So, You want the public option? (gallon, wages, health care, millionaires)
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Originally Posted by Belounus Here's a bucket of cold water for all you drunk Aussies. Australia is not the best county in the world, its not even really the lucky country.
Australia has one of the highest tax rates in the world. The crumbling free medical system everyone bangs on about costs you a fortune! Now if you want good health care you have to buy private insurance to get off 3 year waiting lists. If thats not enough the government actually slugs you for even more tax if you don't buy private....what free medical system???
The cost of housing is absolutely mad! How I ask does Melbourne get to be the most live-able city when it is hard to find a shack of a house to live in for less than 400,000$ You can get a nice "cheap" place for about 250K if you are willing to face at least 1 to 1.5 hours of traffic to get to work. An average 3 bed 1 bath house close to the city is not much shy of a 1,000,000 and you will spend far in excess of that if you want something nice.
Wages for the average worker dont pay enough to get even close to that. I know adults in their 30 - 40s still living at home. Dual income is a must if you want to qualify to get into a house.
Food, cars, white goods (appliances for the northern folks) all cost a fortune. My brother in the US is crying that he has to pay around 2.60 for a gallon of gas. I pay about 1.45 per litre which works out to 5.70 per US gallon! A pint of beer is now getting up around 5 to as much as 9 bucks! A night out for two can hit 100$ real fast and you haven't done anything special.
Housing costs are very high costs yes! However anyone comming from the major economies of western europe, would find australia very similar or cheaper when in comparison to their own countries. (Fuel is actually very cheap in Australia in comparison to europe) Australia also has similar GDP per capita to france, Belgium the Neatherlands and the UK.
I think the people of the USA need to realise for a wealthy western country the costs they pay for most things are well below the normal range paid in other advanced western economies.
Perhaps a better line of debate would be why is the cost of most goods in the USA so cheap? That is something i would like to know.
An to say Austrlia has one of the highest tax rates in the world shows ignorance at its very worst, average personal tax rates in Australia are actually at the lower end of the scale based on world averages, maybe Belounus should move to denmak wher the maximum rate of 59 cents in the dollar, kicks in at about the $100.000 AUD income mark it also has a 25% VAT/GST. Australia by comparison has a maximum tax rate of 46% which comes in a $180,000 mark and has a 15% GST.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 02-28-2010 at 09:11 PM..
Housing costs are very high costs yes! However anyone comming from the major economies of western europe, would find australia very similar or cheaper when in comparison to their own countries. (Fuel is actually very cheap in Australia in comparison to europe) Australia also has similar GDP per capita to france, Belgium the Neatherlands and the UK.
I think the people of the USA need to realise for a wealthy western country the costs they pay for most things are well below the normal range paid in other advanced western economies.
Perhaps a better line of debate would be why is the cost of most goods in the USA so cheap? That is something i would like to know.
An to say Austrlia has one of the highest tax rates in the world shows ignorance at its very worst, average personal tax rates in Australia are actually at the lower end of the scale based on world averages, maybe Belounus should move to denmak wher the maximum rate of 59 cents in the dollar, kicks in at about the $100.000 AUD income mark it also has a 25% VAT/GST. Australia by comparison has a maximum tax rate of 46% which comes in a $180,000 mark and has a 15% GST.
Whoop error the GST in Australia is actually 10%, Private health cover does exist in Australia, it is entirly optional however and costs about $2000 a year (but i am a young healthy bloke) and I am glad i am not relient on our public system.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 02-28-2010 at 10:28 PM..
why is the cost of most goods in the USA so cheap? That is something i would like to know.
.
It's because we have so many millionaires and that all of them are thriving from our system that they won't let it get any worse. They know that about 60% of us are barely getting by and they will not be able to market their wares at a higher rate. Also all our politicians use corporate money to get re elected so they also have an interest in not changing things.
Religion and guns...that's all we need. If we have a problem with somebody we either pray for them or shoot them.
Yes, YES! HELL YES!!! I want the public option. I don't really give a **** what's happening in Australia. I do know some Australians, and they seem unperturbed about their situation.
The Public Option is the ONLY WAY to bring down health care costs while insuring most, if not all citizens. It is the only option that makes sense. I really do have to wonder what the public is so "scared of" that they would rather pay lots more, with exhorbitant rate increases each year, for much less care for the entire population, than to allow a system that, at the very least, takes care of essentials for all, while still allowing the wealthy to buy anything their hearts desire in the way of health care!
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