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And in Europe and other western countries with national healthcare, people don't go bankrupt from unplanned medical emergencies.

• adventured 11y ago
  Absolutely correct. And that has nothing to do with the tax system, nor how progressive the US tax code is, and that problem can be legislated out of existence at any time by the US Government.
  • imron 11y ago
    It's inherently linked, and you even mention that in your previous post.
  • abalashov 11y ago
    A valid, but technocratic defence. The overall justice of the socioeconomic system and the policy themes it actively promulgates is certainly a valid question, and it encapsulates both issues. That is to say: for the marginally lower taxes we pay in the US relative to other developed countries, what do we get? With healthcare, it turns out: not much! Not only do we have to pay our healthcare ourselves, on top of our tax burden, but we pay hyperinflated prices at that. Our insurers operate like cost-plus defence contractors that take the spiraling provider costs and just pass them on to the policyholders. For paying ever so slightly higher taxes, our W. European/AUS/NZ/Canadian brethren get a lot more social safety and peace of mind for their money. We mostly get a military-industrial complex and corporate welfare. This is relevant to the question of how we implement taxation and how we distribute the tax burden.