What irks you about your country?

[Siliconjunkie]

The other thread this is infuriating... if you don't like the laws... get out! has raised some interesting questions for me as an American. I am somewhat of a believer in the statement that if you don't like it go somewhere else. This has gotten me thinking about if I were to do this. I'm sure that things aren't perfect anywhere, but all the reading in the world won't tell you the things that you would hear from people that live there. So, what irks or bugs you about where your country? Also, don't forget to say what country you live in.

That being said, here are my biggies.

Taxes- While looking at my pay stub today I realized that I pay more in taxes than I do in all my other living expenses combined. AND, I have to pay every year because I don't have kids.

Inability to change- While the US is supposed to be a place where thing will/can change if the will of the people is to do so, I never see it happen. Business has bought up so much of the government that it doesn't matter what the people want, it's about how this will impact business.

Over tolerance- Read this before you flame please. I have no problem with tolerance of other races/religions and such. But, since we are so open and accepting it creates a system that is constantly bending to extremes to accommodate those in the extremes. I don't wish to hinder anyone, but I wish that there were standards in language and culture that everyone was expected to adhere/adapt to.

[Mike]

So many things that I have problems with, I don't know where to begin the list. Probably make a list tomorrow.
Of course I may hate the country and government for some things, there are of course many positives!

[muno]

Politics. Politicians don't represent the people anymore like they should, everything is shh-shh-secret. People who don't know a ???? about politics get elected (that's not the fault of the politicians).

Media. Everything is twisted to something it wasn't, and everything is meant to shock people.

Social security. I pay monthly a % of my wage as insurance (this has to be done, I can't do otherwise) for if I get unemployed. If I do, I will not get a penny until I'm 25.
Students don't get enough money to even pay their rent, and policitians complain that they don't graduate soon enough because they work at the same time...

School system. Teacher who has never seen a real life situation teach how to handle the situation he/she has never seen. People have to study things they will never ever never ever never ever need just because it brings money to the faculty.
It's all so bureacratic now...

I'm not a student, my wife is. And the things she tells me... Oh, makes me wanna blow up the whole <word here> thing...

Finland as my location states.
-M

[kenyg]

one of the things that irks me - other than gov't waste - is car & health insurance - and property taxes. Boy do they steam me.

I think health and car insurance premiums are much too high, I guess partly because of frivolous lawsuits etc. Perhaps we should make frivolous lawsuit filers (or their attornies) pay court costs.

schools may strike here in the fall. Our taxes just went up cause they passed the build the library referendum, which wasn't gonna cost anything, but now is gonna cost 8 million (i'm not against libraries, but we're a small township, and all 4 neighboring townships have libraries)

Now, the teachers (which in our district are far from underpaid, 54% are at the ceiling of 84K) want a 30% increase over the next 4yrs - and want to remain at 1998 health insurance premium levels - If it goes to a strike - I think I'll be picketing the protesters. I can imagine if I went to my job and demanded 30% over 4 years - 'Mr. Kenyg, there's the door'


Ken

[Germ]

Almost everything that steams me about America can be traced back to the Federal Government ignoring the Constitution...............and I have a long list. Not wanting to aggravate my blood pressure, I will not enumerate the list at this time.

[cracked]

Originally posted by Germ
Almost everything that steams me about America can be traced back to the Federal Government ignoring the Constitution...............and I have a long list. Not wanting to aggravate my blood pressure, I will not enumerate the list at this time.

same here

also that the drinking age is 21 as opposed to 18 or less in other countries, but thats an argument for another day...

drew

[M_Six]

The whole "If you don't like it, leave" mentality is nauseating. This country is built on the principle of peaceful change through the voting process. Many, many things have changed in this country over the centuries. It's one of the things that makes America great. That, and the ability to FREELY voice your opinion without fear of retribution (which includes having someone tell you to leave).

So what irks me about my country? Probably my biggest "irk" is the short-sightedness of America's foreign policy. Been that way for a long time.

[SPEEDO]

To many damn do gooders with to much time on their hands....

[Siliconjunkie]

The whole "If you don't like it, leave" mentality is nauseating. This country is built on the principle of peaceful change through the voting process.

This is actually what brought the question to mind. If one wanted to leave would the things that made them want to leave still be there, and one of my irks was that it sure seems like the process of change via voting doesnt work. It's not really a "mentality" for me per se. I apply it to myself in this situation, if I don't like it and decide to leave, would it really be any better?

[M_Six]

If everyone had that mentality, there'd be no one here. Everybody doesn't like something (but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee...) Sorry, had to throw that in.