the capital and my life was financially afluent, I would see private specialists. But even those, when compared with the US, are cheap €55 to €100. However, those values are not affordable for most Portuguese. They are not affordable for me now.

We also have "distritos" (the big parts in which Portugal is divided, we do not have states or a state and a federal law; we have small municipal laws) with more population that others. In those, it is still one person, one vote.

X % of votes in party Z, will mean X % of votes for party Z in distrito A and K % of votes in distrito B; X % of votes for party S in the same distrito will mean X % of votes for party S in said distrito and L % in another distrito. Those % translate in MPs. For president it is the number of votes each person gets. We do not have winner takes it all.


I noticed the US was almost all red, with the cities being Blue. I think that matched the Brexit referendum in the UK, the cities mostly voted remain. By the way, blue in the UK is the Conservatives, Labour is red. When Cameron last was elected, England and Wales were mostly Blue. Scotland was yellow, for the Scottish National Party. I don't recall what Northern Ireland was like.

Karmit, yes, a US Presidential costs billions that are many countries GDP. I think they cost more than our GDp. We don't even have billionaires.

Here each party receives a certain amount from the state. They are allowed to receive donations, but those are limited, ten thousand euros is the most for a person or corporation, I think.

Our current president spend one hundred thousand and fifty seven euros in his campaign. A good portion of the money was his, from a brother and a friend. He did not accepted money from corporations. Ironically, the candidate who spend the most money was the communits one (yes, we have a communist party that seats in Parliement and is currently part of the three government parties), three quarters of a million euros.

We also cannot buy political adds, each party or presidencial candidate has an amout of time on the national TV. Ourdoors posters and lieflets are allowed. And no one can come knock on our doors and takes to vote.

Bottom line, each country should always stive to do better for their citizens. And, in the case of the US, since the US has such a huge power in the world, for the people of the world.

Mr J was always social democrat/socialist (depending of the programs of each party), now he is far left. He is also a freedom and social crusader who slams any authority and is up to fight for everyone's freedeom but my own. I must obey his rule and reason. Which makes me laugh.

[Thunder]

I think you are right, OP.

My X has never stayed home and not voted (first time in his life ) did not vote.

He is a strong liberal but felt he had no one to vote for after Bernie was out.

[stayed]

Whatever!  Your country's in trouble.  It has been exposed for what it is truly like. It is ROTTEN at it's core.  I am so glad I do not live in such a $hit hole!  I wish I could get further away from it cause the stink is really bad and I live in terror that whatever disease you have, it will spread to Canada. 

I truly hope we have more courage then you people do.  Sadly though, I heard stories of racism in Toronto, which breaks
my heart, I hope that having seen what our neighbours to the south have become, that we heed the warning and do not follow them down that path.   

Stayed

[Anjae]

I would ask if you could come back to Europe, Stayed, but things here are also starting to look crazy. Not in Portugal, but in France (and willget worst next year with their presidential election), Poland, Hungary, the mess in the Uk. And Germany and Austria are also seing their right wing coming out. We know what that means.

Ist't Justin Trudeau a good prime-minister? Racism in Toronto? My idea of Canada (and I know it must be wrong) is if a liberal place.

[stayed]

Very liberal Anjae.  Just a bunch of bleeding socialists and we like it that way.  Our prime minister is a young man, extremely good looking, smart, but sadly HE LOVES TO SPEND.  He thinks we can spend our way out of our national debt... scary.  I fear he is spending my great grandchildren, great childrens futures. 

Other then that I am happy here.  I was very worried when I read about some resent racial taunting in Toronto, which stuns me because seriously, there are more shades of brown in Toronto, then their are whites.  Lol.  We lived there for a year and it was fun, very diverse, multicultural, everybody was willing to share their culture with each other.  I remember the class picture, there were 4 little white faces in a class of 20+ kiddies, and the kiddies didn't even notice.  I remember my son asking me what the name of the boy was who had been out in the sun too much. 

To see my country become discriminatory now, would break my heart.  My friends in the south have already staked their claim to our spare rooms in Canada but one is complaining about the weather, hehehe.  NYC is just like Toronto.  I admit it's a little colder further north where I live, but it is nice and sunny, for the most part. Summers are really hot though, hehehe.

P.S.-  I loved living in Europe.  If my kids were all there, we would have stayed I think.  WE saw an add for a 2 month stay in Porto, Portugal.  We think we might do that, after we get our house built. 

Hugs Stayed

[Anjae]

I have seen photos, he is good looking indeed.

Too much spend is a problem in many countries, Portugal included. From what I manage to gather, often the spend is not to the best future interest of the country and its people, but for vanity/show-off projects and ideas. Everyone seems to want to leave their mark and they just spend, spend, spend.

Our current government is doing some re-shifting of spending, but, in my opinion, is still spending too much in things that are not beneficial long term.

Toronto for me means cinema (TIFF comes to mind), film and tv crews from all over the world filming there, museums, arts & culture, so, in that regard, a place where I think I would feel at home. The racism part is not good. It never is. Hope is does not escalate and it is just an isolate insident (or incidents).

Every Canadian with friends from the Southern nation is most likely going to asked for spare rooms. Nice and sunny sounds good to me. Too hot Summers not so much, but right now, fortunately, I am not in need to move further north to the other side of the Atlantic.

Portugal has had more than its share of bad times. We endured a 48 years dictarship (I was still born under it), with many  having to run to France, Germany, Canada and US to escape it and the dire live that existed by then.

Two months stay in Porto sounds like a great idea.  Mitzpah is also considering coming here. You know I had not been exactly thrilled with had to move back here, but, somehow, I think it may be the right place. I do miss the energy and the multicultural diversity of Lisboa, but Lisboa has become a city that is not very good to its residents. Great for turists, not so great if you have to live there daily and go to work.