Oh yes, money out of my pocket means a better quality of life for all. I suppose that's a typical leftist belief. For those of us living from pay check to pay check, paying European prices for gas and utilities isn't attractive.
The people who work minimum wage jobs would have an even more difficult time trying to survive. But perhaps you are too rich to know what it is like to have to do without.
Originally posted by EladarOf course, if you were a minimum wage worker in a developed country in Europe you'd be making a lot more than the $6.55 a hour federal minimum wage. See http://www.fedee.com/minwage.html
Oh yes, money out of my pocket means a better quality of life for all. I suppose that's a typical leftist belief. For those of us living from pay check to pay check, paying European prices for gas and utilities isn't attractive.
The people who work minimum wage jobs would have an even more difficult time trying to survive. But perhaps you are too rich to know what it is like to have to do without.
France has a monthly minimum wage of 1,321 Euros based on a 35 hour work week or about 150 hours a month. Since a Euro is worth $1.25 that works out to close to $11 an hour. The figures are a bit less in the UK and the Netherlands, but unless my math is way off it looks like the minimum wages there are equivalent to $9-10 an hour.
Originally posted by EladarWell, I think you´ll find all those high tax leftist Euro countries do quite well actually. Have you checked whose at the top of the Standard of living tables and where the US stands?
Oh yes, money out of my pocket means a better quality of life for all. I suppose that's a typical leftist belief. For those of us living from pay check to pay check, paying European prices for gas and utilities isn't attractive.
The people who work minimum wage jobs would have an even more difficult time trying to survive. But perhaps you are too rich to know what it is like to have to do without.
I presume you only hear about how high fuel prices and tax levels are but you don´t hear that the actual incomes are significantly higher too.
Originally posted by no1marauderAlso, a minimum wage is not that bad if you don't have to pay as much for health care, education etc. People on a minimum wage income here can afford cars, gasoline bills and holidays abroad.
Of course, if you were a minimum wage worker in a developed country in Europe you'd be making a lot more than the $6.55 a hour federal minimum wage. See http://www.fedee.com/minwage.html
France has a monthly minimum wage of 1,321 Euros based on a 35 hour work week or about 150 hours a month. Since a Euro is worth $1.25 that works out to cl ...[text shortened]... nless my math is way off it looks like the minimum wages there are equivalent to $9-10 an hour.
Originally posted by WheelyI have, for example:
Well, I think you´ll find all those high tax leftist Euro countries do quite well actually. Have you checked whose at the top of the Standard of living tables and where the US stands?
Human development index:
1. Iceland
2. Norway
3. Australia
12. United States
Human poverty index:
1. Sweden
2. Norway
3. The Netherlands
17. United States
Originally posted by KazetNagorraThe US is immensely wealthy; unfortunately for about the last three decades, virtually all gains in income have went to the upper 10%. This led to a situation in 2006 where the share of income held by the top 10% was the highest it had been since 1928. The economic results were predictable.
I have, for example:
Human development index:
1. Iceland
2. Norway
3. Australia
12. United States
Human poverty index:
1. Sweden
2. Norway
3. The Netherlands
17. United States
EDIT: I said this on October 31:
Here's an indication of what's wrong with the economy:
Therefore, in the economic expansion of 2002-2006, the top 1 percent captured almost three- quarters of income growth.
http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2006prel.pdf
Look on page two for other rather shocking figures.
EDIT: Go to Figure 1 on page 5. Only once since 1917 has the share of income going to the top 10% reached the level it did in 2006. Guess what year that was?
1928, the year before the Great Depression started.
Some coincidence, huh?
Thread: let a little socialism into your life! Forum: Debates
If you take into account the tax rate, I think you'll find that minimum wage earners in leftist countries aren't bringing home all that much money. Yes, the weak dollar is helping those numbers, but the value of the dollar fluctuates. Eventually the value of the dollar will rise and then those numbers won't look as nice.
As far as traveling abroad goes, how far is it until you hit another country in Europe? The equivalent to traveling abroad in the US would be to visit another state. Yes, the poor can and do visit other states in the US.
As far as those rankings go, countries have to deal with different issues. Criteria can be chosen to make certain countries look better. In other words, they don't mean much.
Then there is this:
USA should just pull back and let the rest of the world go to hell.
The US is footing a major part of the bill when it comes to defending the world. At the same time we are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not tens of millions of dollars into economies throughout the world with our bases. Pull back our troops, let people in the regions like Korea fight it out for themselves and pump money back into our own economy.
Originally posted by EladarMinimum wage earners can get health insurance here (in fact, it's mandatory) and they can send their kids to university. The poor in the US can't do that. Who has a higher standard of living?
If you take into account the tax rate, I think you'll find that minimum wage earners in leftist countries aren't bringing home all that much money. Yes, the weak dollar is helping those numbers, but the value of the dollar fluctuates. Eventually the value of the dollar will rise and then those numbers won't look as nice.
As far as traveling abroad goes ...[text shortened]... he regions like Korea fight it out for themselves and pump money back into our own economy.
Originally posted by EladarDefending the world from what exactly? Right wingers and the corporate elite love military spending, but the great bulk of it is totally unnecessary.
If you take into account the tax rate, I think you'll find that minimum wage earners in leftist countries aren't bringing home all that much money. Yes, the weak dollar is helping those numbers, but the value of the dollar fluctuates. Eventually the value of the dollar will rise and then those numbers won't look as nice.
As far as traveling abroad goes ...[text shortened]... the regions like Korea fight it out for themselves and pump money back into our own economy.
Minimum wage earners can send their kids to college in the US. There are many grants and scholarships aimed at low income students.
Health Insurance gets paid for through taxes. As has been pointed out in other threads, the level of health care one receives in different countries is not equal. You can say one country gives health care to all, but one does not question how much service that really means. Then there's the fact that in the US if someone walks into a hospital, that person must receive care. So those who can't afford care get it anyhow.
Originally posted by no1marauderThere's the North Korean threat to South Korea. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind watching North Korea re-unify Korea.
Defending the world from what exactly? Right wingers and the corporate elite love military spending, but the great bulk of it is totally unnecessary.
Originally posted by EladarYou are incorrect. Someone who walks into a hospital must receive care only if it is an emergency.
Minimum wage earners can send their kids to college in the US. There are many grants and scholarships aimed at low income students.
Health Insurance gets paid for through taxes. As has been pointed out in other threads, the level of health care one receives in different countries is not equal. You can say one country gives health care to all, but one ...[text shortened]... into a hospital, that person must receive care. So those who can't afford care get it anyhow.
Originally posted by EladarMinimum wage earners can send their kids to college in the US. There are many grants and scholarships aimed at low income students.
Minimum wage earners can send their kids to college in the US. There are many grants and scholarships aimed at low income students.
Health Insurance gets paid for through taxes. As has been pointed out in other threads, the level of health care one receives in different countries is not equal. You can say one country gives health care to all, but one ...[text shortened]... into a hospital, that person must receive care. So those who can't afford care get it anyhow.
Yes, but those grants cannot and do not send all the poor kids to universities. In Holland everyone can go to university if they work hard enough in secondary school.
As has been pointed out in other threads, the level of health care one receives in different countries is not equal.
Health care here is fine, life expectancy is higher, which would not be possible if health care was significantly poorer. Of course there's also the better road safety and lower crime which increases life expectancy, but that hardly speaks in favour of the US system. Also, the uninsured in the US cannot receive preventive care and they do not receive equal treatment as the insured.