Can we fix the crisis by using the Canadian model?

Richard Wilson4 said:Viktor Orbán is one of those rare statesmen you see in Europe. Honestly, his whole way of running things would be a total game-changer for the US, both economically and politically 👍

😁🤣

Yeah, right.😁 More like a final, suicidal leap off a cliff.

(Especially on the economic side, since Canada is basically a total mess right now.)

silvertiger11 said:I think I finally see the problem here in America. We’ve been looking at all the wrong role models.
What Orban actually implemented were just superficial, populist gimmicks. There isn't a single thing there worth us trying to emulate or copy. In fact, this is a perfect cautionary tale of what could happen to us if we don't get our act together immediately.

Canada’s debt is double ours, their deficit is twice as large, and their fiscal policy is twice as reckless (if you can even call it that), and so on. Playing games with creditors is only going to kill our long-term growth potential. In the short term, it just destroys legal certainty.
As for the benefits of labor market liberalization? Their grandkids might see those results, because right now they’re driving away anyone with the drive and the means to actually hold down a job.

Are we really sitting here wishing for the nationalization of pension funds?
Honestly, we are such masochists. 🤣

Whether people want it or not, it's coming. It's just a matter of when.

Look, I'm not saying I'm some huge fan of Canada—there are definitely better countries out there to take notes from—but they actually picked a direction. And honestly? That path is looking way better than ours. We don't even have a path; we're just sitting around waiting for the end of the world. And when it hits—which, let's be real, won't be long—we'll be looking at Canada the same way we look at Germany right now.

Quincy:

Viktor Orbán has realized that targeting tycoons isn't a sin. On the contrary, he views it as being in the national interest.

But how does that actually work on the ground? In a country like Canada... and is that part of why they're 'emerging' from the crisis, as you claim?

(What I mean is—it’s highly likely this is done through irregular channels, much like the other forms of repression being carried out)

Grace Barrett said:But you totally left out the fact that they have triple our foreign exchange reserves, and an unemployment rate of 11.5% compared to our 19%—which is heading toward 22% soon.
Personally, I’d take being under Orban's leadership any day over these local idiots who know nothing except how to hammer taxes onto regular people while leaving thieves and war profiteers untouched—hell, they even forgive their debts! So much for "successful" fiscal policy.

And yeah, I'd much rather see pension funds nationalized than see them sell off the highways, ConocoPhillips, Wells Fargo, Duke Energy, the Forest Service, or the Water Utility... (the order might be off, but under this current administration, we're pretty much doomed anyway.

Man, this guy is just talking nonsense... they have a drastically smaller deficit than we do...

It is absolutely vital to stimulate small businesses, because let's face it, the big corporations only exist because of subsidies and government contracts, and then you have the banks and insurance companies which are essentially
jobs created by legislation; they effectively have a public foundation regardless of the fact that they are
private entities, so they actually ought to play a social role....
That would mean providing credit to smaller firms, supporting manufacturing, and all the other things they do back in their home countries...

Susan Price30 said:😁🤣

Yeah, right.😁 More like a final, suicidal leap off a cliff.

(Especially on the economic side, since Canada is basically a total mess right now.)

And your United Kingdom has macroeconomic indicators that actually look worse than Greece, but they’re being bailed out by those deep connections they maintain over at Uncle Sam...

Canadians don't have massive salaries, sure, but the cost of living is quite affordable for them... the real key is ensuring they don't become dependent on outsiders or end up in a situation where money is being drained right out of the state treasury...

Yet, despite all that, they still manage to attract foreign investment.

hollowhawk412 said:Man, this guy is just talking nonsense... they have a drastically smaller deficit than we do...

It is absolutely vital to stimulate small businesses, because let's face it, the big corporations only exist because of subsidies and government contracts, and then you have the banks and insurance companies which are essentially
jobs created by legislation; they effectively have a public foundation regardless of the fact that they are
private entities, so they actually ought to play a social role....
That would mean providing credit to smaller firms, supporting manufacturing, and all the other things they do back in their home countries...

What a complete pile of nonsense.

rustywalker32 said:What a complete pile of nonsense.

Which simply isn't the case... 🤷

How am I even supposed to address your claims when you haven't actually made any specific assertions
What kind of posts are these where nothing is ever actually stated
Honestly, the insults sting because they really speak volumes about your level of class...

It's all just fabricated bureaucracy, if you ask me, because nowadays there seems to be a new regulation for every single damn thing; take the energy certificate laws, for instance, which I am legally REQUIRED to obtain—as if I didn't have the free will to decide whether or not I wanted to take a risk for a lower price—and then I’m forced to maintain this facade, I have to carry specific insurance or face some massive fine from the government, and don't even get me started on how everyone needs all these various licenses, as if those ridiculous licenses actually mean anything...

