Our taxes fund more public health dollars per capita than almost anywhere else in the world. Medicare and Medicaid spending is higher than DOD budget, and that’s before you include medical research funded by NIH and DOD or VA spending.
The issue is that our prices are out of control because of regulatory capture and downstream inability of the government to negotiate lower prices.
What we need are price controls.
I don’t like paying taxes, but holy hell not having the things they’re supposed to pay for sucks. You ever use a toll road or get caught in an intentional speed trap? Holy hell it sucks. And also we’re only kinda sure our food is safe and our medicine works. But the cops have tanks and the beef and gas are subsidized
It's not even a nice military though! Failed audit after failed audit showing billions of dollars not accounted for. When you enlist, one of the trainings you get is how to sign up for WIC, because they don't even pay you enough to feed a family (at first) if you lay down your life. This country is a joke from the outside, and a nightmare to live in.
I always find it amusing when Americans can only come up with paying less taxes as the answer, then they don't understand why they get less services. It's almost like you should expect more from the tax dollars you already spend. But I guess that's the point of this post and I'm just beating a dead horse.
Unfortunately for the post, military is 3rd behind social securities and Medicare.
The issue is far more fundamental than "but ma military spending". And while military spending definitely contributes, the biggest problems are a hugely wasteful medical system and economy that pushes money away from the majority, away from taxes, and up to corporations.
Largely starving the country both in tax revenue, in political capital to make actual positive change, and the literal people as they stop living and start surviving more and more often.
I mean if the 1% paid their share of taxes proportionate to their income we could live in a utopia :)... But nah... That one polical side that should not be named will continue making the poor poorer and pocketing the money for themselves.
That are the reasons why I like paying taxes. Because a functioning society is a great thing.
Americans have accepted this idea. To our detriment. And to the detriment of the underdeveloped world. It's a wicked system. God damn it we're foul.
Far too often, broad generalizations are made about hot button issues like taxes and regulation, calling them "bad" or "good" but it depends on implementation i.e. what is getting taxed, by how much, and where it goes. It would be nice if we had more say in where our taxes go, but unfortunately in the US, both parties are happy to jack up the military budget.
Strangely enough, it was an american economist that coined:
"Taxes are the price we pay for civilization." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
The problem here is that no one knows what the government does because government agencies, with one exception, aren't allowed to toot their own horn. That one government agency is NASA and everyone loves them
If you're interested you can read the book The Fifth Risk. The government isn't perfect but it does so much being the scenes that people just don't appreciate
Image Transcription: Twitter Post
Stu Cameron, @stucam7771
Nobody 'likes' paying tax, but at least here in Scotland we get to use the hospitals, universities, infastructure, prescription drugs and more (that are tax funded) at no extra cost
I feel sorry for Americans, who also pay tax but without these benefits
Nice military though...
The US brings in 78% of what it spends. Period. So our taxes don't pay for what we get.
In fact, income tax is only a little more than 1/2 of the revenue.
So whatever. Lets stop pretending we have to be fiscally responsible in the US. We haven't passed a budget since 2008. It's just spending bills and continuing resolutions.
Give us healthcare. Don't bark about having the money. Just do it.
Is there some irony in the fact that the 13 colonies decided to rebel because they didn't want it pay tax back to England for services that they wouldn't get to see the benefits of and so started the American Revolution only to fast forward to now and have more or less the same thing happening?
I mean it's probably a bit more complicated than that but it seems like it's happening that way.
That is the risk with taxes. You can't stop paying them, so politicians, in some circumstances, are able to use them for things you don't want.
Lol nobody fucks with Stu, not even america
Everyone hates on The United States military, you know, until they are getting their asses kicked. I think the USA should only lend military support to those countries willing to pay for it.
Scotland also pays more taxes. 20% for middle income, 40%+ for higher income (£46k+) If you make approximately the same (40k) in the US it’s 10% to 10k then 22% to 40k. However - the us tax rate doesn’t go up again until 95k, and then it’s only 24% for income above that, (more brackets follow, but…) and never even makes it above 37% earning above a half million a year.
Americans pay way less in income tax overall.
Edit: and get way less services for it, plus get fucked when it comes to medical costs, education costs, etc.
Not sure if I came across sounding like I support getting screwed by supporting Big Pharma’s profits and shareholders or something.
I always hear this retort though, the wait times are insane which can be problematic for people with serious urgent ailments, anyone wanna share their experiences?
Edit: thanks for all the replies so far, keep em comin. I don’t personally believe this take but I never quite have substance to point to. Any statistic or polls would also be helpful!
