US visa laws are barbaric. Giving only 60 days to find a new job when one has been laid off without prior notice. How is that supposed to be fair? H1B visa have the effect of creating indentured slaves by placing all of the power on the employers and prevent employees from having any negotiation power since they are always under the threat of losing their visa...
While the US is still seen in a way as a dreamland to live and work in by people in poorer areas, it seems to me anecdotally that more and more people in developed countries no longer have any interest in moving there due to the many issues surrounding visas, work conditions, living conditions, fun things like CBP and overzealous immigration officers, etc... This is not a good thing for a country that has long been successful in attracting the best and the brightest.
I'm one of the software engineers that decided I will not work in US at all in any possible future. Medical system, visa procedures and visa problems were major deciding factors on my decision to move and work in Europe instead.
Add high criminality and overall police state. Definitely a place of much less true freedom compared to any western europe (unless you define freedom as hoarding tons of guns for when 'they' come). Directly contributing to mass murder of some poor guys defending their home country from foreign invasion for power and greed half around the globe with your taxes. Much more free time to have a life. And so on and on and on.
We as software devs can literally spin a globe, close eyes and point randomly and simply move there. Some places are harder than others, but its still a breeze compared to many other professions if you have some good experience. Why would anyone go to US these days baffles me. The real quality of life is much harder to get there.
Hell. I left the US and got a job as a remote developer for a company in Japan (and since have started my own business). I make less than I would in the States but I’m happier overall.
Bad argument, since 'they' as in the state came pretty often in Europe. I don't give anything on patriotism, but I admire the US for their freedom and I understand the need to have it for the society they are.
Yeah, the security paranoia of the US in the last 20 years is abhorrent, dangerous, costly, infantile and probably against their own values, no further explanation needed.
But I don't think there are better countries concerning civil rights. No European state comes close. Not Sweden, not Norway, Switzerland maybe for some people...
I live in Europe and regularly think about working in the US. Wouldn't want to go to Silicon Valley though.
> But I don't think there are better countries concerning civil rights. No European state comes close. Not Sweden, not Norway, Switzerland maybe for some people...
I've read that often, but don't really think it's true. Compared to many European countries some of the more obvious civil rights problems are things like gay rights, minorities are systematically prevented from voting (through gerrymandering and other voting district decisions), the highest prison population per capita in the world (combine that with loss of voting rights and disproportionate share of minorities you get additional minority voter suppression), lack of whistleblower protections etc.
The focus on minorities seems always a bit strange to me and a bad start to argue for more civil liberties. Everyone should be equal under the law and I talk about civil liberties that are enshrined in law.
That doesn't mean minorities are not at a disadvantage or that everyone being equal under the law describes reality, but the best way to help with that are universal human rights and their strict enforcement. Minorities are too often used as a shield to their disadvantage. Using minorities as an argument to restrict speech for example is a very common example and plainly wrong.
I think the rankings in the US are correct and not really in the top class, but I do believe that the US ends its paranoia trip at some point. Maybe wishful thinking.
Germany has some better rankings but really lacks in freedom when compared to the US.
> The focus on minorities seems always a bit strange to me and a bad start to argue for more civil liberties. Everyone should be equal under the law and I talk about civil liberties that are enshrined in law.
People belabor the minority point because that is the cornerstone of a real democracy. You don't have a proper democracy if you have free elections - but only for the right kind of people.
The US voting system right now is designed to exclude certain kinds of people. This something most other industrialized countries don't do. That is a main reason for the low ranking in the list I linked.
> Germany has some better rankings but really lacks in freedom when compared to the US.
Care to qualify what kind of freedoms Germany is lacking compared to the US?
You secure the rights of minorities through universal human rights. These protect you from abuse. Nothing else matters. Why shouldn't the minority suppress the majority? Thinking of Iraq here for example, where it was a religious minority. Exactly the same problem, or what do you suggest here?
In most of human history minorities have suppressed the majority. It isn't even close.
> People belabor the minority point because that is the cornerstone of a real democracy.
That sentence doesn't make sense. In a democracy people are the sovereign. End of story and definition. That applies to everyone of course.
> You secure the rights of minorities through universal human rights.
No, you just declare them that way. You secure them through actual instiutional measures.
> In a democracy people are the sovereign. End of story and definition.
That's an insufficient definion. Please have a look at introductory material about the topic before stating things like this. The english wikipedia entry is quite good.
> You secure them through actual instiutional measures.
Partially correct, you secure them by law which is policed by the states monopoly on violence. And any institution is forced to follow that to the letter. Otherwise you have a right to legal compensation in any constitutional state.
> The english wikipedia entry is quite good.
It states exactly what I said. Maybe substitute universal human rights, which was admittedly optimistic, with constitutional rights and you have exactly the same statements.
Otherwise, since people do vote, they could indeed strip any anyone from rights, minority or not, protective institutions or not. So some rights are off limits to change by the sovereign.
To rule a people, you need either force or consent. So better make those constitutional rights generic and accepted by everyone. Otherwise you do not have consent and are not a democracy. Autocracy and its derivations are on the other side of the pole.
It is not a better way to secure minority rights, it is the only way.
> In a democracy people are the sovereign. End of story and definition.
Out of context quote and I was not denying mob rule. The tyranny of the majority is restricted by human rights by the way (may they be universal or constitutional, doesn't matter).
I live in Switzerland actually, can compare first hand both countries and these 2 countries are... incomparable (even as non-citizen here).
Its true each of us have different priorities but I can't think of a single important (for me) aspect of life that is better in US. If I involve in comparing process my potential future children, the comparison ends up even better for Suisse.
The other comment here points some proper stats, which are better than some hollywoodish image US has.
True, I thought long about including it in the list. Quality of life is probably higher on average, but in relation to freedom I would say the US comes up on top.
Even with a bad justice system, high property taxes, really bad healthcare, etc.
But from a European perspective, these are slowly becoming problems that a negligible compared to restrictions in Europe. Just an opinion of course.
Regarding which freedom does the US come up on top?
Yes, you have the constitution but the reality in the US is somewhat unconstitutional.
Since only some decades you have the federal reserve setting interest rates as they please (potential killing savings) and your wage (not income) is taxed at source.
The US laws are better than most countries. In Singapore (for example), you have just 30 days to pack your stuff and get out of the country, for instance. And that's hardly enough if you've lived there for years and usually you've accumulated a lot of stuff. It's not even enough time to sell all your stuff. Usually people just give them away for free when they leave the country. I know people who got 49" TVs for a ridiculous $100 from people leaving the country.
At least 60 days is not so bad. Can it be better? Yes, sure. But not bad at all.
Singapore is hardly a good counterexample, considering the authoritarian nature of the place. "Disneyland with the death penalty" is a very low standard for freedom and human rights.
On another perspective, perhaps it will be good for India to have an influx of skilled and experienced people back. The West has long poached talent from everywhere else.
People who are needed are not inclined to emigrate — they have a lot of respect at least, and monetary compensation at best. There are also ethical reasons — perhaps I am needed back in my country to help with their Internet censorship efforts and large-scale deception infrastructure, but I am not particularly inclined to go.
If the job role really is in high demand and there is low supply (which are the reqs to get the permit in the first place), it should be 'easy' to get another one. Not arguing it is correct but that might be the reasoning behind it.
While the US is still seen in a way as a dreamland to live and work in by people in poorer areas, it seems to me anecdotally that more and more people in developed countries no longer have any interest in moving there due to the many issues surrounding visas, work conditions, living conditions, fun things like CBP and overzealous immigration officers, etc... This is not a good thing for a country that has long been successful in attracting the best and the brightest.