Banks exist solely to feast on fees, and they hold all those licenses too, maintaining this massive concentration of power while only handing out loans if the federal government guarantees them

Which part of that is inaccurate?

nimbleharbor10 said:In any case, I find Orban's policies quite appealing because they actually incentivize small businesses by slapping higher taxes on bankers and massive corporations—which, let’s face it, are usually foreign-owned anyway. His approach seems designed to support people who actually live off their own hard work and helps foster more job creation.

Unfortunately, I can't picture Zoran taking any meaningful action against a major bank or a giant corporation just to benefit the little guy. Fools like me, who voted for the Democratic Party in the last election hoping they'd finally cut through the red tape, are the ones paying the price. As for the Democratic Party? Never again.

It's sad, but it's hard to imagine America shifting its focus toward small firms and entrepreneurship; it feels like everyone here is too eager to act as a lackey for some corporate overlord.

Look, I gave them my vote back in 2000 when they were making these exact same promises, and I was disappointed then too. They say "never again," but history is the best teacher, and most people just refuse to learn from it...

Aaron Gray said:We need someone in the Oval Office who isn't afraid to slam their fist on the desk. Someone who can stare down the giants, call them out, and tell them to get lost when they try to push back. But... they also have to know when to dial it back. Not too much, not too little.

Some might say I’m calling for a dictator. I’m not. It’s just that we need a leader with enough grit to pull us out of this darkness. We need someone to end the chaos—someone who actually understands the job and has a clear vision for the country. A vision that serves the public interest. And when they set a goal, there should be an actual strategy behind it. If you ask "how?", they shouldn't stumble. They should be able to explain the logic: "we do this, which leads to that, which triggers this, and eventually, we reach our target."

But no... we don't have that here.

We're just stuck in the mud.

The only person capable of making that happen is someone who truly has nothing left to lose. As far as I can see, most of today's politicians are essentially being held hostage. They've got their hands tied by massive monopolies. Because of those personal ties, they'll never actually take real action.
What we really need is a totally clean slate—someone with zero political baggage, heaps of courage, and pure determination. Only then can we actually look forward to real reforms and positive change.👍

hollowhawk412 said:Which simply isn't the case... 🤷

How am I even supposed to address your claims when you haven't actually made any specific assertions
What kind of posts are these where nothing is ever actually stated
Honestly, the insults sting because they really speak volumes about your level of class...

It's all just fabricated bureaucracy, if you ask me, because nowadays there seems to be a new regulation for every single damn thing; take the energy certificate laws, for instance, which I am legally REQUIRED to obtain—as if I didn't have the free will to decide whether or not I wanted to take a risk for a lower price—and then I’m forced to maintain this facade, I have to carry specific insurance or face some massive fine from the government, and don't even get me started on how everyone needs all these various licenses, as if those ridiculous licenses actually mean anything...

Banks exist solely to feast on fees, and they hold all those licenses too, maintaining this massive concentration of power while only handing out loans if the federal government guarantees them

Which part of that is inaccurate?

You really just keep repeating the same tired arguments over and over again. You might as well just put it in your profile signature that everything ever created is solely the fault of the government; it would save us all the trouble of reading these repetitive posts.
First off, the idea that major corporations only exist because of government subsidies is total nonsense and a completely baseless generalization.
"Make-believe jobs"? That's a ridiculous category to even suggest. It’s clear you don't really grasp the subject matter at hand. You're just talking in circles...
Besides, if you took a moment to actually study the productivity growth data for most companies, I think you'd be quite surprised by what you find.

If you just nationalize the pension funds here in America, you’ll see growth regardless of whether you actually implement "reforms"—honestly, even Šuker could have pulled that off, and I think even Sanders had the idea at one point. Pushing for an IMF bailout is nothing more than a populist stunt, especially since Canada is simultaneously racking up debt with other, much more expensive foreign creditors.

It is honestly amazing how easily these American sheep can be led astray

You might find yourself thinking that certain government maneuvers could actually dig us out of this hole we've dug for ourselves—but let’s be real—the U.S. government isn't actually capable of creating jobs. Sure, they can hand out subsidies, but those incentives just end up being pocketed by American entrepreneurs. I know a huge number of them personally, since I actually work within the very institutions designed to foster business growth

In my opinion, one should look for an exit strategy from this country as soon as possible—because our small businesses and trades have essentially been handed over to people who can barely sign their own names, yet happen to be the sons, grandsons, and spineless cronies of tycoons from both here and abroad. Consequently, they soak up every available bit of support, effectively steering the economy toward total ruin

Part of my daily routine involves providing bookkeeping and advisory services—specifically, helping navigate how to essentially hide about 300 off-the-books employees working within one of those highly celebrated "entrepreneurial" zones in America

