6 ms·

The crazy thing is you get nothing for it. In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. In t

The crazy thing is you get nothing for it. In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. In the US you get 14 aircraft carriers and something else which I'm not sure.

DeonPenny 6y ago
In california is more similar to Europe. There state health care, lower college tuition etc. Plus infrastructure to create tech jobs. I doubt the US as a monolith could pull those things off, the bigger the organization the worse it usually is at execution.
- x87678r 6y ago
  The homeless slums tell a different story.
  - DeonPenny 6y ago
    Health care and tuition don't fix homeless slums
  - missedthecue 6y ago
    As everyone knows, there are no homeless slums in europe
    - umvi 6y ago
      But aren't there safety nets in Europe? Why would there be homeless?
      - DeonPenny 6y ago
        Its a mystery
leeoniya 6y ago
> you get 14 aircraft carriers and something else which I'm not sure. the F-35 program
chc 6y ago
State taxes don't go toward aircraft carriers. Looking at the state's budget, it looks like California spends most of its budget on education, then healthcare and welfare programs, then prisons(‽).
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
umvi 6y ago
> In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. Firstly, college is "free" but at the trade off of not everyone being able to go. Instead the government decides who gets to go. In USA anyone can go to college. It's not uncommon for people in their 30s and 40s in USA deciding to go to college. In Europe you have to perform well enough on exams very early in your life if you want free college, otherwise no college for you. Secondly, I would argue Europe can spend so much on social services because the US buys so many aircraft carriers (and jets and bombs, etc). Post WW2, Europe's military is very weak and can't really project force at all (just look at how well Europe responded to muslim genocide happening next door 20 years ago). Without the US military presence in Europe, Russia would have annexed a bunch of eastern European states by now. USA isn't perfect, but USA has unique problems that are hard to solve.
- xondono 6y ago
  You can go to college in most countries in Europe even if you are a 40yo High school dropout for little money compared with US prices (2500€/year). The real difference is that in general you get what you pay for, and most college education is just licensing.
  - umvi 6y ago
    > You can go to college in most countries in Europe even if you are a 40yo High school dropout for little money compared with US prices (2500€/year). US has cheap prices too (see: community colleges). Doesn't have the prestige factor of ultra expensive universities, but great if you are looking for education.
- glofish 6y ago
  Indeed. Most Europeans badmouthing US military spending don't fully grasp how much they have benefited from it. It is hard to imagine a European lifestyle as we know it today without the advantage of the US military being a deterrent to Russia/China and the latest wannabe dictator. Please note, I am not blaming the Europeans here, just trying to be realistic and look at a bigger picture.
- 6y ago
caiobegotti 6y ago
You get what you vote for, I'm afraid to say.
- voisin 6y ago
  Close... you get what the majority votes for. Parent comment is that tech workers (minority of population) fund a disproportionate share of the budget and are being oppressed by the majority voting for higher income taxes (to the extent the next election does not result in throwing current politicians out for raising taxes).
  - atomi 6y ago
    Tech workers are able to work from home. The great news is that they can sit in front of a screen and type away in any state and still be just as productive - few can boast that!
hourislate 6y ago
>In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. I thought your high taxes pay for education and healthcare? How is that free?
- paulryanrogers 6y ago
  They don't pay (as much?) above and beyond taxes for them.
sdinsn 6y ago
California state tax is very high, and it doesn't go towards aircraft carriers.
jollins 6y ago
I realize this won’t change your simplistic “Europe good USA bad” worldview but relatively high CA taxes do support good social services and as a CA resident I have benefitted. There is a strong paid family leave program for new parents or those caring for ill family, for instance.

DeonPenny 6y ago

In california is more similar to Europe. There state health care, lower college tuition etc. Plus infrastructure to create tech jobs. I doubt the US as a monolith could pull those things off, the bigger the organization the worse it usually is at execution.

x87678r 6y ago
The homeless slums tell a different story.
- DeonPenny 6y ago
  Health care and tuition don't fix homeless slums
- missedthecue 6y ago
  As everyone knows, there are no homeless slums in europe
  - umvi 6y ago
    But aren't there safety nets in Europe? Why would there be homeless?
    - DeonPenny 6y ago
      Its a mystery

leeoniya 6y ago

> you get 14 aircraft carriers and something else which I'm not sure. the F-35 program

chc 6y ago

State taxes don't go toward aircraft carriers. Looking at the state's budget, it looks like California spends most of its budget on education, then healthcare and welfare programs, then prisons(‽).

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

umvi 6y ago

> In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. Firstly, college is "free" but at the trade off of not everyone being able to go. Instead the government decides who gets to go. In USA anyone can go to college. It's not uncommon for people in their 30s and 40s in USA deciding to go to college. In Europe you have to perform well enough on exams very early in your life if you want free college, otherwise no college for you. Secondly, I would argue Europe can spend so much on social services because the US buys so many aircraft carriers (and jets and bombs, etc). Post WW2, Europe's military is very weak and can't really project force at all (just look at how well Europe responded to muslim genocide happening next door 20 years ago). Without the US military presence in Europe, Russia would have annexed a bunch of eastern European states by now. USA isn't perfect, but USA has unique problems that are hard to solve.

xondono 6y ago
You can go to college in most countries in Europe even if you are a 40yo High school dropout for little money compared with US prices (2500€/year). The real difference is that in general you get what you pay for, and most college education is just licensing.
- umvi 6y ago
  > You can go to college in most countries in Europe even if you are a 40yo High school dropout for little money compared with US prices (2500€/year). US has cheap prices too (see: community colleges). Doesn't have the prestige factor of ultra expensive universities, but great if you are looking for education.
glofish 6y ago
Indeed. Most Europeans badmouthing US military spending don't fully grasp how much they have benefited from it. It is hard to imagine a European lifestyle as we know it today without the advantage of the US military being a deterrent to Russia/China and the latest wannabe dictator. Please note, I am not blaming the Europeans here, just trying to be realistic and look at a bigger picture.
6y ago

caiobegotti 6y ago

You get what you vote for, I'm afraid to say.

voisin 6y ago
Close... you get what the majority votes for. Parent comment is that tech workers (minority of population) fund a disproportionate share of the budget and are being oppressed by the majority voting for higher income taxes (to the extent the next election does not result in throwing current politicians out for raising taxes).
- atomi 6y ago
  Tech workers are able to work from home. The great news is that they can sit in front of a screen and type away in any state and still be just as productive - few can boast that!

hourislate 6y ago

>In Europe you pay high taxes but you get free healthcare, free college and the same for everyone in the country. I thought your high taxes pay for education and healthcare? How is that free?

paulryanrogers 6y ago
They don't pay (as much?) above and beyond taxes for them.

sdinsn 6y ago

California state tax is very high, and it doesn't go towards aircraft carriers.

jollins 6y ago

I realize this won’t change your simplistic “Europe good USA bad” worldview but relatively high CA taxes do support good social services and as a CA resident I have benefitted. There is a strong paid family leave program for new parents or those caring for ill family, for instance.