4 ms·

This isn't a russian mentality, this is more of a realpolitik reading of how things work. Don't mistake a positive statement for a normative one. There was act

by _bin_ 1y ago

This isn't a russian mentality, this is more of a realpolitik reading of how things work. Don't mistake a positive statement for a normative one. There was actually a really good article in the FT of all places on this subject: https://www.ft.com/content/37053b2b-ccda-4ce3-a25d-f1d0f82e7989 https://www.ft.com/content/37053b2b-ccda-4ce3-a25d-f1d0f82e7... The fact that the FT is picking this up should tell us something given its typical perspective. There are two big groups of countries in this situation concerned with keeping russia in check: America and the Euros. The former has less of a direct concern but more ability to do something about it; the former have more concerns but less ability. So we settled on a compromise where each country would contribute a proportion of GDP rather than a dollar figure. This is fair-ish; it's still a huge benefit to the euros, but pretty fair. Yet for decades, they have consistently failed to meet their proportional obligations, instead directing those funds to things like "free healthcare". Other major reasons they can do this include not having debt from having to finance the rebuilding of their continent themselves.

kubb 1y ago
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?most_recent_value_desc=true&locations=US https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?most_... The US is spending more of its GDP percentage-wise on healthcare than any European country. How you can consider the European spending "extravagant" is inexplicable, you have to be deep deep in the ideological rabbit hole, and unable to admit new information.
- _bin_ 1y ago
  This is a good example of "lying with statistics". You are doing this by implying we are paying more for the same thing. You are then doing more of this by equating healthcare spend to the total welfare state. Europe is still spending a lot of money on healthcare; less than us, but their healthcare is pretty crappy. Healthcare is one part of the profligate safety net europe has maintained for decades, not the whole thing. Europe has more pensions, more unemployment, more retirement benefits, more childcare, more socialized housing, more of almost every flavor of welfare. They pay for this by shifting the burden of defending themselves to America. Here's a good and more in-depth analysis: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/04/europe-military-welfare-state-spending-nato/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/04/europe-military-welfare... It's a hell of a lot more useful than one graph. Please read it.
  - kubb 1y ago
    > their healthcare is pretty crappy They have much better healthcare outcomes, so it sounds like they’re way more efficient with their spending. They also have lower GDP which means that they spend way less in absolute terms. Of course there’s an article somewhere to back up every opinion that you have. That doesn’t say much. How you defend your opinions (pointing to other opinions that agree with you and unsubstantiated claims) says a lot though, and is indicative of confirmation bias.
    - _bin_ 1y ago
      They have healthier people going in, obviously. When the average person is approaching being wider than he is tall, all the healthcare spending in the world can do only so much. I have a bunch of family in Europe and have heard way too many of their experiences with waiting lists and overcrowding. Not sure what the heck you want in terms of validation if not "analysis that supports my point". Are you now criticizing that I've read on this and have data and analysis that agrees? I'm sure if I didn't, you'd come after me for not having that. Double bind sounding ass.

by _bin_ 1y ago

kubb 1y ago

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?most_recent_value_desc=true&locations=US https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?most_... The US is spending more of its GDP percentage-wise on healthcare than any European country. How you can consider the European spending "extravagant" is inexplicable, you have to be deep deep in the ideological rabbit hole, and unable to admit new information.

_bin_ 1y ago
This is a good example of "lying with statistics". You are doing this by implying we are paying more for the same thing. You are then doing more of this by equating healthcare spend to the total welfare state. Europe is still spending a lot of money on healthcare; less than us, but their healthcare is pretty crappy. Healthcare is one part of the profligate safety net europe has maintained for decades, not the whole thing. Europe has more pensions, more unemployment, more retirement benefits, more childcare, more socialized housing, more of almost every flavor of welfare. They pay for this by shifting the burden of defending themselves to America. Here's a good and more in-depth analysis: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/04/europe-military-welfare-state-spending-nato/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/04/europe-military-welfare... It's a hell of a lot more useful than one graph. Please read it.
- kubb 1y ago
  > their healthcare is pretty crappy They have much better healthcare outcomes, so it sounds like they’re way more efficient with their spending. They also have lower GDP which means that they spend way less in absolute terms. Of course there’s an article somewhere to back up every opinion that you have. That doesn’t say much. How you defend your opinions (pointing to other opinions that agree with you and unsubstantiated claims) says a lot though, and is indicative of confirmation bias.
  - _bin_ 1y ago
    They have healthier people going in, obviously. When the average person is approaching being wider than he is tall, all the healthcare spending in the world can do only so much. I have a bunch of family in Europe and have heard way too many of their experiences with waiting lists and overcrowding. Not sure what the heck you want in terms of validation if not "analysis that supports my point". Are you now criticizing that I've read on this and have data and analysis that agrees? I'm sure if I didn't, you'd come after me for not having that. Double bind sounding ass.