I was in favor of universal healthcare, but then I saw how euthanasia is on the rise in countries like Canada because actually treating people is more expensive than killing them. In the UK, it's not uncommon for children to be taken off life support without the parents' consent. The American system definitely has room for improvement, but neither is perfect.
Damon, I just watched the entire video from start to finish. First... Amen. Very well said. I'm an American that agrees with literally everything you had to say. Second, you got me fucked up with this comment I'm replying to because WHAT do you MEAN we just watched an HOUR LONG video and DIDN'T EVEN GET TO HEALTHCARE. We need help...
As a Canadian, the claim that it’s cheaper to kill someone (or convince them to die) than to treat someone is a pretty dishonest assessment of the actual situation around healthcare and medically assisted death up here - namely private interest groups and the (overwhelmingly conservative) politicians undercutting public funding and deliberately ratfucking public services in order to make way for privatization. Framing this as an issue with universal healthcare doesn’t make sense at all, given that you really don’t hear about this particular issue in Switzerland, Italy, Austria, etc. Shit, even countries like Japan or South Korea - both with superior healthcare systems AND notoriously worse s**c*d* rates - don’t attempt to make that specious correlation.
Damon. It’s not just you. The older I get the more dystopian living in US feels. No one worries about the right things. Everything is about money. Down is up and up is down. People think the world started the day the US became a country and the Constitution is infallible. The land is being destroyed and polluted. People are struggling. It’s all about money. I’m exhausted. This video is singing my song.
Let me tell you, it's a world problem, not just a US problem. I live in the Netherlands and have the same experience. In the end everything, in many places is always about money.
honestly i genuinely think it’s always been this way, and we realize it the older we get bc our rose colored glasses come off & disillusionment kicks in.
It’s wild because you go to school and they indoctrinate you with all this patriotic bullshit to make you feed into the system that is actually not about any of those things but about money
I love how people will say it’s not only the US it’s the rest of the world too…. Yet, these first world countries saying this have healthcare, education, and don’t have gangs in their police force. The US is #1 in fascism
He is not informed at all. This video was baffling. Has Damon never heard of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)? That's our federal law for public information, and there are state and local equivalents. Of course you cannot demand the CIA or any other national security intelligence agency here or elsewhere to turn over national security secrets, but you can absolutely demand the local government budgets!
@@deleted8800 I'm 60. I haven't been "home" in over 30 years, I'm even abroad right now. This guy has ZERO clue what he is talking about--look at my other comments, for 8 minutes I make about a dozen statements that show exactly how wrong he is about EVERYTHING coming out of his mouth.
As a Hungarian, my home country is one bad example of what can go wrong if people don't guard their democracy. We went from one of the most free and freedom-loving places to one of the darkest, most authoritarian places basically overnight. Democracy is fragile. It only takes a few people buying up media companies and some tweaks in media laws, and your democracy and your freedoms are gone. Don't be like us. Guard your democracy. Do your homework. It's impossible to get it back without violence once your freedoms have been taken from you. We have been trying since many many years to get rid of the authoritarian aholes in Hungary since many many years, but unfortunately the Gerrymandering is so extreme and the funding is so imbalanced that it's not possible through peaceful routes. It's just not possible. Guard your democracy people.
im so sorry! brazilian democracy is hanging on a balance rn too because of ppl like trump and elon musk who keep funding, protecting and encouraging ppl who are pro far-right dictatorships its freaking scary
Poland is a good example that it's possible to restore free media. 8 years in power one party bought it, and last year election coalition won in back. It will take years to restore it properly, it has been some kinda chaos as well. But well, it's possible. My boyfriend is Hungarian and he feels pain seeing how autocrats leading your country. I'm just praying someday it change. Let's not lose hope.🙏
A comment about visuals. The fact that Damon chose fo sit directly in the middle section of both rooms while he talks about politics and what some could say are devisive opinions is genius 🌟
Hi Damon, I'm Swiss and yes, we do have access to public information. We even vote on budgets, e.g. for new school buildings, implementation of new laws, etc. We vote on everything because we live in a direct democracy. Not perfect, but probably the best form of democracy, certainly the most transparent.
I just visited Luzern for 2 weeks and I think it’s my favorite country I’ve been to. Hubby and I were just in awe at how everything just made sense there. Public transit was outstanding! The produce: Ahmazing! Everything was so clean and just sensible. Nothing is open on Sundays and it took a bit getting used to, but we still loved it! Planning my return for 2025!
@@Grizzlyneonyes there is kind of. whenever we have to cote we get a little information booklet with the different opinions and the pros and cons and what would happen if voted for or against it
In Switzerland the principle of public access to official documents is actually up to the state to decide. on a federal level it's given. the access to information concerning voting is a different matter and there the government is obligated to provide correct and transparent information otherwise the federal court can annul the votation under certain circumstances
*The revolution will not be televised, but it will be on RUclips:* 0:00 Who am I to talk about this? 1:39 The patterns I’ve noticed 2:30 “The lesser of two evils” + PACS 4:06 Each candidate should receive the same amount of funding like in France 6:22 “Drain the establishment swamp” 7:20 Election day should be a holiday 7:52 All laws should be written in plain English 9:50 Make it simple like The Netherlands 10:34 Public information laws in Sweden, Norway, etc. 11:34 Wait, you want to donate…more? 12:26 The two party system has got to go 13:07 Ranked choice voting needs to be implemented 14:18 “Throwing your vote away” by voting third-party 15:27 All state primary elections need to be on the same day 16:50 Open vs closed primaries 18:01 All candidates should be required to be at debates 19:40 How can you vote? You live in France. 21:07 The divisiveness is caused by the two party system 22:30 The electoral college - honestly WTF 25:25 Why rural towns like the electoral college 26:35 We need a national driver’s license 27:40 Other ways your vote is technically “wasted” 29:28 Americans lack curiosity bc they think the US is the example 32:31 How France runs political debates 33:17 Lightning round 34:42 All politicians should be in therapy 37:06 Just put sales tax in the price, my god 38:21 The drinking age is 21 and it’s taken so seriously 40:49 US universities aren’t schools, they’re businesses 42:39 Work-study is also a way to staff the school cheaply 44:13 How credit works in US vs France 47:46 Tipping culture & the elephant in the room 52:04 Tipping in France 53:31 Being rushed out of restaurants 55:04 US is from the owner POV. Europe is from the consumer POV. 56:07 Look up another country’s system 57:43 Deleted scenes
In Germany, people vote on a Sunday, where all our shops are closed and people don't work (other than firefighters, police etc). I can guarantee, NOONE would vote here if there would be lines like in the US. You can vote in a school or other public building of your district, max 15 min of waiting time. To all your topics I can just say Amen. I was an au pair in 2004 and since then I just cannot believe in how many ways America is hugely unfair and to us Europeans even seem third worldly. You did not talk about health care or social security. The fact that an American can lose everything and become homeless bc a familiy member gets cancer is just unbelievable. Cheers, thanks for this video
Yes! In Brazil it's the same: it's always on a Sunday, and all citizens are obligated to vote (if you don't, you have to pay a fine to the government). Also, those who work in the elections can have a day off of work in the next day. The greatest thing also is that the votes are all electronical, you just type your vote on a machine and by the end of the day everyone already have the results, it's really quick!
An Aussie living in America here! In Australia, every time there’s a redistricting of election boundaries, there’s an independent authority that redraws the boundaries to make it fair for all parties. In the US, the fact that the parties themselves draw their own boundaries (aka gerrymandering) is WILD. Literally rigging the system in your favour.
In Australia we have something called compulsory voting. It seems to work for us - everyone HAS to vote so there's no restrictions, everyone gets heard, the politicians aren't trying to pander to one group over the other etc.
Never actually voted before so I only have a general idea. In Mexico there are a lot of different parties (although they allied this year) to vote for. Local elections get a whole lot more publicity than the presidential, especially compared to the US. No one really talks about which president they’re going to vote for cause it’s gonna be rigged anyways 😂
American here, but lived in Madrid, Spain for 2 years (loved) and now living in Shanghai, China (past 1.5 years). I still go back to the US every 6 months, and each time I go back genuinely feels like the country is falling more apart and the people are so unaware, like everyone has just become reactive slogans to political messaging meant to distract them from the fact that they rights and quality of life is increasingly being siphoned away regardless of the administration. Spain, to me, has a populist-revolutionary slant to their way of life. Their cultural history is filled with intense civil wars over ideologies, and there is a sense of justice that permeates across what they do. And it largely surrounds their ability to maintain and enjoy their way of life. A good focus on quality of life, compared to Americans (actually Americans really... have low quality of life compared and don't fight for it via healthcare, workers rights, etc. but that's a topic for another day). China is most surprising and I'm glad you touched on it a little bit. Their social credit system, I can safely say, is a US invention, there is nothing like that in China, and the closest I can think of to what that is would be is the Credit Score system IN THE UNITED STATES, ironically, lol. Like yeah, that system sounds horrible, but it doesn't exist in China, it's already in practice in the US and we just accept it. The thing I'm most surprised by is the level of intellectual analysis and comparative objectivity to which their media covers things. Their news broadcast on foreign affairs is very factual and does not intersperse political messaging compared to the US (Fox is obviously Republican/conservative, NBC Democrat/liberal-leaning). I think one of the major things people in the West don't understand about China (that I did not until I moved here) is that it's common for people from high school onward to join the communist party in college, but it is a way to make voices heard as they have relative voting power within the party. And China adapted this approach from Singapore, which is a de facto one-party state but within it, has factions for the purpose of letting good ideas, corrective decision making, and healthy debate be fostered and then being able to execute and implement swiftly, which has largely accounted for their ability to instill policies to eradicate poverty, improve youth literacy to 100%, and accelerate the development of new science and technology such as diabetes and cancer therapies that in the US is not pursued because it would not be profitable to pharma/healthcare companies to provide a curative or economic treatment plan. Further, while China operates under the communist party, since Deng, they have continually characterized their country as run by the ideology of "socialism with Chinese characteristics" which is that they recognize Western frameworks can be referential but cannot be adhered to entirely within the context of over 5,000 years of distinctly Chinese systems (such as Confucian-relationships). If you are not a party member, there actually are 'local elections' by where you live, and you can vote for local representatives who represent your district in the city. I think there are obviously still a lot of places for China to work on (e.g. civil society is improving especially amongst younger generations, but can still be quite annoying to deal with) and this is not intended to be a glowing overview of China, merely, I am surprised by how wrong and negative Western media has skewed China (yet seeing China's development, I understand their need to hold China back with hit pieces which I think the US just approved $1.5bn to run anti-China propaganda in 2025). I just think the United States government is not operating in good faith of actually taking care of their people first whereas at least the foundational approach in other countries like Spain and China is that at a minimum government needs to be making the country better for their people.
