No no.
Man, people are too hard on the americans!
They are still, and will be for a long time, the largest economy on the globe. We're talking so far vast that a recession, long and pronounced as it was didn't even make it close that another economy could be within grasp of the #1 position.
Europe is far worse in terms of debt. Some european countries are at 130-140% of GDP in their overall debt, and the us is like 80% according to wikipedia. Japan 174%. Greece 160% Italy and Portugal are at 115ish.
So yeah, not great...but not bad.
Plus, their ability to increase their economy is far greater than Canada could ever pull off. They have a motivation issue(as do we) and productivity issues, but hands down, far and away the states is the country for intuitive solutions.
I've often said that a problem here in Vancouver(and Canada in general) is cost of entry. Can you imagine how many small businesses we could have with access to cheaper land and lower taxes? There is a shit retail shop here in New West that has store after store bounce in and bounce back out because its high visibility location(good) also has it in shitsville for parking(bad)...and its $4500/month and smells like mothballs.
I haven't even turned on the lights yet, and I need to sell $4500 worth of product...net value! That's a lot of kelp and kale chips that the last vegan shop/yoga studio had to shift just to keep the name on the door(they didn't).
So we kill creativity based on cost of entry.
And it just goes on and on. It's one of those things that a LOT of people don't think about as when you are employed as its all in, but when people talk tax rates, its fucking brutal when you are self-employed. Want to change your address when you move? $30. Own a business at that address? $230. Fuck you, you'll pay it.
Business licence? PER CITY...$120 to start, and it goes up. They FINALLY made an all in licence because of how redonc it is to have to buy 12 of them if you are mobile. Screw you Maple Ridge. I worked there anyway
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