Sally Redux

The young people seem to use it.

yellowroom

Absence of Direct Debit, the DD guarantee and Standing Orders.

I've written more checks in the past year than I have written cheques in the UK for about 15 years in total! I even paid local tradesmen electronically, think the window cleaner was the only one still wanting cash.

tuxedocat

Isn't ACH here the same as DD there?

tonrob

I'm sure it doesn't come with the same guarantee.

Hiro11

This perfectly captures the fundamental political difference between most Americans and most Europeans. The "primary role" of "the state" is income redistribution? What you propose is absolutely terrifying to me and antithetical to the founding principles of the US. If you moved here with an expectation that this is the role of government, no wonder you're disappointed. In fact, I couldn't be more glad that you are disappointed.

Here's what annoys me about America:
1. Graft and corruption in government. This includes constantly proping up and subsidizing politically connected for profit private industries at the taxpayer's expense (prime example: the farm bill and crop insurance). Ridiculous, unneccessary and expensive "licensing" requirements of various industries that are designed to squash smaller competitors and pushed through by corrupt political bodies. Protectionism of certain industries while others are "politically unfavored" and encouraged to rot. The broken patent system. Absurd public pork investment in politically-driven backscratching arrangements while other, much more worthy investements are ignored. A broke California wants to build worthless high speed rail while its gas line explode and bridges collapse.

2. The "no luxury is too much" approach to healthcare. Every clinic is a palace, no amount of ridiculously overpriced testing is to be denied no matter how limited the potential benefit . A standard panel of liver function tests recently cost (my insurance company) $3,000. That is ludicruous. The total lack of transparency over true healthcare costs that the current system engenders. The fact that very few people see the cost as the problem and instead want to prop up a system that encourages even higher prices and less supply.

3. The gradual and continual takeover of the Republican party by the religious right. We've arrived at a point where people automatically assume that they are one in the same. People who don't take the separation of church and state seriously and can't see that their beliefs are just that: beliefs. The total lack of a political option for people who are socially "liberal" and fiscally "conservative". The fact that a big-L Liberal is an endangered species in the US.

4. The lack of political will to finally crack violent crime in areas that are consistently violent. Some areas of this country as as violent as mid-eighties Bogata and no one seems to care. The lack of outrage over the current violent crime situation in these area.

5. The 24-hour, always on news cycle. Gotcha politics. Every statement by public figures is captured, overanalysed and criticised (no, I'm not talking about Akin here). Politicans become so scared that they reduce their statement to waffling, meaningless platitudes. Plus ca change.

6. 500 channels and (mostly) nothing on. TV sucks.

7. The war on drugs. The single policy that has caused more social damage to this country domestically than any other. Prohibition doesn't work everyone.

8. The collosal foreign policy disasters of Iraq and the long term meddling and roughshodding of Latin and South America.

SultanOfSwing

This (while arguably the least significant of your points) is constantly fascinating for me as I can remember a time in the mid-90s where I could usually always find something worth watching from a choice of only four ...

I blame the rise of reality TV; 'something for nothing' manufactured music contests and the aforementioned by you, 24-hour news cycle. That sort of coverage does tend to dilute the content, somewhat ...

Oh, how I miss BBC2 and the Learning Zone/OU stuff during the summer each night. There's always PBS, if I'm lucky enough to catch Globe Trekker, of course

ian-mstm

Strangely enough, I agree with you on this point. I'm not exactly a tree hugger (although my good wife is), and she's not exactly a laissez-faire business fan (although I am)... and there's nothing in between!

Ian

cluedweasel

I hate to say, but the Brits are more than a little responsible for this.

SultanOfSwing

TV was already shit in the UK before I left. Thankfully I still only had to endure five channels of it, while waiting for the one or two things I actually liked to come on ...

Bob

Copied the big ones from else where in Europe though...Big Brother, The Mole etc...

We did unleash the music ones though, much like nuclear bombs, something that can't be un-invented :/

Nutek

I just want a channel of old british sitcom's (70s,80s). And yes, i know that makes me a sad, old person.

cluedweasel

I'm embarrassed to say I had a friend who was in the first series of UK Big Brother. He was told at the start that the plan was for him to leave in week 6. So much for reality and those phone votes

And Endemol have a lot to answer for!

cluedweasel

That sounds like UK Gold around the time I left Blighty.

Nutek

Ive never seen it (which I gather is a good thing?) and I'm not sure how it actually works.

Nutek

I left in '95. i remember UK Gold I think... Had Fools and Horses on it (yay).