Hi, Damon! Thanks for the video, I found it really interesting, especially since I am not from the US. I am from Bulgaria and currently we are facing a grave political crisis. We as well have upcoming elections this month but the shocking part is that they are going to be the second parliament elections within this yaar and seventh in a roll for the last 3 years. So we can’t even form a government let alone have a normal governance of the country. One of the major causes for this situation is the low voter turnout which in turn is a result of the extremely low trust in politicians which we have been facing for the past decade. And of course corruption and abuse of office are behind all of this. But these are issues common around the world , so I still can’t wrap my head around why my country can’t seem to find an appropriate mechanism to cope with these phenomena in a manner where they don’t hinder the functioning of the entire country. I think that the whole nation is currently extremely confused on what is going on and how to stop this madness and return to a somewhat normal state.
as a dual citizen i have voted in both American and European elections.. my first time voting in a non-american election, it was SO liberating to see my own beliefs reflected by a party on the ballot!
For anyone that curious about lobbying and how it became legal, look into citizens united vs fec. That is the landmark court case where supreme court ruled that political spending is considered free speech and should be protected under the first amendment. As damon mention, individual citizens have a limit for what they're allowed to donate, but corporations and organizations don't due to citizens united.
This is not correct. For-profit corporations cannot directly donate to any federal candidate-that's illegal. Anyone, individual or corporation, can spend money in support of a candidate without coordinating with that candidate, and that's unlimited. The difference is that most individuals don't have huge amounts of money to do that.
Babe I’m from iraq And always thought the US was a dream now that I’m grown I realized that every place is fucked up in a way it’s just what you’re willing to compromise on with the kind of life you want to live.
@@greenytaddictMy parents are from Mexico and they came here for a better life. Mexico is now improving and becoming a world economy, the crack down on cartels is improving. Even Catholic Mexico was able to vote for a Jewish woman with an agenda for the environment. The U.S. did not want to vote for Bernie because he was Jewish. Not Hilary because she’s a woman and definitely not for Kamala cuz she’s a combination of many things they hate. But a sexual offender with a criminal background like Trump is OK-as long as he’s a white straight man, then it’s ok lol they say it’s about the “economy” but that’s BS. Americans are racist and sexist. It’s something these small rural areas can’t shake off and these rural areas are over represented by the electoral college vote. While the other populous cities are ignored. They basically cap off the votes for large states like California. If we went by popular vote, the presidents would be different. I’m working on my Spanish and other foreign languages because there is a chance this country will have reached its empire fall down sooner than ever. My parents came for a dream and this dream is dying.
Will her degree “hold the same weight” in the US? I know some people are forced to redo their studies in the US when they hold a degree from a foreign university.
The perfect soundtrack while I am knitting my first pair of socks :) Damon, the intentionality you bring to everything really inspires me. Thank you for always doing the most! I'm trying to be more like that - less reserved and more "out-there" whenever I feel like it, without being scared of judgement
Literally knitting a swatch for a beanie right now! Love a thought-provoking knitting session, especially when Damon is keeping it real and creating a space for inquiry and continued learning. You keep doing you, and happy knitting!
As a french, we definitely think that we have it so bad here, we are always protesting against everything lol this video was a great way to reflect on our system hahaha
Don't be fooled, France is on it's way to being just like the USA. They are cutting back on health care coverage, retirement age raised, investment in the military industry, more police and military personnel, and Social Systems are being cut. Then France still thinks cannabis is bad and it is an illegal substance. When in reality, the Pharma Corp can use it to make drugs that you have to pay for and cannabis is not addictive plant. Unlike alcohol, like wine and conquecs. Oh and what happen in July, when the election happened but Macron said he is not going to accept the election results....NFP won the majority not Macron's party!
Protests are the only way to get rights, nobody in power’s just handing them to you cause they just wanna be nice. Protests is how we politely ask for things by showing up in numbers and yelling it on the streets lol « for some reason » they been so villainised in the past 10-15 years (of course we know it’s because we don’t like to see the people united asking for things)
I'm from Poland and my mom worked in a city hall. You could watch the official city hall meetings in person or online. You could apply for the youth council, which I was a part of. The budget is voted on by citizens, not as a whole but some options regarding culture or renovations in the city are chosen by citizens. I belive it was also made available for the public. Ultimately my mom resigned due to political situation but I remember that citizens often came asking about different laws and things or could write an official letter to the City Hall asking about any law etc. My mom was in charge of finances and often had people come to her office with questions.
Idk if every state does this but in Colorado they send you a ballot book explaining all of the laws and then they put an argument for both parties written to show the pros/cons.
Massachusetts does this too. There's even a pdf version available online: www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/download/research-and-statistics/IFV_2024_Large.pdf
As a Brit with dual French/British citizenship i get to vote in both countries. In the UK one of the things which is very different to the US (and IMO better) is the timeframe of an election and implementation of the results. An election campaign only lasts a few weeks (normally around 6 weeks). Election dates aren't fixed, the date is determined by the prime minister (not more than 5 years after the last one) so they can call a snap election. American election campaigns last forever. The vote is always on a Thursday. Votes are counted overnight and the result is generally known by the following morning. That day (Friday) the leader of the largest party able to command a majority in parliament goes to Buckingham Palace and is asked to form a government by the monarch. By Monday the new government normally holds its first cabinet meeting. It's super quick !
In the United States, librarians and other library personnel are paid to help you locate information about laws such as Damon described. Yes, it sucks that you have to ask a person for help, but they would love to receive your phone call or e-mail about questions like these. Depending on how busy they are, you can get an answer in as quickly as 30 minutes. Your tax dollars (local and federal) pay for this. Look for a Federal Depository Library (includes most large city public libraries, and academic libraries); the law (U.S. Code Title 44) requires them to provide government information to the public. But any librarian worth their salt should be able to find you such information, or direct you to someone who can.
ughhhhhhh RIGHT ON TIME! bought your book and very close to purchasing your french courses. i love you as a creator, traveler, & person! truly inspiring me to FULLY step into the person i am meant to be! so Damon thank you 🤍!
Honestly, I want my kids to know that RUclips wasn’t just a time-waster. We had some of the best creators, and I’m excited to show them gems like yours. Every generation seems to get some kind of ick from what the previous one was into, but I want to show them that there was true art, insight, and thoughtfulness out there-even in a sea of trends and clickbait. The wisdom, entertainment, and genuine connection you bring is refreshing. Thank you, Damon, for creating something so meaningful and for putting in the effort to inspire and educate us in a way that feels real.
Every point you bring up is valid! I am an American living in Amsterdam for 44 yr. All that you talk about are thoughts i have as well. We need a new system in so may ways in the US!
Hi Damon, just some food for thought: if anyone is interested in learning more in-depth about different voting systems and scenarios, Veritasium published a video not long ago titled "Why Democracy is Mathematically Impossible." He goes deep into which voting system is actually mathematically more democratic. Here in Brazil, we have a system similar to France, based on your description. In bigger elections (state governors, presidents, etc.), if a candidate doesn’t surpass 50% in the first round with all the parties, it goes to a second round, but only if that condition is met. If a candidate gets 51%, then it’s theirs. I used to think it sounded reasonable, but Derek's video really opened my eyes to the fact that, even with this system, we still often stick to two major parties. Anyway, just wanted to share in case anyone else is interested. Ranked voting for the win! (everywhere)
@@LuizGustavoCasagrande Ironically the same 2 parties are the ones that everyone votes for. So it’s useless until the Brazilian people stop voting for them. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 I root for Brazil but damn it’s hard
I wish we could also implement an age cap for politicians. It’s one of the only positions that doesn’t have one and it’s absolutely bonkers. We don’t need a president who can barely comprehend where they are to run the country
@@avalondreaming1433age caps aren’t discriminatory, it’s just a harsh reality that as people age they lose mental acuity and ability to stay up to date with current issues. Similarly you wouldn’t want a 20 year old in a major position of power because of the inverse, they (typically) lack the experience and understanding of politics to make informed decisions on a wide scale. RBG was amazing, but also an outlier. Most people who reach their 70s to 80s are in decline.
I overheard baristas at a local coffee shop tell someone the tips don't even go to them.... I'm tired of being asked to throw my money in every direction!!!
I'm Finnish, and indeed, according to the constitution, section 12, "Documents and recordings in the possession of the authorities are public, unless their publication has for compelling reasons been specifically restricted by an Act. Everyone has the right of access to public documents and recordings." In addition, according to another law, it is even the authorities' responsibility to be active in sharing information publicly. Not only is it useful for the individual (though I've never asked an authority to share documents myself), but also the press. In addition, plenary sessions of the Finnish Parliament are always broadcast on TV.