And frankly, these types of measures haven't changed much in Canada either; they really just gave the Prime Minister an excuse to puff out his chest and shout, "I'm the boss"

I stay in regular contact with supporting institutions in Italy, Canada, and Canada, mostly because I work in a city quite close to the Canadian border and we frequently collaborate on international projects

My colleagues—who possess a true ground-level perspective and see exactly how things are moving in both directions—are not enthusiastic about these moves at all. From a global and long-term standpoint, these policies mean absolutely nothing; they lead to unpredictable consequences, rely on totally uncontrolled conditions, offer nothing but short-term growth, and most importantly, they involve taking massive risks compared to standard external business operations

The IMF was merely one of the many thorns in Viktor Orban's side, and there are plenty more to pluck—besides, the claims regarding how Canada "repaid" its debt are, quite frankly, pretty laughable

Comparing Canada and America just serves as further proof of the Phillips curve.

Basically, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

While standards of living in Canada are lower—with average salaries being about $220 less—finding a job there isn't quite the lottery win it feels like here in America.

Our unemployment rate is actually double that of the Canadians specifically because our wages are far too high relative to the actual state of our economy. This is especially true for those working in the public sector.

Jeffrey Fisher61 said:It is honestly amazing how easily these American sheep can be led astray

You might find yourself thinking that certain government maneuvers could actually dig us out of this hole we've dug for ourselves—but let’s be real—the U.S. government isn't actually capable of creating jobs. Sure, they can hand out subsidies, but those incentives just end up being pocketed by American entrepreneurs. I know a huge number of them personally, since I actually work within the very institutions designed to foster business growth

In my opinion, one should look for an exit strategy from this country as soon as possible—because our small businesses and trades have essentially been handed over to people who can barely sign their own names, yet happen to be the sons, grandsons, and spineless cronies of tycoons from both here and abroad. Consequently, they soak up every available bit of support, effectively steering the economy toward total ruin

Part of my daily routine involves providing bookkeeping and advisory services—specifically, helping navigate how to essentially hide about 300 off-the-books employees working within one of those highly celebrated "entrepreneurial" zones in America

And frankly, these types of measures haven't changed much in Canada either; they really just gave the Prime Minister an excuse to puff out his chest and shout, "I'm the boss"

I stay in regular contact with supporting institutions in Italy, Canada, and Canada, mostly because I work in a city quite close to the Canadian border and we frequently collaborate on international projects

My colleagues—who possess a true ground-level perspective and see exactly how things are moving in both directions—are not enthusiastic about these moves at all. From a global and long-term standpoint, these policies mean absolutely nothing; they lead to unpredictable consequences, rely on totally uncontrolled conditions, offer nothing but short-term growth, and most importantly, they involve taking massive risks compared to standard external business operations

The IMF was merely one of the many thorns in Viktor Orban's side, and there are plenty more to pluck—besides, the claims regarding how Canada "repaid" its debt are, quite frankly, pretty laughable

The constant whining about entrepreneurs on this forum is getting old... either they’re incompetent, or they’re all born with silver spoons in their mouths... nobody ever asks why more people don't just start their own businesses. Entrepreneurs aren't some exclusive club you aren't allowed to join. You take out a loan, invest in your education, and build something. If the criticism of business owners is actually true, then where is the real problem?

It was actually private enterprises that pulled this country out of the gutter back in the late nineties. All those banks and factories we managed to privatize only found their second wind because of private capital. Honestly, without them, our struggling American economy wouldn't even be sitting at its current GDP percentage, let alone dealing with the massive deficit we'd be facing.

I mean, seriously, what kind of role model is this, Mother of Christ? This man has practically cut Canada off from the very capital that could have fueled job creation and economic growth. While his people are left sleeping on park benches and scavenging through trash, the corrupt politicians and their inner circles remain completely untouched. Canada isn't just a poor example; it’s a total collective disaster spiraling into an abyss.

Anyone who looks to them as a blueprint for success is truly out of their mind. 😵

Ryan Nelson5 said:The constant whining about entrepreneurs on this forum is getting old... either they’re incompetent, or they’re all born with silver spoons in their mouths... nobody ever asks why more people don't just start their own businesses. Entrepreneurs aren't some exclusive club you aren't allowed to join. You take out a loan, invest in your education, and build something. If the criticism of business owners is actually true, then where is the real problem?

Here is an example

An IPA project designed to train potential entrepreneurs—written specifically so that training paired with access to microloans would be available to everyone—involved setting up a commission made of supposedly "successful" businessmen, appointed by local government officials, to oversee and judge whose ideas were actually viable enough to qualify for those microloans.

But here is how the project actually went down:

Four hand-picked individuals, chosen by three Republican Party mayors from the region, received perfectly crafted, pre-written business plans created by people with advanced degrees; naturally, they grabbed those microloans and launched their businesses.

