Denmark = Venezuela?!

[dann]

However, there is no reason to idealize conditions in Denmark. There are a couple of flies in the ointment. One reason why the numerus clausus prevents otherwise qualified students from studying medicine is that it is much cheaper for countries to import medical doctors from neighboring countries: De udenlandske læger i Danmark bliver flere og flere. På kortet kan du se, hvor de kommer fra. (Avisen, Nov. 20, 2017)
There are more and more foreign doctors in Denmark. On this map, you can see where they come from.

 

[dann]

Trump Claims U.S. Will Become Like Venezuela if Biden Wins:

 

[dann]

Are there any signs yet that the USA is turning into Venezuela? (Apart from the claims about the Dominion voting machines?)
Well, raising the minimum wage to $15 will at least get conditions for workers in the USA closer to conditions in Denmark.

The US Failed This Test, Denmark Didn’t

(The video is old. It predicts that the U.S. may have more than 100,000 Covid-19 deaths!)

 

[dann]

A Danish-American businessman wants rich people like himself to pay more taxes: The American dream is now in Denmark (The Ink, Feb. 23, 2021)

 

[dann]

It started with Trish Regan's 'Business report' on Fox, and it was then picked up by Team Trump in October, 2018, ahead of the midterm elections.

Now, it is Trump's former ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands:
Tidligere USA-ambassadør: Danskere har ikke råd til at køre i bil (TV2.dk, June 10, 2022)
Former US ambassador: The Danes can't afford to drive a car

Carla Sands on Twitter:

I’ve seen this before. In Denmark, middle class people can’t afford to drive a car. They have a bike and take the train for long trips. My embassy driver would bike an hour in the snow to get to work. That’s the future team Biden wants for Americans. Is this what you want?

RNC Research
Americans struggling with the #BidenGasHike tell CNN, “I will stop driving”
“[Gas prices are] really extreme”

https://twitter.com/CarlaHSands/status/1535091239246340104

I don't know if it is possbile that she didn't pay her embassy driver enough for him to own a car. I myself have never owned a car, but not because I couldn't afford it. There are other reasons to ride bikes, which I have explained recently in the thread about fat shaming.

By the way, Carla Sands also praised Trump's idea about buying Greenland, and yet she only got 6 percent of the votes in the Pennsylvania primary.

I don't think the Danes miss her!
Tidligere ambassadør i Danmark i modvind: 'Du ved INTET om Danmark' (BT, June 10, 2022)
Former ambassador to Denmark in **** storm: 'You know NOTHING about Denmark'

 

[dann]

Many funny reactions to Carla Sands' tweet.

Rune Dybvad Simonsen
That is correct. Denmark is a very poor country. Therefore, it is also a paradox that the starting pay for a McDonnell employee is $ 22. Per hour. That's what the crazy socialism look like.
https://twitter.com/RuneDybvad/status/1535203906447454208

Helle
You really managed to learn absolutely nothing about Denmark. In a country of 5.8 mio inhabitants, there are 2.8 mio cars. Many own 2 cars, but still bike in our own town. Mostly in the inner cities, biking and public transportation is faster and easier than a car.
https://twitter.com/HelleBaekkelund/status/1535206099825184768

Stefan Vase
Danish middle class resident here! ��*���� We have 2 cars, not flash American cars, but two affordable HYUNDAIs: i10 & Tucson PHEV. We bike more, because of gas prices and for the health and well-being for our kids #FactCheck #FactsMatter
https://twitter.com/stefanvase/status/1535207371009675264

Christian Bagger
Sadly, this is completely true. In fact, most middle class citizens here in Denmark can't even afford wheels and handlebars on their bikes! Instead they have to ride on wild boars provided by our government and trained by viking socialist-shamans. So sad.
https://twitter.com/christbaggs/status/1535213917198221312

Mads Thomsen
That is untrue. Most middle class families have one or two cars. It seems like you did not experience or talk with the danish people about bike culture. Fresh air and exercise is great!
https://twitter.com/MDSTHMSN/status/1535204220625989633

Mads Thomsen
So sad to witness a middle class family sharing one bike! #thepoorpeopleofdenmark
https://twitter.com/MDSTHMSN/status/1535217736506286080

With a photo of the crown prince of Denmark on a bike with this kids.
And another one:

Mette Clemmensen
Another not true statement.
Or i guess the Crown Prince can’t afford a car either
https://twitter.com/ClemmensenMette/status/1535225099485323264

I always thought that the people interviewed in the street on Jay Leno's Jaywalking or nowadays on Jimmy Kimmel Live were carefully selected for their utter ignorance.
But this is a Republican ambassador who spent four years in the country she somehow still manages to know nothing whatsoever about.

 

[dann]

Come on, Carla! Ex-ambassador ridiculed over Denmark remarks (CPH Post, June 11, 2022)

'Danish royals can't afford a car': Former US envoy to Denmark ridiculed over cycling tweet (The Local.dk, June 10, 2022)

Unlike Carla Sands' tweet yesterday, the comments to this one seem to be from Americans and not mainly from Danes:
Former US Ambassador to Denmark hilariously states that people in Denmark use bikes and public transport because they "can't afford a car" (Reddit, June 10, 2022)

 

[Lukraak_Sisser]

Wait, Danes do NOT commute on wild boars in viking gear?

 

[dann]

At this point, only Crown Prince Frederik still does, I think:

Frederik has completed extensive military studies and training in all three services, notably completing the education as frogman in the naval elite special operations forces Frømandskorpset.
Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark: Military career (Wiki)

His extensive military studies and training also came in handy when the royal family could no longer afford bodyguards.

But Frederik only rides wild boars when the weather is fine. When it isn't, he takes the huskies for a stroll:
Middle-class Danes can afford neither the military training needed to ride wild boars nor the huskies.
When the weather prevents us from riding our bikes, we have to stay at home and hygger.