I'm also originally from the Midwest, and have been living abroad (mostly in Europe) since 2012 (29 now). Tipping, the inability to switch to the metric system, and our messed-up healthcare system are often mentioned in regards to the United States, but one of my biggest points of contention with the U.S. since moving abroad is somewhat taboo and, in my experience, very few people outside of the U.S. are even aware of it - the prevalence of infant circumcision. The majority of male infants in the U.S. are circumcised within days of being born. It's such a deeply engrained part of the culture that I didn't even really start to see it for what it was until YEARS after leaving the United States. In the U.S., most men grow up hearing that they were circumcized for "health reasons" and because it "looks better", and barely anyone questions the practice. I was no different for the first 18 years of my life. But then I left the cultural bubble (isolation chamber?) of the United States, and as a gay man, I quickly discovered in every single place I've lived since leaving the U.S. that circumcision was NOT normal (Germany, France, China, Russia and the Czech Republic to date). I still remember being genuinely shocked when I first found out that the vast majority of men aren't circumcised in Germany - "What do you mean you can just leave *it* on?" However, over the years, that initial shock shifted to dismay and anger. How could this be allowed to happen to me? Why all the talk about health when the vast majority of men in the world aren't suffering from having their genitals intact? The initial confusion and grief were aggravated by the general apathy and even ridicule I experienced from other Americans when I brought up these questions. This issue like no other has shown me to what extent we are a product of our cultural upbringing. People truly will and do consider anything normal if you introduce them to it at a young enough age. At any rate, it's an enormous weight of my shoulders here in Europe knowing that the vast majority of people around me also reject this practice. It's been very validating to see the disbelief in their eyes when I tell them about what so many baby boys in the U.S. are subjected to right after being born. I might not have been able to choose to be born in a country that aligns with my values, but at least I can choose to live in one, and that brings me peace.
I guess it depends on where you live. I'm also gay and from the US but have spent a good portion of my adult life in the North Africa/Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Pakistan) and in that region guys tend to assume Americans are uncircumcised like most Westerners and are quite relieved to find out I am. I would definitely feel self-conscious there if I were uncut. Just anecdotally, I knew a few guys from non-circumcising cultures (Ecuador, Spain, Venezuela) who were circumcised for health reasons as children; they don't mind being circumcised but almost all of them resent having it done at that age, saying that it was quite traumatic.
@@alejandrocandelario9621 While the attitude towards circumcision and genital cutting depends on where you live, the morality of the issue remains the same in my eyes. Muslims circumcise for religious/cultural reasons. In several Muslim-majority countries, female genital cutting is also extremely prevalent (in 2014 in Egypt, for example, over 90% of women between 15 and 49 had been "circumcised"). The motivation for cutting women in these places is essentially identical as with cutting men: cultural and pseudo-health reasons. At the end of the day, cultural reasons are not a valid reason for denying someone their bodily autonomy. People should be able to decide if they want to alter their body as an adult, but doing so to a child/infant is harmful and wrong. Regarding your last point - there is also plenty of research to indicate that circumcision can be very traumatic and even leave an imprint on infants' brains. Just because we don't actively remember it happening doesn't mean it didn't leave its marks (beyond the obvious scar).
I don't know if it'll make you feel any better but the rate of newborn circumcision in the United States has been consistently declining for decades. These days there's about a 50/50 chance of a newborn male being subject to the practice.
@bexeila I think the current rate is a lot higher than that. Stats can be very skewed by the fact that they usually don't account for circumcisions done in private setting, which is more common these days with fewer states covering the procedure, and the fact that most of the people who don't circumcise are immigrants from non-circumcising cultures.
In England they’ve started adding on a 12.5% tip automatically to most bills without asking you - which puts it on you as a customer to ask them to take it off. And that always feels rude so we often leave the tip on - even if it’s bad service, it sucks!
one time in romania, i was ordering my meal and they asked at the register how much i wanted to tip…😳🤔 i was like “…but huh? nothing has happened yet?” i guess it’s the same in coffeeshops in the US though. you tip before the service even happens lol
@@damondominiqueThe same thing at the restaurant my friend & I tried-right next door to my house (in Kamala's hometown). In Japan, soba noodles are considered a mere street snack that cost maybe ¥600/bowl, but the 2 of us were charged over $100 (this in a neighborhood referred to as "impoverished").
Such a wonderful and thought provoking discussion. So many systems need improving! I wanted to comment specifically on the tipping part of this conversation. For context I’m from Australia and tipping is not a thing here at all. I honestly felt that when I was in the US and tipping at places like Starbucks, that I was essentially paying extra money so no one spat in my drink. Tipping felt so disingenuous. It felt like I was paying extra to be treated human, paying in the hopes of receiving kindness that should be the baseline expectation of a person performing their job. It also felt performative that people work for tips, it’s not really true kindness. You’re paying for the absence of a negative consequence. Of course, I understand the necessity of tipping when staff aren’t being paid appropriately but like, can we not just pay staff appropriately? The system needs changing. However, it likely won’t change because the people at the top benefit from the current form with extremely cheap labour. Feels exploitative.
55:19 is so huge!!! I loved this whole video, and as a US citizen I enjoyed how much you knew about the voting process and Electoral College. I agree with everything you said, and have been talking to my cousin about all of this too.
You said out loud in a clear way how I think and feel about all the same things. Thank you for clearing up that I'm not crazy. This helped me make some very important decisions. Glad I stumbled onto your channel. ps I'm American looking to move abroad.
I'm not a US citizen, I'm German living in The Netherlands, and am becoming increasingly critical the more I learn about connections between Colonialism, Capitalism, the Patriarchy, and how these global systems of oppression connect, including our education system that wants us to become uncritical and unaware obedient workers under Capitalism. It all depends on the othering (deeming some superior and others inferior/ collateral damage), oppression and exploitation of nature, labour and social reproduction - and its tearing us apart. When Kamala first announced running for presidency I was happy to hear it, but now I understand how messed up it is you can only choose "the lesser of two evil" and how bleek this is for such a huge and influential country. This is hardly a real Democracy, which is ironic, given that the US boasts about it and wants to impose their idea of it to others. The system is rotten and its becoming increasingly visible to the naked eye through what is happening to 🍉🍉🍉. We need direct democracy and restore the power to the people! :)
2:48 ignorance is bliss... EVERYONE knows about the independents... NO ONE VOTES FOR THEM because they do not stand a chance... ever. The only one who DID, dropped out, only to try to return later and he had already destroyed his chances on his own.
I am a member of one of the two major American political parties, and I briefly worked in politics. I soon realized that most of politics revolves much more around people's egos over doing the right thing or actually helping Americans. I left feelng so disillusioned for a lot of the reasons you described. Both parties are bad and disingenuous for different reasons. I just feel apathetic now. That being said, I've also lived in France, and I think it would be easy for a lot of people to romanticize the European way of doing things. There are certainly pros and cons to everything. (ex. all bureaucracy is bad, but French bureaucracy hits different).
You said so many things that I rant to my friends/family about! Like honestly, the US is something else and there are so many things in our system that we could change. I travel and I envy some things in other countries after I learn about their systems.
Here in Nevada, it was actually a ballot question to amend rank choice voting!!!! As well as, other states already have rank choice voting. Its very slowly happening and catching on
In Germany, we vote exclusively on Sundays because most people are off that day! Sunday is a general rest day as all shops are closed and only restaurants are open, so most do find the time to go and vote If you, however, do have to work, you can always vote via post beforehand. I think it's the only other solution that makes sense besides making it a holiday
Regarding the public records thing, actually anyone can file a freedom of information act request or FOIA to get records from government agencies. But whether or not you will get a response this century and how much it will cost you can vary. But you’d be surprised at some state public information laws and what records you can actually get.
I just now learned that if a third party gets 5% of the popular vote, they are eligible to get government funding in future elections Even if a third doesn’t win this time around, the two-party system can finally be broken, and our candidates will finally actually have to listen to our wants if they want to win (shocker)… Love that that little tidbit has been hidden from us all this time
i’ve followed you for so many years and as someone who has yet to go out of the country, i’ve always appreciated your insights about a worldly way of living-what people value in politics and culture that starkly contrasts itself from america (kinda touching on the point of americans thinking that their way of living is the model representation) also, i really appreciate you talking about topics that i don’t feel like get much coverage, especially since people are to scared to admit that these things can be really corrupt but we all go along w/ it anyway (college being a scam, credit scores) and lastly, you’re totally right about sports teams. my parents are die hard sports fans but as my dad always says “it’s all about the money” in regards to what players are traded in/drafted, etc. i always thought it was so weird because i would be trying to get into a team but then the next year the players would change, where’s the integrity in that??? it can feel super superficial, even a way for someone to believe in something so they can mask the areas of their life where they might not feel a strong belief
thank you for your comment!!! and about the sports thing: it would make sense if youre supporting the home team and everyone on the team is actually from your hometown, for example, but in college football or the NFL people are scouted and traded each season so…? ANYWAY 😅
@@damondominique you’re so welcome!!! yeah i guess maybe people value that their team is representing their hometown or area close to it in the big leagues more so than the teammate semantics??? cant really relate bahaha sending love!!💟❗️
You mentioned nothing will change every 4 years if we don’t vote differently or do something different, and I fully agree. This is a comment to remind folks there’s state and local elections every year, sometimes multiple in 1 year. State legislators pass legislation and policy every single year that is open to testimony and supporting/fighting. To challenge the electoral college, winner take all, etc. policies it takes influencing state policy (ie only 2 states, Maine and NE aren’t winner take all for the electoral college and that alone would be a huge difference). So just a reminder we also can’t just disappear for the next for years and expect stuff to change in 4 years with no action or efforts!!
I love your gripes. The problem is that people are not engaged in civics like they should be. They are sheep and simply play follow the leader. It is important to contact your federal, state and local officials and tell them your ideas or problems. I agree with you, even the 3rd party candidates should have an equal footing in all elections. But again, people like to follow the leader, but if the leader is going in a circle, nothing will ever change.
