I happen to be so lucky to have German citizenship beside my American one. [View All]

[daedalus_dude]

Because my dad was in the Army and stationed in Germany and my mom is German.

I went to school and college in Germany.

Now, my family has always been working class. My dad spent most of his life either
unemployed or as a construction worker. My mom has been a low rank bank employee most
of her life.

I had health care all of my life. Never paid more than a few euro (or marks) for
some pills or whatever. No large bills for any procedure. I've had operations,
dental and and eyecare and whatnot.

Also: I got a masters-degree equivalent with paying virtually nothing for it. All
I had to do is not flunk out. If my mom would have lost her job, then the government would
have even given me a free place to live as long as I stay in college.

In other words: No one in my family is rich. Our background is extremely modest. We have never been
poor but not "well off" either. Still, I had everything I needed to be set up for higher education.

Whenever I'm in the states and see how some people I know are doing, it really feels like travelling to the
third world. But in a bizarre way, because the technology in the states always seems to be a few small steps ahead
of Germany (fancy electronic road signs and faster internet for instance). But the social structure in the States is so far behind that it is absolutely astonishing.

What is even more astonishing are those, usually dirt-poor, people in the States who are kicking and screaming "HELL NO!!! DON'T GIVE US ALL THAT FREE STUFF!!!"