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"Although Norway has some of the highest salaries in the world, they do come with a vastly increased cost of living."
"MVA, or merverdiavgift, is a form of sales tax or VAT applied to goods and services purchased in Norway.
The standard rate of MVA is 25%, the same as the other Scandinavian countries. It is the highest rate in Europe apart form Hungary at 27%."
No thanks.
Which is one of the reasons why I'm personally not a socialist. In my country the sales tax is a bit lower, at 21%. The income tax is usually more shocking to Americans though: Of every additional euro I make, 52 cents goes to the government. I do think it's too much, but I also do think a welfare state does have upsides too. It's a tricky balancing act.
I'll have this as a last post because I am noticing I'm spending a bit too much time on this thread. My main point is: Not every form of socialism is hell on earth (e.g. Nordics), although there's obviously a lot of bad ones - historically probably more bad than good ones. And although ***** ran on a socialist platform, socialism is actually a very small part of what made ***** *****. After all, it's the genocide and war we remember them for, not the government-run healthcare.
I'll have this as a last post because I am noticing I'm spending a bit too much time on this thread.
This is probably for the best. The fact that you don't consider a 52% effective tax rate to be "too much" suggests that you are unlikely to reach a consensus with most of the people on this forum on this issue.
This is probably for the best. The fact that you don't consider a 52% effective tax rate to be "too much" suggests that you are unlikely to reach a consensus with most of the people on this forum on this issue.
Could've worded it a bit better, but I think it's too much. (apologies, not a native speaker). I'm also, by European standards, right wing / not a socialist. But I do think it's important to understand their position.
When I worked in the US ('95..'98) I was always surprised by how much people focused on race but to see it so blatantly portrayed like this by a "respected" broadcaster seems unbelievable.
My views are more is line with the original intent of our constitution not what the more left-leaning have changed it into. Our country was founded with a much more limited government, protecting much more freedom for individuals.
Self-reliance, rugged individualism, and an entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with little regulatory interference and low taxes, allowed the unprecedented growth of personal wealth and GDP in our young country's short history. Governmental expansion has continued to erode the freedoms and confiscate more of the earnings of citizens over time.
I have a state sales tax of 6%, local sales tax of 1%, and zero state income tax. Most educated individuals fall between 22-24% federal income tax but can be up to 35%, 6% payroll tax (which is several other federal tax items together), then there's property tax on land and buildings you own (mine is low because I live in a right-wing state/locality, about $600 per year). I pay about $60 per year for each vehicle.
36 cents per gallon state gasoline tax and 18 cents per gallon federal gas tax are also items of note.
Ashley Brister Lang I'm done with both sides. A lot of Republicans are actually Democrats that ran as Republicans just so they could win.
I just want to live a quiet life, be left alone, and not be attacked bc of it. I want a country where laws are properly enforced. If they just used the laws we have then most of our problems would stop. I want to live in a country where my money isnt forcibly taken to pay for stuff I have no say in and wont have any benefit from. I don't want to have to cater to the feelings and opinions of others while living my private life. I keep to myself and dont bother anyone. I just want the same in return.
I'm going to back whatever politician helps me get to these goals. Trump definitely will and that's why the left hates him. They want a country where they get to do as they please without consequences while everyone else is forced to pay for it. I'm tired of being forced to pay for the bad choices of others while being attacked bc I say no.
The National Health Service (NHS), Britain’s “free” universal healthcare system, will begin to forbid a whole range of common medical procedures as part of cost-cutting measures.
Procedures including injections for back pain, knee arthroscopies for arthritis, tonsillectomies, and surgery for heavy menstrual pain and bleeding are among a list of 17 that will be discontinued completely or highly restricted by the NHS. The health service hopes to save $260 million a year by reducing routine procedures by at least 100,000 operations.
The 17 affected treatments:
• Knee arthroscopies for osteoarthritis
• Removal of bone spurs for shoulder pain
• Injections for back pain
• Dilation and curettage for heavy menstrual bleeding
• Hemorrhoid surgery
• Hysterectomy for heavy menstrual bleeding
• Carpal tunnel syndrome release
• Removal of lesions on eyelids
• Tonsillectomy
• Snoring surgery
• Breast reduction
• Removal of benign skin lesions
• Grommets for glue ear
• Dupuytren’s contracture release
• Excision of small, non cancerous lumps on the wrist called ganglia
• Trigger finger release
• Varicose vein surgery
you get to keep your doctor, and pay $2000 less a year!
I don't have any good memes, but I do wan't to see what people think of Universal Basic Income. I listened to a podcast interview with Andrew Yang who is running for president in order to promote the implementation of a universal basic income.
Generally I am opposed to it, but at the same time I can see how if it might actually be necessary someday due to automation etc. Anyone else interested in the idea, even if it's so they can fight against it?
Leftist: Americans aren't responsible enough to use their own earned money however they want. -- we need to take a chunk of it, hold it for a span of a lifetime, and return it as pennies on the dollar.
also Leftists: Let's give people unearned money so that they can use however they want.
I don't have any good memes, but I do wan't to see what people think of Universal Basic Income. I listened to a podcast interview with Andrew Yang who is running for president in order to promote the implementation of a universal basic income.
