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Also keep in mind that we get very little benefits for those tax dollars compared to Europe for example. I'd always assumed that US taxes were lower than

Also keep in mind that we get very little benefits for those tax dollars compared to Europe for example. I'd always assumed that US taxes were lower than European taxes due to this (no national health service for example) but from what you and others have pointed out that seems not to be the case. Using the example provided by mikiem of California I would be paying more tax in the US than I do in England (according to this calculator: http://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator/netpay/us/california/calculator.html http://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator/netpay/us/california/...).

kokey 14y ago
Don't forget the hidden NI contribution from your employer, council tax, massive fuel tax, tax on alcohol, etc. That said, I always see California and Europe as the same tax wise.
eli_gottlieb 14y ago
Those bank bailouts ain't gonna pay for themselves! Now tighten your belt /s!
james4k 14y ago
Yeah, I was actually surprised to find how low UK taxes seem to be (or how high US taxes are) when I was investigating it for work several months ago. US spending levels are just outrageous. It would be interesting to compare the national budgets of the US, UK, and a few other countries, perhaps over time.
- accountoftheday 14y ago
  UK taxes are low but that is because public infrastructure and healthcare there are comparatively cheap and shoddy. It is not really a European country in that sense.
onetwothreefour 14y ago
California is pretty much dollar for dollar equivalent to Australian taxes (which, funnily enough, the IRS classifies as a "high tax country") too. And you get much more for your money in Australia. That's why a lot of US-ians are anti-tax. I think it has a lot to do with not seeing any benefits to paying it -- so they'd rather keep their money and fund private institutions. Of course, that's lose-lose and the country has almost no new infrastructure, terrible health care and no safety net and 8% unemployment. So there's that. But most of these people choose to ignore the elephant in the room, which is military spending. But I presume you can't just say "divert all military spending to Euro-style 'socialist' paradise spending" because then a lot of people would no longer have jobs in the military-industrial complex. TL:DR: nothing is going to change.

kokey 14y ago

Don't forget the hidden NI contribution from your employer, council tax, massive fuel tax, tax on alcohol, etc. That said, I always see California and Europe as the same tax wise.

eli_gottlieb 14y ago

Those bank bailouts ain't gonna pay for themselves! Now tighten your belt /s!

james4k 14y ago

Yeah, I was actually surprised to find how low UK taxes seem to be (or how high US taxes are) when I was investigating it for work several months ago. US spending levels are just outrageous. It would be interesting to compare the national budgets of the US, UK, and a few other countries, perhaps over time.

accountoftheday 14y ago
UK taxes are low but that is because public infrastructure and healthcare there are comparatively cheap and shoddy. It is not really a European country in that sense.

onetwothreefour 14y ago

California is pretty much dollar for dollar equivalent to Australian taxes (which, funnily enough, the IRS classifies as a "high tax country") too. And you get much more for your money in Australia. That's why a lot of US-ians are anti-tax. I think it has a lot to do with not seeing any benefits to paying it -- so they'd rather keep their money and fund private institutions. Of course, that's lose-lose and the country has almost no new infrastructure, terrible health care and no safety net and 8% unemployment. So there's that. But most of these people choose to ignore the elephant in the room, which is military spending. But I presume you can't just say "divert all military spending to Euro-style 'socialist' paradise spending" because then a lot of people would no longer have jobs in the military-industrial complex. TL:DR: nothing is going to change.