 

[theprestige]

Wait, Danes do NOT commute on wild boars in viking gear?

Is it the boars or the Danes that are supposed to be in viking gear?

Also, are we talking about viking gear, or Viking gear? One is gear appropriate to the activity of viking. The other is cosplay.

 

[dann]

Obama's ambassador to Denmark:

Rufus Gifford
People keep asking me to respond to this from my successor in Denmark.
It’s hard to respond to something when literally every word is false.

https://twitter.com/rufusgifford/status/1535471325690462208

Unlike Carla Sands, Rufus Gifford won't be busy deleting answers and blocking followers the next couple of days:

grand danois
She doesn't like to be contradicted, watch out

@CarlaHSands
Not followed by anyone you're following
You are blocked from following @CarlaHSands's Tweets

https://twitter.com/AageWinther/status/1535490548601085957

 

[theprestige]

"It's hard to respond," he easily responded.

 

[dann]

The Bush administration's last ambassador to Denmark was described as "colorful": Elvis-ambassadør stopper med Bush (EB, Nov 5, 2008)
But I guess the poor guy couldn't afford to drive a car:

Normally I don't give a toss about whoever is sitting in the American Embassy here in Copenhagen, but the chap at the moment likes to bike.
James P. Cain is a Bushite, as far as I can tell, but he isn't shy about his passion for sustainability. Too bad he's here and not in public office 'over there', where he's needed.
He's made an effort to see as much of Denmark on a bike as possible. 2200 kilometres in all, by the time he's done. Last year he cycled around the islands of Falster and Zealand [the latter is where Copenhagen is located] in order to see the country and talk to Danes.
He is kicking off this spring by heading to the mainland, Jutland, and the island of Funen before heading back to Copenhagen. Anyone who wants to ride with him is invited.
Let's be honest. Being an ambassador in Denmark isn't a nine to five job... But it isn't a bad idea spending your free time riding around the nation you are stationed in.
An American Ambassador on a Bike (Copenhagenize, March 2008)

I met him when he visited my high school. He didn't need a bike for that. He just had to cross the road from the embassy.
He gave a speech about ... riding a bike in Denmark! Short summary (Gymnasieskolen, Jan 28, 2008) in Danish!

... So far, he has managed to ride 1,800 kilometers in 35 day - because, in order to mingle and get integrated into this country, you have to learn how to ride a bike - preferably while you are texting your girlfriend, reading maps and text messages! And with two bodyguards. Riding a bike in Copenhagen and getting into close contact with the Danes is the best decision I've made, said Cain, who has declared that it is his ambition that the relationship between the USA and Denmark will be better when he leaves the embassy than it was when he arrived two and a half years ago. ...

Many of the students seemed ready to stage some kind of protest against the Bush-appointed ambassador, but he managed to say nothing that was offensive to them.

He returned to Denmark in 2011 for the opening of an Elvis museum:
Graceland Randers 2011 ambassadør James P Cain

Did nobody think of buying Carla Sands a bike?

 

[dann]

"It's hard to respond," he easily responded.

Yes, he did.

 

[erlando]

As most americans she sees bikes as toys to be ridden by kids.

She obviously can't phatom why grown-ups would use a bike for commuting if they could afford to drive.

Silly.

 

[llwyd]

As most americans she sees bikes as toys to be ridden by kids.

She obviously can't phatom why grown-ups would use a bike for commuting if they could afford to drive.

Silly.

I guess it might sound exotic in the US context - I cycle to work basically all year round, even in Helsinki winter if it's not too icy (like it was almost all time this unfortunate winter). It's a very easy trip though, and of course mostly covered by bike lanes.

 

[Hlafordlaes]

Denmark, the place most Europeans would be happy to live. Except Finns, who are reportedly even happier at home. The place where they had the stones to re-publish Charlie Hebdo's cartoons. (Kudos!) However, also the place that locked its borders down hard during the Syrian refugee crisis, and which elected to force the return of the few it let in "because Syria safe now". Overall, Hamlet was right, but his famous comment also applies everywhere in the world.

 

[llwyd]

Denmark, the place most Europeans would be happy to live. Except Finns, who are reportedly even happier at home. The place where they had the stones to re-publish Charlie Hebdo's cartoons. (Kudos!) However, also the place that locked its borders down hard during the Syrian refugee crisis, and which elected to force the return of the few it let in "because Syria safe now". Overall, Hamlet was right, but his famous comment also applies everywhere in the world.

Oh, our Nordic model is only comparatively enlightened and rational - it's that everyone else sucks even worse. Like the USA which seems like a totally deranged society these days.

 

[dann]

So Finland = Venezuela, too?!
Anyway, this is Economics, Business and Finance, so we should stop the derail into general comparisons.

 

[Hlafordlaes]

Oh, our Nordic model is only comparatively enlightened and rational - it's that everyone else sucks even worse. Like the USA which seems like a totally deranged society these days.

Others suck worse, indeed! Then there are the weird surprises, here and there, like Icelanders believing in fairies and trolls, or so one hears.

***
ETA: As for economics, always has surprised me how Scandinavians accomplish so much with such small populations, relatively speaking.

 

[dann]

It's been a while since Trish Regan complained about Denmark on Fox.

”But you see, not only is school free, …” – the HORROR!!! – ”… but they actually pay you.”

They do?! Yes, in high school and college they do, but not much. (And again: What’s the problem?!)

Wherever Trish may be nowadays*, this one's for her, 'cause the socialist hellhole Denmark got even worse in the last couple of days!
They have not only made wind-powered electricity cheap. Now they actually pay people for using it!


ETA: *On Twitter and YouTube complaining about woke light beer, apparently, after Fox laid her off in 2020.