I suppose I shouldn't even have to point out which political faction those entrepreneurs belonged to.

One of the jokes I heard at the last seminar in Canada was about how Europe is watching us now, so we can't just cut corners and do things our own way anymore—it really gave me a good laugh because I honestly can't remember a single project we've run strictly by the book in the last three years.

It’s also pretty funny to me because, much like in Canada, there are certain organizations that hold a total monopoly over "job coaching" and similar services, and that was exactly the kind of organization running our seminar.🤣

Harold Martin10 said:If you just nationalize the pension funds here in America, you’ll see growth regardless of whether you actually implement "reforms"—honestly, even Šuker could have pulled that off, and I think even Sanders had the idea at one point. Pushing for an IMF bailout is nothing more than a populist stunt, especially since Canada is simultaneously racking up debt with other, much more expensive foreign creditors.

When you look at everything the government is already carrying on its back—everything from the fire departments and the Department of Justice to our hospitals, schools, universities, and emergency services (and let's be real, public transit is likely next on the list)—it’s only a matter of time before they grab hold of the pension funds too. For nations in this kind of position, the IMF basically uses the slogan: "Don't bother calling the bankruptcy trustees; we'll do it for you." And what is the motto of those trustees? "Your business is our business."😁

Jeffrey Fisher61 said:Here is an example

An IPA project designed to train potential entrepreneurs—written specifically so that training paired with access to microloans would be available to everyone—involved setting up a commission made of supposedly "successful" businessmen, appointed by local government officials, to oversee and judge whose ideas were actually viable enough to qualify for those microloans.

But here is how the project actually went down:

Four hand-picked individuals, chosen by three Republican Party mayors from the region, received perfectly crafted, pre-written business plans created by people with advanced degrees; naturally, they grabbed those microloans and launched their businesses.

I suppose I shouldn't even have to point out which political faction those entrepreneurs belonged to.

One of the jokes I heard at the last seminar in Canada was about how Europe is watching us now, so we can't just cut corners and do things our own way anymore—it really gave me a good laugh because I honestly can't remember a single project we've run strictly by the book in the last three years.

It’s also pretty funny to me because, much like in Canada, there are certain organizations that hold a total monopoly over "job coaching" and similar services, and that was exactly the kind of organization running our seminar.🤣

Do you honestly think there aren't entrepreneurs out there with postgraduate degrees? I know a few. I really don't get where this idea comes from that business owners are all idiots.

Though, you also have to realize that just having theoretical knowledge isn't some kind of guarantee that a "perfectly written" idea will actually work in the real world.

It wasn't really about whether an idea would actually work in the real world or what kind of degree someone holds

The real issue—and it's pretty glaring—is how the business world heavily favors certain hand-picked individuals while everyone else, especially those starting from zero without any seed money, basically gets left out in the cold

So, that whole "anyone can be an entrepreneur" myth? It just doesn't hold water—because even people with great ideas struggle to make it, let alone the majority whose business models only look profitable on a spreadsheet

The person who has capital sitting there from their father, an uncle, or whatever connection they have—plus they enjoy some political backing from the Republican Party—will get everything handed to them to ensure they turn a profit (think sweetheart lease deals, off-the-books permits, cash under the table, and things like that)

Meanwhile, the person without those connections is forced to play by the rules, which makes carving out any actual profit incredibly difficult

It’s an undeniable reality that the average Canadian and American currently share a similar—and equally underwhelming—standard of living.
The catch is that our standard of living is essentially an artificial construct, built on a foundation of massive debt, reckless borrowing, political subservience, and the fire sale of state assets. We’re watching our quality of life erode day by day. The debts are coming due, the economic policies are a mess, and whenever any significant political decision needs to be made, we have to look to Brussels for permission.

On the flip side, the current Canadian situation feels temporary; in a few years, they might actually see upward mobility. Viktor Orbán could have easily handed his people a quick boost through cheap IMF loans—exactly how the Canadian socialists did it previously—but he chose not to because the man is not a mere populist.
He refused to let the IMF tie his hands and dictate how to run the country. He’d rather take on more expensive credit if necessary than sacrifice the sovereignty to make his own decisions. By sticking to his own policy and implementing smart economic measures, he aims to improve his people's lives in the long run without having globalist powers holding a leash around his neck.
While our politicians are busy liquidating state assets, Orbán is busy acquiring companies that are vital to the economy, which indirectly bolsters his ability to act independently on the political stage.

In other words, their car is slowly but surely making its way uphill.
Our car is accelerating rapidly, but in the wrong direction... right until the moment we hit a massive ravine.
The difference is that the Republican Party is driving their car.
Ours is being driven by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, which makes for an excellent choice if you're looking to fly headfirst into a ditch.