We should buy his book courses anything to support him ,his sharing of knowledge & experience is worth every penny ! Loved tbis video definitly buying his book🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉❤
About voting: in Finland, the official voting day is a Sunday. You can also go vote before that, for around a week before the actual date. There are specific places in each town, and you just need an ID. No registration or anything needed, you just go to a local library, school or whatever and give your vote, takes 5 minutes.
The biggest problem is that neither the primaries or general election are direct elections. We as people vote, but that vote doesn’t elect anyone. The conventions select the candidates after primaries. And the electoral college elect the president. There’s nothing that says those people have to vote how the people voted. It’s barbaric. This video reminds me so much of the first conversations I had with my French coworkers haha
This video just made me think about myself as an American in America. My own family doesn’t know what going on with things we should be doing or know as a human on this earth birth on this soil by faith
Maybe they are doing voter registration along with the license. I don’t remember. They will ask which party for voter registration though. That’s what the primaries go by (elections handled by the states) and that’s how the parties know who to send all the campaign mail, emails and texts Votes are anonymous
A comment from the Netherlands. I want to share a bit about the public information law that we have. It's called the 'woo' and it stands for law(=Wet), open/transparant (=Open), government (Overheid). As a Dutch citizen you can request information about what the government is doing and why. I do not know whether a lot of people do though. In my experience as a Journalism student, this law is mostly used by journalists. It makes their job of controlling the government easier. I believe that independent and good journalism is necessary for a healthy democracy, and therefore I am very glad that we have this law. On the other hand, there are government institutions that take a very long time to provide requested information. The law states that the government has to provide the information within a month, but that does not always happen. If the government exceeds this time limit, you could go to court though. Another thing that can happen is that government institutions send back black-lacquered documents. The government can't share all information, due to safety and privacy reasons, but some people doubt whether they only hide sensitive information or also other information they want to keep from the public (for other reasons than safety and privacy). The law and its implementation is not perfect, yet I am pleased with the law's existence and the underlying message. The Dutch are allowed to know what the government is doing and why. It's a democracy, the people are the boss. (Not literally ofc, it's not an anarchy.)
Good points. As someone who works in a city hall in the U.S., we have what's called a public records request. We have 10 days to produce any documents related to the request. The only things we are allowed to redact are the public's personal info (i.e: a private household utility bill payers account information/residential address/etc.). It is against the law to withhold any information from the public (can't speak for the CIA, though). We are even required to post itemized lists of all spending for the year to the public and has to be approved by city council.
This was so informational and entertaining. I didn't even realize that this was an hour. I turned 18 in March, and I took my first trip outside of the US just this past week (October 6th-13th). I visited the UK, and the most subtle changes were such a breath of fresh air, (adding tax in the price, etc). It really does make you wonder, "Why don't we do this in the US? That seems like common sense."
53:08 Don't worry. We, as Europeans, take advantage of the American tipping culture😂😂 My younger brother used to work part-time at an airport at a food kiosk and every time a plane from America were to land, he would put up a tipping jar😂😂
that intro ALONE is so iconic, first and foremost!!!!! As an American living in Spain for 7 years now, I feel good about my decision to move here because the more time passes... I am less and less likely to ever live in the US again. It feels so dystopian and there are so many things that the US needs to catch up on comparing it to the rest of the worlllllddddddd.
The electoral college just doesn't make sense to me (as a foreigner). Like, it's always up to the few swing states?? Ultimately, these states are the ones that determine the future of the us for the next years? What?
I know it's the United STATES, but something I hate about the US is how different your life and experience can be depending on what state you live in, despite everyone being in the same country.
I’m actually happy that it’s state by state. In California, there are policies to protecting immigrants and free healthcare for people in low income brackets or anyone above 50, immigrant or not. I wouldn’t want to take away healthcare from anyone. Other states are against even offering affordable healthcare to their native citizens. That’s crazy.
@ but that just speaks to my original point. The quality of your life varies so much because each state gets to decide different things. What if you weren’t from CA and were poor? It’s not easy to just move to a different state and you have to suffer because of where you were born.
@@thepearlmoon what I mean is that I wouldn’t want to suffer because another state voted against affordable healthcare. If we went by those policies especially with this new presidency coming up, if it were up to them the whole country would not have that option. Luckily, in California-affordable or free healthcare is something we all agree on. Everyone should have it regardless of citizenship or money. Even the homeless need access to healthcare. It is vital. If we didn’t have that state freedom, the next presidency would affect this for us. But they can’t because it’s our state policy to protect healthcare for all. Our healthcare is not perfect but it’s a work in progress. It could be better but taking it from low income people is not an option for the future. My dad lives in Texas and I feel terrible that he can’t afford healthcare. Texas does not offer free healthcare assistance for low income, homeless people and definitely not for non citizens. That’s not the kind of policy I would ever want in my state. It’s cruel. But he lives there cuz it’s cheaper. California is expensive and it sucks. But it’s a work in progress. You can always choose to move to a state that has your preference way of life. I do not wish to live in states where the access to weapons is easier and valued over the access to free healthcare.
I feel you Damon. I lived abroad twice, currently stateside but planning to leave again. Its ghetto out here. Just having to navigate the healthcare system and work these past 3 years have been awful. Hate it here.
I have lived in Spain at least three months each year since 1977 and I certainly know what you are saying. I have been preaching to whomever will listen for over 40 years! Our country is a joke and is not "democratic". What you said about donation free voting, Is almost my mantra, but it normally falls on deaf ears.
Canadian living in Toronto here, the US system is not aligned with the current values and systematic structure we have in Canada of course, but alot of it is not too far off either. I spent the last year in Sicily Italy, where i studied abroad and ever since I’ve gained that perspective it hasn’t been the same for me here. I feel myself criticizing the system more, and asking why this why that- more than ever before. Then here’s where I ask, what can I do about it🤣- learn a new language move to Europe and adopt their societal ways and live this alternative life. Sure great let’s do it…..but how do I get a job, how can I get a place, how expensive is it. How do I obtain a visa and how long will it last, do i need a college degree? Trust me i want to escape western society for all the reasons mentioned in the video, but how!! Literally how.
I LOVED this video! I'm a dual citizen (Mexico, U.S.) and it's always felt so weird because my whole life the U.S. was extremely idealized; then we got here and turns out it's also fucked up lmao
Hey Damon! Swede here: We have the ”offentlighetsprincipen” = The principle of public access . Its a law that gives people the right to access public documents and information held by the government. It means that anyone can read or request government documents, unless they are classified for reasons like security or privacy. Basically you have access to EVERY document that passes through a goverment departement, including: protocols, emails sent through goverment employees, budgets, bank activity like receipts or payments, school grades etc. Exceptions are classified information that compromises security or privacy (although it’s very rare). The law also states that government employees upon a request have to share the requested information whitount delay. And if you’re not sure about the information you’re seeking you can ask them to find the right documents for you, but then you have to explain what you’re searching for in as much details as possible. As a journalism student I do this all the time and it works great!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Not Damon softlaunching his 2050 presidential nomination campaign
i would become a citizen just to vote
It needs to be sooner lol
I would vote for Damon
...and we didn't even talk about health care
And gun control gworl what’s up with the guns
I was in favor of universal healthcare, but then I saw how euthanasia is on the rise in countries like Canada because actually treating people is more expensive than killing them. In the UK, it's not uncommon for children to be taken off life support without the parents' consent. The American system definitely has room for improvement, but neither is perfect.
Damon, I just watched the entire video from start to finish. First... Amen. Very well said. I'm an American that agrees with literally everything you had to say. Second, you got me fucked up with this comment I'm replying to because WHAT do you MEAN we just watched an HOUR LONG video and DIDN'T EVEN GET TO HEALTHCARE. We need help...
how does it feel to be one of the rare westeners to have visited gaza before it has been destroyed by US bombs?
As a Canadian, the claim that it’s cheaper to kill someone (or convince them to die) than to treat someone is a pretty dishonest assessment of the actual situation around healthcare and medically assisted death up here - namely private interest groups and the (overwhelmingly conservative) politicians undercutting public funding and deliberately ratfucking public services in order to make way for privatization. Framing this as an issue with universal healthcare doesn’t make sense at all, given that you really don’t hear about this particular issue in Switzerland, Italy, Austria, etc. Shit, even countries like Japan or South Korea - both with superior healthcare systems AND notoriously worse s**c*d* rates - don’t attempt to make that specious correlation.
Damon. It’s not just you. The older I get the more dystopian living in US feels. No one worries about the right things. Everything is about money. Down is up and up is down. People think the world started the day the US became a country and the Constitution is infallible. The land is being destroyed and polluted. People are struggling. It’s all about money. I’m exhausted. This video is singing my song.
Let me tell you, it's a world problem, not just a US problem. I live in the Netherlands and have the same experience. In the end everything, in many places is always about money.
honestly i genuinely think it’s always been this way, and we realize it the older we get bc our rose colored glasses come off & disillusionment kicks in.
It’s wild because you go to school and they indoctrinate you with all this patriotic bullshit to make you feed into the system that is actually not about any of those things but about money
It’s crazy that in school they indoctrinate you with all of this patriotic bullshit when the only thing that matters is money. The US is a business
I love how people will say it’s not only the US it’s the rest of the world too…. Yet, these first world countries saying this have healthcare, education, and don’t have gangs in their police force. The US is #1 in fascism
damon not being in the US and still informed more than the average american. lol
it is shocking
He is not informed at all. This video was baffling. Has Damon never heard of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)? That's our federal law for public information, and there are state and local equivalents. Of course you cannot demand the CIA or any other national security intelligence agency here or elsewhere to turn over national security secrets, but you can absolutely demand the local government budgets!
He's clueless...
exactly why he’s more informed bc he’s not deeply embedded in the toxicity that is in the US😢
@@deleted8800 I'm 60. I haven't been "home" in over 30 years, I'm even abroad right now. This guy has ZERO clue what he is talking about--look at my other comments, for 8 minutes I make about a dozen statements that show exactly how wrong he is about EVERYTHING coming out of his mouth.
