Ahem, the European Union today consists of a population of over 450 million, much larger than the USA. There are practically no borders between European states, going from Germany to France is like going from New York to New Jersey. The UK is the sore thumb of the EU, you need to go through immigration when coming from the continent.

Although a lot of European countries have toughened up immigration requirements, its actually a lot easier for immigrants to enter Europe than the US these days.

Oz and Canada have small populations so obviously its a lot easier to keep tabs on people. One note about these two countries is that its almost impossible to immigrate illegally to these two places. The US and EU tend to have more problems with this issue.

ur talking about a group of countries as opposed to one.

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But remember that, even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God you cannot say "but I was told by others to do thus" or that "virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that.

There are also an awful lot of social factors you are not considering. You say our (the US) crime rate is high, but our system is harsh. How are the two connected? There are far too many variables not being considered for you to fairly correlate the US with the EU

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AUC Class of '99
Bored certified
I may be a jerk, but I'm a Jedi jerk like my father.

Some say I look like Buzz Lightyear....
(They're right)

DISCLAIMER: I have no financial stake in ValueMD, or any medical school.

it just seems that many people outside the US also take this stance. i hate to say its ignorant, but it is.
no one that is non-American can really understand what its like to grow up/live in a country of 300million, and those that assume they know everything about everything with the US are just plain foolish. i took European history in high school and college. does that make me an expert on Europe? i also took Euro economics. should i criticize the EU and its countries? if anything, i feel LESS inclined to do so, because there is so much that i don't know, and could never learn w/o years of studies.

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But remember that, even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God you cannot say "but I was told by others to do thus" or that "virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that.

I am fascinated with people’s infatuation with the exceptions and how they try to portray the exceptions as the general rule, and that my dear friends is what happens with this kind of article. Our judicial system is not perfect, nothing is. It has flaws but bear in mind it was designed to be as practical and fair as possible, not perfect. That is the reason why you have mechanisms of appeals, trials by jury and several other "tools", as a law professor I had used to say.

To be redundant, the system is not perfect, was never meant to be perfect, it will never be perfect, it is meant to be as fair as possible within our socio-political environment. There will always be a possibility of failure like in anything else. There will always be an overzealous manipulative prosecutor willing to bend the rules just to win a case, and that is sad. But those are the exceptions, not the rule. We have to appreciate what we have a little bit better, or go to Cuba and challenge the system, or China, hey, even Russia with their so called reforms you can get in serious trouble, jail trouble if you cross the line with the wrong bureaucrat. I can go on and mention many other countries, free countries, allies of ours, that have far more dubious laws and rules for criminal and civil procedure (like jailing you for failing to pay a debt or holding you for an undetermined period of time without charging you until they build a case against you) that will make you feel happy and safe with our judicial system.

Ladies, gentlemen, it is not perfect, but it certainly works, if not ask OJ.


Max

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...."Beyond jealosy and betrayal; beyond hate and desire; beyond pain and death; lies the ultimate revelation; the final choice; the end; because the fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth" Neon Genesis Evangelion

Well the USA is made up of a lot of different nationalities, the only real Americans are the Natives. The reality is that Europe is becoming the most credible competitor to the US. I go there almost every year, there are practically no borders there these days. Immigrants live there too, in fact, its become more open to immigration than the US lately. The ever strengthening Euro and the weakening Dollar is changing perceptions worldwide. The EU is looked on far more favorably around the world as an agent of good than the US.

Now to add more fuel to this little fire, today the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a 30 year sentence to a then 12 year old boy for killing his grandparents.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04...venile.killer/

I know, I know, a lot of people will use this to portray us as a bad country, what else is new? Let the criticism begin. I am still happy with the system because..........................AS I said before...it ain't perfect but it's still good!

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...."Beyond jealosy and betrayal; beyond hate and desire; beyond pain and death; lies the ultimate revelation; the final choice; the end; because the fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth" Neon Genesis Evangelion

12 year old kills his grandparents??? pooh pooh. The thing that is making headline news in Australia is a story about a group of Pacific Islander teens attacking the staff and headmaster of a school in Western Sydney with Samurai swords. That is a bit more complex because it involves a group of assailants who are Islanders and their victims are AngloSaxon. Over 100 charges were filed against the boys but they will probably walk away free as birds.