Singapore is a beautiful place but you are right, you couldn't do this for a large country. But there's also far more GDP and tax revenue a larger country brings in and yet our taxes are squandered on Pakistani gender studies (totally not money laundering!)
Well all of Singapore doesn't even look like that, but Singapore city is also considered the most expensive city in the world. So it's clearly not cheap. Also chewing gum is illegal and drug trafficking is punishable by death. Weird place.
Yes, not all of Singapore looks like that and yes, the city, which is basically most of the country, is expensive to live in... but at least you're getting something out of the price. San Francisco is crap. LA is getting worse and worse, same with New York. All really expensive places. Singapore has one of the most expensive rapid transit systems in the world but at least it works wonderfully... California spent a ton and has now cancelled their rapid transit system. Total failure.
As to their laws, every place has had weird laws. Some stuff may be extreme but look at the tyranny the west is going through right now and tell me that isn't worse.
No place is a utopia and so yes, Singapore isn't perfect for anyone, regardless of your preferences for society. But that doesn't mean they aren't far more well off than most others.
I've never been there, so I speak only from 2nd hand accounts. But I'd largely agree with you. San Fran and NY are expensive to live in and generally suck because of corrupt politicians who are stealing all the money though.
I don't really think every place has weird laws that are comparable to Singapore, but you may disagree.
Why do you have to live in NY or San Fran though? There are lots of other cities that aren't nearly as expensive and are nicer places to live. My only point about Singapore was that these things are costly. I'm not sure why you're stumping so hard for Singapore here.
I don't really think every place has weird laws that are comparable to Singapore, but you may disagree.
Remember, Singapore really is just a city. You can find hundreds across the US with weird laws. Enforcement is a whole other matter entirely too. Take for example US internment camps. Illegal, and the SCOTUS even agreed... yet they deemed it allowable since it was an emergency. Laws on paper are one thing, how they're enforced is another. Buck vs Bell allows the state to involuntarily sterilize someone they deem unfit. Still technically legal. Kicking out poll watchers and continuing to count is illegal. But is it enforced?
You're right. It's costly. And you also have much lower taxes to offset that. Similar cost to San Fran but different output and that's my point. It's expensive but at least you're getting something out of living there. The reason I'm "stumping" for Singapore is they're a free market success story. And a real free market, not like the US still claims to be. Low taxes, minimal social programs. Obviously totally different situation though considering the size and population totals, which is why I mentioned similar US cities.
Singapore is a beautiful place but you are right, you couldn't do this for a large country. But there's also far more GDP and tax revenue a larger country brings in and yet our taxes are squandered on Pakistani gender studies (totally not money laundering!)
Well all of Singapore doesn't even look like that, but Singapore city is also considered the most expensive city in the world. So it's clearly not cheap. Also chewing gum is illegal and drug trafficking is punishable by death. Weird place.
Yes, not all of Singapore looks like that and yes, the city, which is basically most of the country, is expensive to live in... but at least you're getting something out of the price. San Francisco is crap. LA is getting worse and worse, same with New York. All really expensive places. Singapore has one of the most expensive rapid transit systems in the world but at least it works wonderfully... California spent a ton and has now cancelled their rapid transit system. Total failure.
As to their laws, every place has had weird laws. Some stuff may be extreme but look at the tyranny the west is going through right now and tell me that isn't worse.
No place is a utopia and so yes, Singapore isn't perfect for anyone, regardless of your preferences for society. But that doesn't mean they aren't far more well off than most others.
I've never been there, so I speak only from 2nd hand accounts. But I'd largely agree with you. San Fran and NY are expensive to live in and generally suck because of corrupt politicians who are stealing all the money though.
I don't really think every place has weird laws that are comparable to Singapore, but you may disagree.
Why do you have to live in NY or San Fran though? There are lots of other cities that aren't nearly as expensive and are nicer places to live. My only point about Singapore was that these things are costly. I'm not sure why you're stumping so hard for Singapore here.
Remember, Singapore really is just a city. You can find hundreds across the US with weird laws. Enforcement is a whole other matter entirely too. Take for example US internment camps. Illegal, and the SCOTUS even agreed... yet they deemed it allowable since it was an emergency. Laws on paper are one thing, how they're enforced is another. Buck vs Bell allows the state to involuntarily sterilize someone they deem unfit. Still technically legal. Kicking out poll watchers and continuing to count is illegal. But is it enforced?
You're right. It's costly. And you also have much lower taxes to offset that. Similar cost to San Fran but different output and that's my point. It's expensive but at least you're getting something out of living there. The reason I'm "stumping" for Singapore is they're a free market success story. And a real free market, not like the US still claims to be. Low taxes, minimal social programs. Obviously totally different situation though considering the size and population totals, which is why I mentioned similar US cities.