As a Hungarian, my home country is one bad example of what can go wrong if people don't guard their democracy. We went from one of the most free and freedom-loving places to one of the darkest, most authoritarian places basically overnight. Democracy is fragile. It only takes a few people buying up media companies and some tweaks in media laws, and your democracy and your freedoms are gone. Don't be like us. Guard your democracy. Do your homework. It's impossible to get it back without violence once your freedoms have been taken from you. We have been trying since many many years to get rid of the authoritarian aholes in Hungary since many many years, but unfortunately the Gerrymandering is so extreme and the funding is so imbalanced that it's not possible through peaceful routes. It's just not possible.
Guard your democracy people.
im so sorry! brazilian democracy is hanging on a balance rn too because of ppl like trump and elon musk who keep funding, protecting and encouraging ppl who are pro far-right dictatorships
its freaking scary
Omg what a powerful comment that was, good luck in your fight for freedom, on my way to find out about Hungarian political situation !
Poland is a good example that it's possible to restore free media. 8 years in power one party bought it, and last year election coalition won in back. It will take years to restore it properly, it has been some kinda chaos as well. But well, it's possible. My boyfriend is Hungarian and he feels pain seeing how autocrats leading your country. I'm just praying someday it change. Let's not lose hope.🙏
Praying for a change in my beloved home country Magyarország/Hungary❤️🇭🇺 Várjuk a változást🥹
Reading this after the US election hits differently 💔💕
Sending you luck in your country as well
A comment about visuals. The fact that Damon chose fo sit directly in the middle section of both rooms while he talks about politics and what some could say are devisive opinions is genius 🌟
I also noticed!
Hi Damon, I'm Swiss and yes, we do have access to public information. We even vote on budgets, e.g. for new school buildings, implementation of new laws, etc. We vote on everything because we live in a direct democracy. Not perfect, but probably the best form of democracy, certainly the most transparent.
Cool. Is there system to educate everyone (during and/or after school age) so they make informed decisions?
We vote on budgets for school stuff (getting a new gymnasium, for example) in the US , too
I just visited Luzern for 2 weeks and I think it’s my favorite country I’ve been to. Hubby and I were just in awe at how everything just made sense there. Public transit was outstanding! The produce: Ahmazing! Everything was so clean and just sensible. Nothing is open on Sundays and it took a bit getting used to, but we still loved it! Planning my return for 2025!
@@Grizzlyneonyes there is kind of. whenever we have to cote we get a little information booklet with the different opinions and the pros and cons and what would happen if voted for or against it
In Switzerland the principle of public access to official documents is actually up to the state to decide. on a federal level it's given. the access to information concerning voting is a different matter and there the government is obligated to provide correct and transparent information otherwise the federal court can annul the votation under certain circumstances
Not doing a debate is like refusing an interview but demanding the job…like..
we are being BLESSED with these 1 hour videossssss!!! Thank you Damon. The hard work is truly appreciated
*The revolution will not be televised, but it will be on RUclips:*
0:00 Who am I to talk about this?
1:39 The patterns I’ve noticed
2:30 “The lesser of two evils” + PACS
4:06 Each candidate should receive the same amount of funding like in France
6:22 “Drain the establishment swamp”
7:20 Election day should be a holiday
7:52 All laws should be written in plain English
9:50 Make it simple like The Netherlands
10:34 Public information laws in Sweden, Norway, etc.
11:34 Wait, you want to donate…more?
12:26 The two party system has got to go
13:07 Ranked choice voting needs to be implemented
14:18 “Throwing your vote away” by voting third-party
15:27 All state primary elections need to be on the same day
16:50 Open vs closed primaries
18:01 All candidates should be required to be at debates
19:40 How can you vote? You live in France.
21:07 The divisiveness is caused by the two party system
22:30 The electoral college - honestly WTF
25:25 Why rural towns like the electoral college
26:35 We need a national driver’s license
27:40 Other ways your vote is technically “wasted”
29:28 Americans lack curiosity bc they think the US is the example
32:31 How France runs political debates
33:17 Lightning round
34:42 All politicians should be in therapy
37:06 Just put sales tax in the price, my god
38:21 The drinking age is 21 and it’s taken so seriously
40:49 US universities aren’t schools, they’re businesses
42:39 Work-study is also a way to staff the school cheaply
44:13 How credit works in US vs France
47:46 Tipping culture & the elephant in the room
52:04 Tipping in France
53:31 Being rushed out of restaurants
55:04 US is from the owner POV. Europe is from the consumer POV.
56:07 Look up another country’s system
57:43 Deleted scenes
thanks! can you pin this to the top?
In Germany, people vote on a Sunday, where all our shops are closed and people don't work (other than firefighters, police etc). I can guarantee, NOONE would vote here if there would be lines like in the US. You can vote in a school or other public building of your district, max 15 min of waiting time. To all your topics I can just say Amen. I was an au pair in 2004 and since then I just cannot believe in how many ways America is hugely unfair and to us Europeans even seem third worldly. You did not talk about health care or social security. The fact that an American can lose everything and become homeless bc a familiy member gets cancer is just unbelievable. Cheers, thanks for this video
Yes! In Brazil it's the same: it's always on a Sunday, and all citizens are obligated to vote (if you don't, you have to pay a fine to the government). Also, those who work in the elections can have a day off of work in the next day. The greatest thing also is that the votes are all electronical, you just type your vote on a machine and by the end of the day everyone already have the results, it's really quick!
An Aussie living in America here! In Australia, every time there’s a redistricting of election boundaries, there’s an independent authority that redraws the boundaries to make it fair for all parties. In the US, the fact that the parties themselves draw their own boundaries (aka gerrymandering) is WILD. Literally rigging the system in your favour.
Oh and if you're in the comments and from another country, please do inform us how things are done in your country! I'm genuinely curious.
In Australia we have something called compulsory voting. It seems to work for us - everyone HAS to vote so there's no restrictions, everyone gets heard, the politicians aren't trying to pander to one group over the other etc.
Never actually voted before so I only have a general idea. In Mexico there are a lot of different parties (although they allied this year) to vote for. Local elections get a whole lot more publicity than the presidential, especially compared to the US. No one really talks about which president they’re going to vote for cause it’s gonna be rigged anyways 😂
American here, but lived in Madrid, Spain for 2 years (loved) and now living in Shanghai, China (past 1.5 years). I still go back to the US every 6 months, and each time I go back genuinely feels like the country is falling more apart and the people are so unaware, like everyone has just become reactive slogans to political messaging meant to distract them from the fact that they rights and quality of life is increasingly being siphoned away regardless of the administration.
Spain, to me, has a populist-revolutionary slant to their way of life. Their cultural history is filled with intense civil wars over ideologies, and there is a sense of justice that permeates across what they do. And it largely surrounds their ability to maintain and enjoy their way of life. A good focus on quality of life, compared to Americans (actually Americans really... have low quality of life compared and don't fight for it via healthcare, workers rights, etc. but that's a topic for another day).
China is most surprising and I'm glad you touched on it a little bit. Their social credit system, I can safely say, is a US invention, there is nothing like that in China, and the closest I can think of to what that is would be is the Credit Score system IN THE UNITED STATES, ironically, lol. Like yeah, that system sounds horrible, but it doesn't exist in China, it's already in practice in the US and we just accept it. The thing I'm most surprised by is the level of intellectual analysis and comparative objectivity to which their media covers things. Their news broadcast on foreign affairs is very factual and does not intersperse political messaging compared to the US (Fox is obviously Republican/conservative, NBC Democrat/liberal-leaning). I think one of the major things people in the West don't understand about China (that I did not until I moved here) is that it's common for people from high school onward to join the communist party in college, but it is a way to make voices heard as they have relative voting power within the party. And China adapted this approach from Singapore, which is a de facto one-party state but within it, has factions for the purpose of letting good ideas, corrective decision making, and healthy debate be fostered and then being able to execute and implement swiftly, which has largely accounted for their ability to instill policies to eradicate poverty, improve youth literacy to 100%, and accelerate the development of new science and technology such as diabetes and cancer therapies that in the US is not pursued because it would not be profitable to pharma/healthcare companies to provide a curative or economic treatment plan. Further, while China operates under the communist party, since Deng, they have continually characterized their country as run by the ideology of "socialism with Chinese characteristics" which is that they recognize Western frameworks can be referential but cannot be adhered to entirely within the context of over 5,000 years of distinctly Chinese systems (such as Confucian-relationships). If you are not a party member, there actually are 'local elections' by where you live, and you can vote for local representatives who represent your district in the city.
I think there are obviously still a lot of places for China to work on (e.g. civil society is improving especially amongst younger generations, but can still be quite annoying to deal with) and this is not intended to be a glowing overview of China, merely, I am surprised by how wrong and negative Western media has skewed China (yet seeing China's development, I understand their need to hold China back with hit pieces which I think the US just approved $1.5bn to run anti-China propaganda in 2025). I just think the United States government is not operating in good faith of actually taking care of their people first whereas at least the foundational approach in other countries like Spain and China is that at a minimum government needs to be making the country better for their people.
Hi, Damon! Thanks for the video, I found it really interesting, especially since I am not from the US. I am from Bulgaria and currently we are facing a grave political crisis. We as well have upcoming elections this month but the shocking part is that they are going to be the second parliament elections within this yaar and seventh in a roll for the last 3 years. So we can’t even form a government let alone have a normal governance of the country. One of the major causes for this situation is the low voter turnout which in turn is a result of the extremely low trust in politicians which we have been facing for the past decade. And of course corruption and abuse of office are behind all of this. But these are issues common around the world , so I still can’t wrap my head around why my country can’t seem to find an appropriate mechanism to cope with these phenomena in a manner where they don’t hinder the functioning of the entire country. I think that the whole nation is currently extremely confused on what is going on and how to stop this madness and return to a somewhat normal state.
as a dual citizen i have voted in both American and European elections.. my first time voting in a non-american election, it was SO liberating to see my own beliefs reflected by a party on the ballot!
imagine that!!! 😅❤
I thought you couldn't not vote in other countries once you vote in American election.
