What would you have done differently if you'd been born a US Citizen?

[Widge 0]

I guess I ought to add that I don't think there are no or few opportunities in the UK, indeed I'm thankful that of all the countries I was born into, I got the UK as a good 2nd choice to the US. However, from my professional and personal basis, my family would have been better off in the US (my Dad's an Engineering Consultant, and is paid far less here than his counterparts in the US, not to mention that many seem to think he's a car mechanic when he gives them his job title!). From a career standpoint, I think I have far more opportunities in US Military and Law Enforcement, partly because the country is a lot bigger, there are more areas to go into (local, state, county agencies, as well as the alphabet soup Fed ones). I also immensely dislike the Class system present in the UK, from the royalty downwards. Everywhere I've worked in the UK I've been judged on my personal background and accent to some extent (which apparantely seems posh to some people, and foreign to others), whereas I've never experienced any such treatment during my work and travels in the US. Obviously experiences vary as you get a-holes in every country in the world, but I've found US culture far more relaxed and easygoing overall.

Free education seemed great whilst I was at uni, but since joining the working world I have a strong dislike of the ridiculous taxes etc that the UK has to pay for that, the NHS etc. Many other aspects of UK culture are not to my liking either (such as gun "control", the political system, etc), but that's for another discussion. Don't get me wrong, whilst living here with my wife, and now that our final move is rapidly approaching, we realise how much we will miss many aspects of the UK, such as the country walks, pubs, old churches/castles etc, but for us, the US is definately a better choice to live in.

Tell me the US is a better choice when you have lived and worked here! I too had delusions of granduer before I came. I am not saying that the US is a worse place to be...on the contrary I love the US, but it is very hard to establish yourself in another country unless of course you are bringing with you plenty $$$$$$.

Also we think that there is little difference between the US and the UK, again this is not the case.

Given my time all over again...would I still move here?....yes, but I would make sure I had much more money than I brought with me.

I have lived here stateside nearly three years now and the longer I live here the more I realise that it is nothing like the USA of the movies/expectations/as publicised abroad. It is very much a nation of haves and haves not with the rich getting richer and the poor falling totally by the wayside! So to the question would depend very much on which side of the tracks you were born a US citizen. I get very sick of people knocking the UK health system - whatever failings it may have (I in 40+ yrs living in UK never had a complaint) it IS available to every citizen totally free at the point of consumption. Here I see people who don't have medical coverage at all, whose health decisions are based on $$$ not health and who at any moment could have a situation arise that could leave them in debt to an extent beyond there wildest dreams for the rest of their lives - to me that isn't how a civilised society lives. A society where the opportunities for education frequently depend upon taking up arms to pay for it, doesn't lay easy with me either. A political system that is abusive to its opposition rather than working to a common good, where the $$ rules and corruption appears rife. A country where the words freedom, religious tolerance and democracy are bandied around but where on a day to day basis there is more bigotry intolerance and pure hatred for any minority than I ever dreamed possible back in the UK. Please dont get me wrong I love living here but it is NOT a land of opportunity for all it is a land of opportunity for those who can for those who struggle for whatever reason it is a very hostile environment.

We cannot guess where we might have been born into any countries social heirarchy so the question becomes mute, but if I were to be disadvantaged I'd take disadvantaged in Britain over disadvantaged in America any day of the week.