3 ms·

This is why I'm against increasing taxes in the USA. Europeans get more per tax dollar than we do. In the USA, we just waste the money. Europeans pay a bit more

This is why I'm against increasing taxes in the USA. Europeans get more per tax dollar than we do. In the USA, we just waste the money. Europeans pay a bit more than we do, but they get a lot more back in terms of transit, health care, social safety net, etc. If our government can't use the money more efficiently, it shouldn't get even more. Last time I rode on Amtrak it was absolutely depressing. Same with Caltrain and BART. The problem is not money -- other countries do more with less money. The problem is governance.

sneak 6y ago
The big reason is because the US spends an amount of money equivalent to Jeff Bezos’ entire net worth (~200B USD) every 80 days on its military. Amtrak’s annual revenue is less than 4B USD. On that basis, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It would be nice to use some of that massive amount of money for infrastructure, versus funneling it to a dozen companies who exist solely to consume as much of it as possible.
- onepointsixC 6y ago
  DOD spending is ~15% of the total budget. Blaming defense expenditure when 85% of the US total budget is not defense expenditure is an unconvincing argument.
martinald 6y ago
This isn't as true as you think it is. Social security is often a lot, lot better in the US than Europe. Take the UK: UK unemployment 'benefits' are around $100/week regardless of previous salary (so low compared to housing costs in many areas that it is almost pointless). US state unemployment benefits tend to be a lot higher than that. UK pensions are low - around $10,000/yr, again regardless of salary. US Social Security pensions are vastly higher.
- twblalock 6y ago
  However, the UK government will give pensioners somewhere to live, for free. In the US they can become homeless if they do not have family to rely on.

3 ms·

This is why I'm against increasing taxes in the USA. Europeans get more per tax dollar than we do. In the USA, we just waste the money. Europeans pay a bit more

by twblalock 6y ago

sneak 6y ago
The big reason is because the US spends an amount of money equivalent to Jeff Bezos’ entire net worth (~200B USD) every 80 days on its military. Amtrak’s annual revenue is less than 4B USD. On that basis, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It would be nice to use some of that massive amount of money for infrastructure, versus funneling it to a dozen companies who exist solely to consume as much of it as possible.
- onepointsixC 6y ago
  DOD spending is ~15% of the total budget. Blaming defense expenditure when 85% of the US total budget is not defense expenditure is an unconvincing argument.
martinald 6y ago
This isn't as true as you think it is. Social security is often a lot, lot better in the US than Europe. Take the UK: UK unemployment 'benefits' are around $100/week regardless of previous salary (so low compared to housing costs in many areas that it is almost pointless). US state unemployment benefits tend to be a lot higher than that. UK pensions are low - around $10,000/yr, again regardless of salary. US Social Security pensions are vastly higher.
- twblalock 6y ago
  However, the UK government will give pensioners somewhere to live, for free. In the US they can become homeless if they do not have family to rely on.