@@hungrydachshund8236 who told you that? of course you can
@@nina-w I was lied to.
these types of conversations are SO important, bless you for your serviceeeee
For anyone that curious about lobbying and how it became legal, look into citizens united vs fec. That is the landmark court case where supreme court ruled that political spending is considered free speech and should be protected under the first amendment. As damon mention, individual citizens have a limit for what they're allowed to donate, but corporations and organizations don't due to citizens united.
This is not correct. For-profit corporations cannot directly donate to any federal candidate-that's illegal. Anyone, individual or corporation, can spend money in support of a candidate without coordinating with that candidate, and that's unlimited. The difference is that most individuals don't have huge amounts of money to do that.
Babe I’m from iraq
And always thought the US was a dream now that I’m grown I realized that every place is fucked up in a way it’s just what you’re willing to compromise on with the kind of life you want to live.
This is such a balanced way to look at it and I agree.
100%
Yup
Yep, my parents thought they were gonna live the American dream here. And now I'm working to get out.😂
@@greenytaddictMy parents are from Mexico and they came here for a better life. Mexico is now improving and becoming a world economy, the crack down on cartels is improving. Even Catholic Mexico was able to vote for a Jewish woman with an agenda for the environment. The U.S. did not want to vote for Bernie because he was Jewish. Not Hilary because she’s a woman and definitely not for Kamala cuz she’s a combination of many things they hate. But a sexual offender with a criminal background like Trump is OK-as long as he’s a white straight man, then it’s ok lol they say it’s about the “economy” but that’s BS. Americans are racist and sexist. It’s something these small rural areas can’t shake off and these rural areas are over represented by the electoral college vote. While the other populous cities are ignored. They basically cap off the votes for large states like California. If we went by popular vote, the presidents would be different. I’m working on my Spanish and other foreign languages because there is a chance this country will have reached its empire fall down sooner than ever. My parents came for a dream and this dream is dying.
when shipping ur child halfway across the world and flying her back twice a year is cheaper than going in-state to the college 3hrs away 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Will her degree “hold the same weight” in the US? I know some people are forced to redo their studies in the US when they hold a degree from a foreign university.
@@CheRhysDepends on the country & degree type/major
The perfect soundtrack while I am knitting my first pair of socks :)
Damon, the intentionality you bring to everything really inspires me. Thank you for always doing the most! I'm trying to be more like that - less reserved and more "out-there" whenever I feel like it, without being scared of judgement
Literally knitting a swatch for a beanie right now! Love a thought-provoking knitting session, especially when Damon is keeping it real and creating a space for inquiry and continued learning.
You keep doing you, and happy knitting!
As a french, we definitely think that we have it so bad here, we are always protesting against everything lol this video was a great way to reflect on our system hahaha
I feel like everyone does this. The grass is always greener on the other side!
Don't be fooled, France is on it's way to being just like the USA. They are cutting back on health care coverage, retirement age raised, investment in the military industry, more police and military personnel, and Social Systems are being cut. Then France still thinks cannabis is bad and it is an illegal substance. When in reality, the Pharma Corp can use it to make drugs that you have to pay for and cannabis is not addictive plant. Unlike alcohol, like wine and conquecs. Oh and what happen in July, when the election happened but Macron said he is not going to accept the election results....NFP won the majority not Macron's party!
Protests can be good. They are a form of civic expression!
Protests are the only way to get rights, nobody in power’s just handing them to you cause they just wanna be nice. Protests is how we politely ask for things by showing up in numbers and yelling it on the streets lol « for some reason » they been so villainised in the past 10-15 years (of course we know it’s because we don’t like to see the people united asking for things)
justement on manifeste pour garder notre démocratie et qualite de vie (qui se perd de jour en jour)
I'm from Poland and my mom worked in a city hall. You could watch the official city hall meetings in person or online. You could apply for the youth council, which I was a part of. The budget is voted on by citizens, not as a whole but some options regarding culture or renovations in the city are chosen by citizens. I belive it was also made available for the public. Ultimately my mom resigned due to political situation but I remember that citizens often came asking about different laws and things or could write an official letter to the City Hall asking about any law etc. My mom was in charge of finances and often had people come to her office with questions.
omg never stop doing these 1 hour videos im literally obsessed by them obsessssssssssed
Idk if every state does this but in Colorado they send you a ballot book explaining all of the laws and then they put an argument for both parties written to show the pros/cons.
Massachusetts does this too. There's even a pdf version available online: www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/download/research-and-statistics/IFV_2024_Large.pdf
They do this in California too
Not in New York :(
I will be sharing this video to everyone I know. These are the type of discussions we need - thought provoking about the system.
As a Brit with dual French/British citizenship i get to vote in both countries. In the UK one of the things which is very different to the US (and IMO better) is the timeframe of an election and implementation of the results. An election campaign only lasts a few weeks (normally around 6 weeks). Election dates aren't fixed, the date is determined by the prime minister (not more than 5 years after the last one) so they can call a snap election. American election campaigns last forever.
The vote is always on a Thursday. Votes are counted overnight and the result is generally known by the following morning. That day (Friday) the leader of the largest party able to command a majority in parliament goes to Buckingham Palace and is asked to form a government by the monarch. By Monday the new government normally holds its first cabinet meeting. It's super quick !
watching this in my nyc sublease that I got from the newsletter :)
In the United States, librarians and other library personnel are paid to help you locate information about laws such as Damon described. Yes, it sucks that you have to ask a person for help, but they would love to receive your phone call or e-mail about questions like these. Depending on how busy they are, you can get an answer in as quickly as 30 minutes. Your tax dollars (local and federal) pay for this. Look for a Federal Depository Library (includes most large city public libraries, and academic libraries); the law (U.S. Code Title 44) requires them to provide government information to the public. But any librarian worth their salt should be able to find you such information, or direct you to someone who can.
I have gone to my public library in the past to get info on my local elections!
ughhhhhhh RIGHT ON TIME! bought your book and very close to purchasing your french courses. i love you as a creator, traveler, & person! truly inspiring me to FULLY step into the person i am meant to be! so Damon thank you 🤍!
Honestly, I want my kids to know that RUclips wasn’t just a time-waster. We had some of the best creators, and I’m excited to show them gems like yours. Every generation seems to get some kind of ick from what the previous one was into, but I want to show them that there was true art, insight, and thoughtfulness out there-even in a sea of trends and clickbait. The wisdom, entertainment, and genuine connection you bring is refreshing. Thank you, Damon, for creating something so meaningful and for putting in the effort to inspire and educate us in a way that feels real.
Lemme grab my popcorn!! Damon posted!!🏃🏽♀️💨🍿🥤
thx for this, damon. i’m about to vote for the first time after being abroad since 18 and i feel a lot better now.
Oooh I'm so early!!! As an American also living in France, I get it - there are so many things the US needs to catch on to that are here!!!
Every point you bring up is valid! I am an American living in Amsterdam for 44 yr. All that you talk about are thoughts i have as well. We need a new system in so may ways in the US!
Hi Damon, just some food for thought: if anyone is interested in learning more in-depth about different voting systems and scenarios, Veritasium published a video not long ago titled "Why Democracy is Mathematically Impossible." He goes deep into which voting system is actually mathematically more democratic. Here in Brazil, we have a system similar to France, based on your description. In bigger elections (state governors, presidents, etc.), if a candidate doesn’t surpass 50% in the first round with all the parties, it goes to a second round, but only if that condition is met. If a candidate gets 51%, then it’s theirs. I used to think it sounded reasonable, but Derek's video really opened my eyes to the fact that, even with this system, we still often stick to two major parties. Anyway, just wanted to share in case anyone else is interested. Ranked voting for the win! (everywhere)
@@LuizGustavoCasagrande Ironically the same 2 parties are the ones that everyone votes for. So it’s useless until the Brazilian people stop voting for them. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
I root for Brazil but damn it’s hard
I wish we could also implement an age cap for politicians. It’s one of the only positions that doesn’t have one and it’s absolutely bonkers. We don’t need a president who can barely comprehend where they are to run the country
Yes OMG. So out of touch.
That is incredibly ageist. What about Ruth Bader Ginsburg? She was a big hero, right? She served on the Supreme Court at 87 years old.
@@avalondreaming1433age caps aren’t discriminatory, it’s just a harsh reality that as people age they lose mental acuity and ability to stay up to date with current issues. Similarly you wouldn’t want a 20 year old in a major position of power because of the inverse, they (typically) lack the experience and understanding of politics to make informed decisions on a wide scale. RBG was amazing, but also an outlier. Most people who reach their 70s to 80s are in decline.
I overheard baristas at a local coffee shop tell someone the tips don't even go to them.... I'm tired of being asked to throw my money in every direction!!!
I'm Finnish, and indeed, according to the constitution, section 12, "Documents and recordings in the possession of the authorities are public, unless their publication has for compelling reasons been specifically restricted by an Act. Everyone has the right of access to public documents and recordings." In addition, according to another law, it is even the authorities' responsibility to be active in sharing information publicly. Not only is it useful for the individual (though I've never asked an authority to share documents myself), but also the press. In addition, plenary sessions of the Finnish Parliament are always broadcast on TV.
One of my favourite RUclipsrs of all time. Keep doing what you’re doing
I'm also originally from the Midwest, and have been living abroad (mostly in Europe) since 2012 (29 now). Tipping, the inability to switch to the metric system, and our messed-up healthcare system are often mentioned in regards to the United States, but one of my biggest points of contention with the U.S. since moving abroad is somewhat taboo and, in my experience, very few people outside of the U.S. are even aware of it - the prevalence of infant circumcision.
