Another Socialist country on the brink of collapse.

[VivaRevolution]

Federal spending is heavily favored toward the elderly in America
(over 6.5x per capita according to 2008 politifact figure)

and the growing healthcare industry is a testament to where wealth is being shifted.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/jan/28/federal-spending-old-young-numbers/

If the youth entitlement matched elderly entitlements in terms of federal spending, we would see massive deficits.

We are already looking at nearly a trillion in deficits, add another 1 to 1.3 trillion to that means taxes would effectively have to double to pay for free college and healthcare

double tax rate means roughly 80%top bracket tax on the top earners.

for the earners that decide to stay in the country that will likely mean alot of reinvestments in industry to write down their tax, but its likely that many will leave.

And then who pays?

You just provided a graph saying we spend more as a % then Germany does.

The truth is that our private HC system is bankrupting this country, because it is a house of fraud, with zero accounting integrity.

That spending on the elderly you point to, is the cost of medicare, and medicade.

 

[Prefect]

A question: what does it tell you that Norway is not on that list?

Nothing. They just didn't list them.

 

[brothir]

Nothing. They just didn't list them.

Yes, I looked up the stats and Norway is actually second in the world when it comes to tax revenue as % of GDP. Although, in hindsight I'm not even sure that's what the Forbes chart actually refers to: it says "tax as % of GDP" but do they mean tax revenue or some other figure?

Regardless, the Forbes chart is neither very good nor meaningful (yours is better), and it doesn't have any real impact on most of the further arguments I made later on. Just that framing that discussion in terms of Norway having a substantially lower tax burden is inaccurate.

 

[splendica]

Y'all can go live in Germany lol. Have at 'er.

 

[KOQ24]

I guess TS likes getting fucked by the ministry of finance.

The high tax burden in Germany has practically eaten up the modest wage increases since the 90s leading to the worst wage growth in western europe.

It's also really fucking small businesses as Germany has one of the worst startup business founding rates.

 

[ShadowRun]

You're right, free education and healthcare sucks. Glad I spent $1000 last week on healthcare here in the US. I am sorry you are disappointed in a country you dont live in. Any more disappointments...did Somalia not net a high enough income for you last year?

You get what you pay for

 

[A_bomb47]

You get what you pay for

You sure do. I pay around 250 euros per month for 2 adults and 2 young children. Can see a doctor the same day when I call. Also surgeries and appointments with specialists can be done within a week or two.

 

[DespicablePeep]

So Germany is a socialist country? Marx was against welfare state. Germany just has a higher welfare state than US, they are not socialists.

 

[ShadowRun]

You sure do. I pay around 250 euros per month for 2 adults and 2 young children. Can see a doctor the same day when I call. Also surgeries and appointments with specialists can be done within a week or two.

My healthcare is free, one of the perks working for my company. But I understand what you mean, so therefore it isn't free !!!

 

[Yellowking]

This could be interesting lol. I do wonder if they have long waiting times when needing to see a Doctor. Seems like if everyone had free healthcare people would be going every time they have a sniffle. That's really the only concern I'd have with such a model. Even then, that may not be the case at all im not sure.

I have one experience with the German healthcare system, as a US citizen. My fiancée and I were on vacation in Berlin 2 years ago and her bad disc started acting up due to long flight...getting to the point where she couldn’t walk. So we went to the ER. There were maybe like 3 other patients there. The clerk at registration explained they needed a $300 downpayment to see non-citizens (although they would treat you anyways if you explained financial hardship). So we paid it, she was seen by a doctor who provided some higher strength pain med and script for muscle relaxers to get through rest of trip and flight home. In and out, treated in about 1.5 hours.

A few weeks later the hospital sent back $275, so that particular bout of ER care only cost around $25.

 

[Goonerview]

It has been another tough year for Socialist Europe biggest economy. It seems that free education, universal healthcare, strict environmental protection have finally caught up to another Leftists State.
Germany had to report $44.9 Billion surpluse for 2017. This latest disappointing is nothing new its the fourth annual budget surplus for the Liberal regime.

Why can't the left run on fiscally responsible policies? Where are the tax cuts for companies and billionaires to finally bring tax release for the middle class? When will Germany stop this liberal nonsense with 35 hour work week, 24 paid holidays and go back to minimum wage jobs at Mac Donalds?

Sad

http://www.dw.com/en/germany-confirms-2017-surplus-and-gdp-growth/a-42706491

If Germany had been more capitalistic, they'd have BMW factories on mars by now.

 

[BudKing8806]

I have one experience with the German healthcare system, as a US citizen. My fiancée and I were on vacation in Berlin 2 years ago and her bad disc started acting up due to long flight...getting to the point where she couldn’t walk. So we went to the ER. There were maybe like 3 other patients there. The clerk at registration explained they needed a $300 downpayment to see non-citizens (although they would treat you anyways if you explained financial hardship). So we paid it, she was seen by a doctor who provided some higher strength pain med and script for muscle relaxers to get through rest of trip and flight home. In and out, treated in about 1.5 hours.

A few weeks later the hospital sent back $275, so that particular bout of ER care only cost around $25.

Nice. You can't visit an er around here for anything close to that. Even with insurance you have your deductible and copays.

 

[Prutfis]

Well time for a quick drive to Germany for the firesale. I call dibs on the Curry Wurst wagon outside Poetzsch.

At the current rate around half Germany spend around 40 Billion a year now.
I don't mind Germany using all that money to bring the military to those NATO obligation.

But most that money will be used to pay off the debt I would assume.

While I don´t mind countries living up to NATO obligations, a condition should be the US living up to their refugee obligations. Europe has been taking the beating on that front. That´s where a lot of those "NATO funds" go.

Yeah, they didn't make me choose. Born in the US to a german parent. The consulate told me that if I had been born in Germany to American parents I would have had to choose. Got real fortunate there.

I was born in Denmark to a danish dad and american mom. Denmark got a deal in place 6 months before I turned 18 so got dual citizenship

And what is the difference in quality of life between Norway and Sweden/Denmark?

Beer is fucking expensive in Sweden/Norway so Denmark is much much better.

 

[BillytheFish]

You get what you pay for

What I ended up with was a gap in my health insurance during a changeover. Not to mention the dr misdiagnosed me and only did a specific test I demanded otherwise I wouldnt have had it sorted and been out another $1000 this week.

The US health system is horrific. The education and training is not.

 

[Rod1]

Only way to fix that is to give them more of your money and responsibility. That'll fix things!

It works for Germany.

 

[Rod1]

So Germany is a socialist country? Marx was against welfare state. Germany just has a higher welfare state than US, they are not socialists.

 

[aitkenmike]

Norway has the biggest pile of money in the world, their oil fund. It's almost a trilion dollars.

Just think how much better they could be doing if they privatised their oil industry by flogging off their assets cheaply to oligarchs/multi-nationals, privatising the profits, while socialising the environmental costs. Silly Norway.