Generally I am opposed to it, but at the same time I can see how if it might actually be necessary someday due to automation etc. Anyone else interested in the idea, even if it's so they can fight against it?
It's a stupid idea and will get a lot of interest from non-workers. If your skills are so paltry that you can't keep your job from a robot (calculator, typewriter, phone, etc.) then how does paying you $1K/month help anything?
The right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness doesn't include being paid by the government.
The government doesn't make money, it takes money. This money is referred to as "taxes".
Let's assume the government is working smoothly on the revenue it takes from the current US citizens. Where is the extra $1K per month, per US adult going to come from? Will it be paid to citizens that have previously contributed to Social Security? Will the money go to anyone in the country or just US citizens? How will it be paid to citizens that don't have a bank account? Which entity is paying the money to citizens and if it's the "US Government" how will back taxes be addressed against this payment system (garnished wages for instance)?
I don't have any good memes, but I do wan't to see what people think of Universal Basic Income. I listened to a podcast interview with Andrew Yang who is running for president in order to promote the implementation of a universal basic income.
Generally I am opposed to it, but at the same time I can see how if it might actually be necessary someday due to automation etc. Anyone else interested in the idea, even if it's so they can fight against it?
I get the theory behind it but I have yet to see a single fully fleshed out proposal about how it would be implemented and paid for that made any sense.
I'm also not convinced this massive unemployment event due to automation will occur the way UBI advocates seem to think it will. Most people enjoy human contact. There are always more services and experiences that can be provided. Most of which we haven't even thought of yet.
Well, I was hoping there would be someone here that could play devils advocate but since there hasn't been anyone, I will try my best.
According to this article, there are 3.5 million Americans driving trucks for a living as of 2014. It is a job that doesn't require much formal education yet can pay decently depending on where you live. https://medium.com/basic-income/self...k-b8507d9c5961
In not so many years, driving trucks over long distances will be done completely or entirely by AI. If there is a human needed, they will be required for only the last several miles of a transit, and it is forseen that in many cases there will be terminals where AI trucks will pick up drivers to make the last portion of their drives. This will require far fewer drivers.
The estimate I have seen supposes that only 25% of current drivers will retain their jobs. That leaves over two million unemployed who have little education and few other job skills. I think this is harsh honestly, but I am going with the narrative for now. Also, few truckers are unionized, so there is not as much political power to keep these people in the cabs of trucks when they might not be necessary.
This type of thing will happen in industry after industry. With AI and automation there will be fewer and fewer actual humans required to perform the repetitive tasks, and whereas there used to be factories full of workers, there are now a few higher paid employees managing/repairing robots.
In regards to how it would work, at least in the plan put forth by Andrew Yang, every American would receive $1,000 per month, regardless of whether or not they worked. This puts them basically at poverty level. It would be opt-in, so people on welfare could either choose to keep their welfare or switch to UBI. One argument that actually rings true is this - a fair number of people on welfare are very careful not to take low paying jobs because they would lose their welfare if they worked. This would free people to take risks and try jobs that don't pay well initially, both in terms of current welfare recipients taking the risk of taking a job and in the case of entrepreneurs who might like to try and start a business but worry whether or not they will be able to afford shelter and food.
I know I am not really doing a good job arguing FOR UBI, but that's kinda how I understand it.
Also, I basically have arguments in my own head countering all of the above, but I am hoping someone might take up the PRO argument so I can roll it around in my head and maybe see both sides.
With a new Justice appointment pending and Roe v. Wade reversal discussion starting to pop-up, what is the gain of reversing making women have and keep unwanted children?
I don't have any good memes, but I do wan't to see what people think of Universal Basic Income... I can see how if it might actually be necessary someday due to automation etc...
UBI is already heavily practiced in many forms in most first-world countries, we just have different names for it.
In most countries on this Earth, the rule of thumb is, you work or you starve. "Welfare" as we know it does not exist in most other countries in the world. In fact, in North and South America, the USA and Canada are the only 2 real first world countries where the gov't actually won't let you starve. Everyplace else is a raging ****-hole in comparison and you get nothing for free compared to what you get here. Welfare programs are designed to keep people warm at night and fed so that they don't riot and to keep them voting Democrat.
Where might we be headed as the population of people unable (for a thousand different reasons) to house and feed themselves increases? As we begin to run out of low-paying jobs for the masses of unskilled and uneducated due to automation, those dependent on the government for housing and food increases. At some point, the curve will be steep as more and more jobs at higher wages begin to disappear. The government will have to get more creative on ways to keep people from taking to the streets and burning everything. Massive community housing buildings with gov't controlled food dispenseries under the fist of heavily armed police forces are inevitable. This is how UBI will work. Go watch the new Blade Runner and follow it up with Judge Dredd (the 2012 one) and you'll get the idea of where we're headed.
With a new Justice appointment pending and Roe v. Wade reversal discussion starting to pop-up, what is the gain of reversing making women have and keep unwanted children?
someone needs to teach leftists how the SC hears cases, then rules on them.
but to answer your question: personal responsibility and outlawing murder.
06-30-2018, 01:01 PM
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