The majority of male infants in the U.S. are circumcised within days of being born. It's such a deeply engrained part of the culture that I didn't even really start to see it for what it was until YEARS after leaving the United States. In the U.S., most men grow up hearing that they were circumcized for "health reasons" and because it "looks better", and barely anyone questions the practice. I was no different for the first 18 years of my life. But then I left the cultural bubble (isolation chamber?) of the United States, and as a gay man, I quickly discovered in every single place I've lived since leaving the U.S. that circumcision was NOT normal (Germany, France, China, Russia and the Czech Republic to date).
I still remember being genuinely shocked when I first found out that the vast majority of men aren't circumcised in Germany - "What do you mean you can just leave *it* on?" However, over the years, that initial shock shifted to dismay and anger. How could this be allowed to happen to me? Why all the talk about health when the vast majority of men in the world aren't suffering from having their genitals intact? The initial confusion and grief were aggravated by the general apathy and even ridicule I experienced from other Americans when I brought up these questions.
This issue like no other has shown me to what extent we are a product of our cultural upbringing. People truly will and do consider anything normal if you introduce them to it at a young enough age. At any rate, it's an enormous weight of my shoulders here in Europe knowing that the vast majority of people around me also reject this practice. It's been very validating to see the disbelief in their eyes when I tell them about what so many baby boys in the U.S. are subjected to right after being born. I might not have been able to choose to be born in a country that aligns with my values, but at least I can choose to live in one, and that brings me peace.
I agree. Unnecessary and more potentially harmful than good.
I guess it depends on where you live. I'm also gay and from the US but have spent a good portion of my adult life in the North Africa/Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Pakistan) and in that region guys tend to assume Americans are uncircumcised like most Westerners and are quite relieved to find out I am. I would definitely feel self-conscious there if I were uncut.
Just anecdotally, I knew a few guys from non-circumcising cultures (Ecuador, Spain, Venezuela) who were circumcised for health reasons as children; they don't mind being circumcised but almost all of them resent having it done at that age, saying that it was quite traumatic.
@@alejandrocandelario9621 While the attitude towards circumcision and genital cutting depends on where you live, the morality of the issue remains the same in my eyes. Muslims circumcise for religious/cultural reasons. In several Muslim-majority countries, female genital cutting is also extremely prevalent (in 2014 in Egypt, for example, over 90% of women between 15 and 49 had been "circumcised"). The motivation for cutting women in these places is essentially identical as with cutting men: cultural and pseudo-health reasons.
At the end of the day, cultural reasons are not a valid reason for denying someone their bodily autonomy. People should be able to decide if they want to alter their body as an adult, but doing so to a child/infant is harmful and wrong.
Regarding your last point - there is also plenty of research to indicate that circumcision can be very traumatic and even leave an imprint on infants' brains. Just because we don't actively remember it happening doesn't mean it didn't leave its marks (beyond the obvious scar).
I don't know if it'll make you feel any better but the rate of newborn circumcision in the United States has been consistently declining for decades. These days there's about a 50/50 chance of a newborn male being subject to the practice.
@bexeila I think the current rate is a lot higher than that. Stats can be very skewed by the fact that they usually don't account for circumcisions done in private setting, which is more common these days with fewer states covering the procedure, and the fact that most of the people who don't circumcise are immigrants from non-circumcising cultures.
In England they’ve started adding on a 12.5% tip automatically to most bills without asking you - which puts it on you as a customer to ask them to take it off. And that always feels rude so we often leave the tip on - even if it’s bad service, it sucks!
one time in romania, i was ordering my meal and they asked at the register how much i wanted to tip…😳🤔 i was like “…but huh? nothing has happened yet?” i guess it’s the same in coffeeshops in the US though. you tip before the service even happens lol
@@damondominiqueThe same thing at the restaurant my friend & I tried-right next door to my house (in Kamala's hometown). In Japan, soba noodles are considered a mere street snack that cost maybe ¥600/bowl, but the 2 of us were charged over $100 (this in a neighborhood referred to as "impoverished").
Such a wonderful and thought provoking discussion. So many systems need improving! I wanted to comment specifically on the tipping part of this conversation. For context I’m from Australia and tipping is not a thing here at all. I honestly felt that when I was in the US and tipping at places like Starbucks, that I was essentially paying extra money so no one spat in my drink. Tipping felt so disingenuous. It felt like I was paying extra to be treated human, paying in the hopes of receiving kindness that should be the baseline expectation of a person performing their job. It also felt performative that people work for tips, it’s not really true kindness. You’re paying for the absence of a negative consequence. Of course, I understand the necessity of tipping when staff aren’t being paid appropriately but like, can we not just pay staff appropriately? The system needs changing. However, it likely won’t change because the people at the top benefit from the current form with extremely cheap labour. Feels exploitative.
OKAY visual symbolism of damon sitting in between 2 rooms with a divide in the middle ☝️☝️
55:19 is so huge!!! I loved this whole video, and as a US citizen I enjoyed how much you knew about the voting process and Electoral College. I agree with everything you said, and have been talking to my cousin about all of this too.
You said out loud in a clear way how I think and feel about all the same things. Thank you for clearing up that I'm not crazy. This helped me make some very important decisions. Glad I stumbled onto your channel. ps I'm American looking to move abroad.
I'm not a US citizen, I'm German living in The Netherlands, and am becoming increasingly critical the more I learn about connections between Colonialism, Capitalism, the Patriarchy, and how these global systems of oppression connect, including our education system that wants us to become uncritical and unaware obedient workers under Capitalism. It all depends on the othering (deeming some superior and others inferior/ collateral damage), oppression and exploitation of nature, labour and social reproduction - and its tearing us apart.
When Kamala first announced running for presidency I was happy to hear it, but now I understand how messed up it is you can only choose "the lesser of two evil" and how bleek this is for such a huge and influential country. This is hardly a real Democracy, which is ironic, given that the US boasts about it and wants to impose their idea of it to others. The system is rotten and its becoming increasingly visible to the naked eye through what is happening to 🍉🍉🍉. We need direct democracy and restore the power to the people! :)
This is obviously not exclusive to the US.
2:48 ignorance is bliss... EVERYONE knows about the independents... NO ONE VOTES FOR THEM because they do not stand a chance... ever. The only one who DID, dropped out, only to try to return later and he had already destroyed his chances on his own.
I am a member of one of the two major American political parties, and I briefly worked in politics. I soon realized that most of politics revolves much more around people's egos over doing the right thing or actually helping Americans. I left feelng so disillusioned for a lot of the reasons you described. Both parties are bad and disingenuous for different reasons. I just feel apathetic now. That being said, I've also lived in France, and I think it would be easy for a lot of people to romanticize the European way of doing things. There are certainly pros and cons to everything. (ex. all bureaucracy is bad, but French bureaucracy hits different).
Your Paris Olympics vid lives rent free in my mind, and I’m not even joking
Damon really did his thing with that video and this one.
@ I hope things change in America because it isn’t looking good
You said so many things that I rant to my friends/family about! Like honestly, the US is something else and there are so many things in our system that we could change. I travel and I envy some things in other countries after I learn about their systems.
Here in Nevada, it was actually a ballot question to amend rank choice voting!!!! As well as, other states already have rank choice voting. Its very slowly happening and catching on
In Germany, we vote exclusively on Sundays because most people are off that day! Sunday is a general rest day as all shops are closed and only restaurants are open, so most do find the time to go and vote If you, however, do have to work, you can always vote via post beforehand. I think it's the only other solution that makes sense besides making it a holiday
Regarding the public records thing, actually anyone can file a freedom of information act request or FOIA to get records from government agencies. But whether or not you will get a response this century and how much it will cost you can vary. But you’d be surprised at some state public information laws and what records you can actually get.
Damon doesn't care to fact-check his statements...
I just now learned that if a third party gets 5% of the popular vote, they are eligible to get government funding in future elections
Even if a third doesn’t win this time around, the two-party system can finally be broken, and our candidates will finally actually have to listen to our wants if they want to win (shocker)…
Love that that little tidbit has been hidden from us all this time
just like you Americans to wait until the Black woman is in office to do this. So on brand.
This video makes me feel so sane 😭 thank you Damon
wait I'm so excited for this video! thank you damonnnnnnn
i’ve followed you for so many years and as someone who has yet to go out of the country, i’ve always appreciated your insights about a worldly way of living-what people value in politics and culture that starkly contrasts itself from america (kinda touching on the point of americans thinking that their way of living is the model representation)
also, i really appreciate you talking about topics that i don’t feel like get much coverage, especially since people are to scared to admit that these things can be really corrupt but we all go along w/ it anyway (college being a scam, credit scores)
and lastly, you’re totally right about sports teams. my parents are die hard sports fans but as my dad always says “it’s all about the money” in regards to what players are traded in/drafted, etc. i always thought it was so weird because i would be trying to get into a team but then the next year the players would change, where’s the integrity in that??? it can feel super superficial, even a way for someone to believe in something so they can mask the areas of their life where they might not feel a strong belief
thank you for your comment!!! and about the sports thing: it would make sense if youre supporting the home team and everyone on the team is actually from your hometown, for example, but in college football or the NFL people are scouted and traded each season so…? ANYWAY 😅
@@damondominique you’re so welcome!!! yeah i guess maybe people value that their team is representing their hometown or area close to it in the big leagues more so than the teammate semantics??? cant really relate bahaha
sending love!!💟❗️
Thank you for being a fresh breath of air at the moment. LOT of logical points were brought up.
You mentioned nothing will change every 4 years if we don’t vote differently or do something different, and I fully agree. This is a comment to remind folks there’s state and local elections every year, sometimes multiple in 1 year. State legislators pass legislation and policy every single year that is open to testimony and supporting/fighting.
