Topic: Why can the US Congress never seem to afford help for the poor
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg started this discussion 2 years ago #114,378
but ALWAYS find the money for war?
(Edited 27 minutes later.)
Erik !saAqdaazn2 joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 46 minutes later[^] [v] #1,265,727
Surely you US has some form of assistance for people out of work, on low income and of poor health who can't afford it.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 24 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,728
@previous (Erik !saAqdaazn2)
We have a tiny little thing that is hard to get into. We hate the poor here (not me, but the US in general).
We have a tiny little thing that is hard to get into. We hate the poor here (not me, but the US in general).
Erik !saAqdaazn2 replied with this 2 years ago, 20 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,729
Surely every society needs poor people to do all the shitty work so us middle class can get our cars cleaned cheaply.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 5 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,731
@previous (Erik !saAqdaazn2)
In a just society, everyone would be taken care of, and all jobs would have respect and importance. A cleaner's job is very important. Can you imagine if there were no cleaners or car washers? I am fine with jobs like doctors being paid more, but even the lowest jobs should receive living wages, healthcare, and other benefits.
In a just society, everyone would be taken care of, and all jobs would have respect and importance. A cleaner's job is very important. Can you imagine if there were no cleaners or car washers? I am fine with jobs like doctors being paid more, but even the lowest jobs should receive living wages, healthcare, and other benefits.
Erik !saAqdaazn2 replied with this 2 years ago, 12 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,732
@previous (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
Personally, I prefer to see really.poor people around me. It makes me feel better.
Personally, I prefer to see really.poor people around me. It makes me feel better.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,733
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 8 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,734
Erik !saAqdaazn2 replied with this 2 years ago, 1 minute later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,735
Anonymous D joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 49 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,741
I think Tupac sang about this issue.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 16 seconds later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,742
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 9 hours later, 12 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,770
About two-thirds of all government spending is direct financial assistance or healthcare-related payments for the poor/elderly/disabled.
@1,265,728 (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
This depends on your state. Block grant programs like TANF and Medicaid, (or differently but analogously unemployment payments) leave a lot of discretion to states. If you live in a shithole red state you get what you vote for. If you live in a normal (blue) state you get relatively ok programs.
@1,265,728 (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
This depends on your state. Block grant programs like TANF and Medicaid, (or differently but analogously unemployment payments) leave a lot of discretion to states. If you live in a shithole red state you get what you vote for. If you live in a normal (blue) state you get relatively ok programs.
dj cocos nucifera joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 7 minutes later, 12 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,771
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 2 years ago, 13 minutes later, 12 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,773
@previous (dj cocos nucifera)
If you took every dollar spent on the military and spent it all on a Medicare for All program instead, you would fund it for about 3 months per year. There is no way to get European-style welfare state without European taxation levels on everyone. You'd need to increase the taxes on everyone earning between $30,000-100,000 by 50-100%, and taxes on people earning 100k+ by more than that. Which is fine by me, but historically that has been a hard sell politically.
If you took every dollar spent on the military and spent it all on a Medicare for All program instead, you would fund it for about 3 months per year. There is no way to get European-style welfare state without European taxation levels on everyone. You'd need to increase the taxes on everyone earning between $30,000-100,000 by 50-100%, and taxes on people earning 100k+ by more than that. Which is fine by me, but historically that has been a hard sell politically.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 1 hour later, 13 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,787
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Do you truly believe that the average European pays enormous taxes? That is simply not true.
Do you truly believe that the average European pays enormous taxes? That is simply not true.
Throckmorton !qRgc9HpKSA joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 2 minutes later, 13 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,789
Anonymous H joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 3 hours later, 16 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,814
@OP
> but ALWAYS find the money for war?
What part of war makes the government money don't you understand yet?
> but ALWAYS find the money for war?
What part of war makes the government money don't you understand yet?
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 2 years ago, 1 hour later, 18 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,816
@1,265,787 (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
What is the tax rate of a German earning 40,000 euros per year living in Berlin?
What is the tax rate of a German earning 40,000 euros per year living in Berlin?
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 8 minutes later, 18 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,817
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
36%, not much higher than the average US 25%. Germans end up saving money on social things like healthcare.
36%, not much higher than the average US 25%. Germans end up saving money on social things like healthcare.
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 2 years ago, 4 minutes later, 18 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,818
@previous (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
Right, so roughly a 50% increase. And the higher you go in income, the greater the difference between U.S. and EU tax levels. Which is all fine and good, I am totally okay with paying substantially more in taxes for a substantially better social safety net. It's just not something that is easy to find the votes for in Congress because no one wants to be the person who voted to take hundreds to thousands of dollars out of people's paychecks tomorrow to fund a social safety net that will take years to be fully realized.
Right, so roughly a 50% increase. And the higher you go in income, the greater the difference between U.S. and EU tax levels. Which is all fine and good, I am totally okay with paying substantially more in taxes for a substantially better social safety net. It's just not something that is easy to find the votes for in Congress because no one wants to be the person who voted to take hundreds to thousands of dollars out of people's paychecks tomorrow to fund a social safety net that will take years to be fully realized.
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 11 minutes later, 18 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,819
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Maybe so. The Germans still end up with better lives and more money in pocket overall. They don’t have to pay tens of thousands a year in healthcare costs out of pocket, etc.
Maybe so. The Germans still end up with better lives and more money in pocket overall. They don’t have to pay tens of thousands a year in healthcare costs out of pocket, etc.
dw !p9hU6ckyqw joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 4 hours later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,860
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 3 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,861
dw !p9hU6ckyqw replied with this 2 years ago, 4 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,862
@previous (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
that is already vastly more money, then theres VAT, excise duties, garbage taxes, real estate taxes, road taxes
that is already vastly more money, then theres VAT, excise duties, garbage taxes, real estate taxes, road taxes
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 4 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,863
@previous (dw !p9hU6ckyqw)
Then there is not having to pay for healthcare, several social services, etc. Americans pay tens of thousands of dollars per year on freaking healthcare alone, plus sales tax, local tax, and the other taxes you mentioned as well.
Then there is not having to pay for healthcare, several social services, etc. Americans pay tens of thousands of dollars per year on freaking healthcare alone, plus sales tax, local tax, and the other taxes you mentioned as well.
dw !p9hU6ckyqw replied with this 2 years ago, 5 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,864
@previous (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
right except those taxes are very low in america. gas is 2.00-2.20 a litre here
right except those taxes are very low in america. gas is 2.00-2.20 a litre here
Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg (OP) replied with this 2 years ago, 8 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,866
@previous (dw !p9hU6ckyqw)
Without going into number stop death, my argument is this: overall, all things considered, Europeans (in Western European, socialist countries) have better lives and more money in their pockets.
Without going into number stop death, my argument is this: overall, all things considered, Europeans (in Western European, socialist countries) have better lives and more money in their pockets.
Anonymous C replied with this 2 years ago, 12 minutes later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,867
dw !p9hU6ckyqw replied with this 2 years ago, 56 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,875
Anonymous J joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 13 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,877
@1,265,861 (Throckmorton !dxiFV8kfVg)
No they don't. Reaching into the 25% tax bracket doesn't mean your effective tax rate is 25%
No they don't. Reaching into the 25% tax bracket doesn't mean your effective tax rate is 25%
dw !p9hU6ckyqw replied with this 2 years ago, 5 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #1,265,879
here is a trustworthy business insider picture to illustrate