To challenge the electoral college, winner take all, etc. policies it takes influencing state policy (ie only 2 states, Maine and NE aren’t winner take all for the electoral college and that alone would be a huge difference).
So just a reminder we also can’t just disappear for the next for years and expect stuff to change in 4 years with no action or efforts!!
I love your gripes. The problem is that people are not engaged in civics like they should be. They are sheep and simply play follow the leader. It is important to contact your federal, state and local officials and tell them your ideas or problems.
I agree with you, even the 3rd party candidates should have an equal footing in all elections. But again, people like to follow the leader, but if the leader is going in a circle, nothing will ever change.
Damon posted!!!!🖤🖤🖤
We should buy his book courses anything to support him ,his sharing of knowledge & experience is worth every penny ! Loved tbis video definitly buying his book🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉❤
Cinematic masterpiece, Damon! I've been with you since almost a decade!! ❤🎉
MY LEG 0:16
As an american, I have learned more from this one youtube video than all my past history classes... now that is crazy
Oop👀Professor Damon D is TEACHING today. I'm SAT !!!
The tipping is insane!!🤑 please do make a video on healthcare as a ff-up
SO many amazing points. 👏 I appreciate you sharing your insight so much. I wish everyone could hear these perspectives.
"There ARE other people you could vote for" Thank you for this Damon!!! 👏👏
what a delightful wednesday night treat
About voting: in Finland, the official voting day is a Sunday. You can also go vote before that, for around a week before the actual date. There are specific places in each town, and you just need an ID. No registration or anything needed, you just go to a local library, school or whatever and give your vote, takes 5 minutes.
This was so interesting for me as a non-American, I learned a lot! Thank you :))
I’m learning so much from your channel 🫶🏼
The biggest problem is that neither the primaries or general election are direct elections. We as people vote, but that vote doesn’t elect anyone. The conventions select the candidates after primaries. And the electoral college elect the president. There’s nothing that says those people have to vote how the people voted. It’s barbaric.
This video reminds me so much of the first conversations I had with my French coworkers haha
Oooh the video is over an hour but feels like 20 minutes. Dominic you’re a wizard ❤
THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT VIDEO
doing your sevice like no other
Damon for President! He ain’t never lied. My parents said they not paying for fashion school. I got my degree in psychology. 😂
So so good!!!!! Loved watching this - thank you for creating such valuable content
This video just made me think about myself as an American in America. My own family doesn’t know what going on with things we should be doing or know as a human on this earth birth on this soil by faith
16:50 What?? When you get your driver's license you have to REGISTER which party you vote for???? Am I misunderstanding this?
BUT WHY? Your party is going to influence your way of driving??? THIS IS CRAZY
@@millenabonorino3648 not only that, your vote should be anonymous?
Maybe they are doing voter registration along with the license. I don’t remember. They will ask which party for voter registration though. That’s what the primaries go by (elections handled by the states) and that’s how the parties know who to send all the campaign mail, emails and texts
Votes are anonymous
@@blue6269 omg dont even start on the ''american vote being anonymous'', how is a country like the EUA still vote on a piece of paper??
@@millenabonorino3648 it’s up to each state
I knew this was going to be a long video hahahh looking forward to get into it!
I love that this is how you use your voice. Great video x
what a good video omfg i'm someone who moved to the us 6 years ago and i never learned this much about the system even though i took 3 classes on it
A comment from the Netherlands. I want to share a bit about the public information law that we have. It's called the 'woo' and it stands for law(=Wet), open/transparant (=Open), government (Overheid). As a Dutch citizen you can request information about what the government is doing and why. I do not know whether a lot of people do though. In my experience as a Journalism student, this law is mostly used by journalists. It makes their job of controlling the government easier. I believe that independent and good journalism is necessary for a healthy democracy, and therefore I am very glad that we have this law. On the other hand, there are government institutions that take a very long time to provide requested information. The law states that the government has to provide the information within a month, but that does not always happen. If the government exceeds this time limit, you could go to court though. Another thing that can happen is that government institutions send back black-lacquered documents. The government can't share all information, due to safety and privacy reasons, but some people doubt whether they only hide sensitive information or also other information they want to keep from the public (for other reasons than safety and privacy). The law and its implementation is not perfect, yet I am pleased with the law's existence and the underlying message. The Dutch are allowed to know what the government is doing and why. It's a democracy, the people are the boss. (Not literally ofc, it's not an anarchy.)
French person here : the "contrat de durée interminable" sent me 😂 It does feel that way sometimes 🤷🏻♀️ The video is awesome.
Good points. As someone who works in a city hall in the U.S., we have what's called a public records request. We have 10 days to produce any documents related to the request. The only things we are allowed to redact are the public's personal info (i.e: a private household utility bill payers account information/residential address/etc.). It is against the law to withhold any information from the public (can't speak for the CIA, though). We are even required to post itemized lists of all spending for the year to the public and has to be approved by city council.
This was so informational and entertaining. I didn't even realize that this was an hour. I turned 18 in March, and I took my first trip outside of the US just this past week (October 6th-13th). I visited the UK, and the most subtle changes were such a breath of fresh air, (adding tax in the price, etc). It really does make you wonder, "Why don't we do this in the US? That seems like common sense."
53:08 Don't worry. We, as Europeans, take advantage of the American tipping culture😂😂 My younger brother used to work part-time at an airport at a food kiosk and every time a plane from America were to land, he would put up a tipping jar😂😂
that intro ALONE is so iconic, first and foremost!!!!! As an American living in Spain for 7 years now, I feel good about my decision to move here because the more time passes... I am less and less likely to ever live in the US again. It feels so dystopian and there are so many things that the US needs to catch up on comparing it to the rest of the worlllllddddddd.
SHUT UP!! STOPPPP! THAT OPENING OMG STUNNINGGGG i was like uhhmm what film is this again ?
The electoral college just doesn't make sense to me (as a foreigner). Like, it's always up to the few swing states?? Ultimately, these states are the ones that determine the future of the us for the next years? What?
The electoral college caps off populous U.S. cities. Their votes basically don’t matter even when they are the majority. That’s also super unfair.
Omg I needed this video ..
I know it's the United STATES, but something I hate about the US is how different your life and experience can be depending on what state you live in, despite everyone being in the same country.
I think the state by state structure causes so many headaches and restricts freedom of movement.
I’m actually happy that it’s state by state. In California, there are policies to protecting immigrants and free healthcare for people in low income brackets or anyone above 50, immigrant or not. I wouldn’t want to take away healthcare from anyone. Other states are against even offering affordable healthcare to their native citizens. That’s crazy.
@ but that just speaks to my original point. The quality of your life varies so much because each state gets to decide different things. What if you weren’t from CA and were poor? It’s not easy to just move to a different state and you have to suffer because of where you were born.
@@thepearlmoon what I mean is that I wouldn’t want to suffer because another state voted against affordable healthcare. If we went by those policies especially with this new presidency coming up, if it were up to them the whole country would not have that option. Luckily, in California-affordable or free healthcare is something we all agree on. Everyone should have it regardless of citizenship or money. Even the homeless need access to healthcare. It is vital. If we didn’t have that state freedom, the next presidency would affect this for us. But they can’t because it’s our state policy to protect healthcare for all. Our healthcare is not perfect but it’s a work in progress. It could be better but taking it from low income people is not an option for the future. My dad lives in Texas and I feel terrible that he can’t afford healthcare. Texas does not offer free healthcare assistance for low income, homeless people and definitely not for non citizens. That’s not the kind of policy I would ever want in my state. It’s cruel. But he lives there cuz it’s cheaper. California is expensive and it sucks. But it’s a work in progress. You can always choose to move to a state that has your preference way of life. I do not wish to live in states where the access to weapons is easier and valued over the access to free healthcare.
Lemme grab my tea!! Damon posted!!🏃🏽♀💨 By the way, his skin looks amazing! Damon, what’s your skincare routine? I absolutely love your videos.
I feel you Damon. I lived abroad twice, currently stateside but planning to
leave again. Its ghetto out here. Just having to navigate the healthcare system and work these past 3 years have been awful. Hate it here.
I’m earlyyyyy 🤩🤍
The title, I love this video already 😭
I have lived in Spain at least three months each year since 1977 and I certainly know what you are saying. I have been preaching to whomever will listen for over 40 years! Our country is a joke and is not "democratic". What you said about donation free voting, Is almost my mantra, but it normally falls on deaf ears.
Canadian living in Toronto here, the US system is not aligned with the current values and systematic structure we have in Canada of course, but alot of it is not too far off either. I spent the last year in Sicily Italy, where i studied abroad and ever since I’ve gained that perspective it hasn’t been the same for me here. I feel myself criticizing the system more, and asking why this why that- more than ever before. Then here’s where I ask, what can I do about it🤣- learn a new language move to Europe and adopt their societal ways and live this alternative life. Sure great let’s do it…..but how do I get a job, how can I get a place, how expensive is it. How do I obtain a visa and how long will it last, do i need a college degree? Trust me i want to escape western society for all the reasons mentioned in the video, but how!! Literally how.
I LOVED this video! I'm a dual citizen (Mexico, U.S.) and it's always felt so weird because my whole life the U.S. was extremely idealized; then we got here and turns out it's also fucked up lmao
Hey Damon! Swede here:
We have the ”offentlighetsprincipen” = The principle of public access . Its a law that gives people the right to access public documents and information held by the government. It means that anyone can read or request government documents, unless they are classified for reasons like security or privacy.
Basically you have access to EVERY document that passes through a goverment departement, including: protocols, emails sent through goverment employees, budgets, bank activity like receipts or payments, school grades etc. Exceptions are classified information that compromises security or privacy (although it’s very rare).
The law also states that government employees upon a request have to share the requested information whitount delay. And if you’re not sure about the information you’re seeking you can ask them to find the right documents for you, but then you have to explain what you’re searching for in as much details as possible.
As a journalism student I do this all the time and it works great!