Questions for our American friends

[Decadence]

Originally Posted by Brian249x

Trump's tax giveaway to the rich only accelerates our fiscal deterioration.

That's not the story from the Congressional Budget Office.

First, to give a tax cut to anyone will include the evil rich. They, too, are briefly part of the lower tax brackets on their way up to the top ones. Half of America pays little or no federal income taxes as it is.. how are you going to reduce a tax burden to those that pay basically nothing (other than increase the earned income credit)?

Second, according to the Wall Street Journal the top 20% of wage earners pay 87% of all income taxes. And yet there are those who moan that the rich don't pay their fair share.

Third, where is it written the government can't do with less? Where is it written that the government spends our money more wisely than the individual that earned it does? The CBO's analysis of the latest round of tax cuts don't share the doom and gloom of the "we can't afford it" hysteria.

Like it or not, tax cuts work. JFK knew it, as did Ronald Reagan.

[bowlinggreen]

^ Bingo!

Cut out all of the parasitic middlemen and healthcare will become a lot more affordable for the common folk.

People bitch about welfare handouts, but what are many of these jobs in the middling corporate ladders except employment programs for those who have college educations yet are not actually capable of producing anything of value to society?

And every paper pushing middle manager consumes several times what a welfare recipient is given.

I'm reminded of that scene in "Wall Street" where Gordon Gekko is bitching about a company having 33 different vice presidents, and he can't figure out what any of them actually do.

[Roubignol]

Originally Posted by bigtrain45

I think the real blame lies in two areas. First, the US is the only nation in the developed world with a for profit healthcare system, so when your regular doctor refers you to a surgeon to see if you need an operation on your knee, shoulder, wrist, whatever, you can count on the surgeon recommending the operation since he or she has payments to make on their condo in the British Virgin Islands, whether you really need the operation or not.
Second, since all of these health insurance companies have layers and layers of middle management people who are not medical professionals whose salaries need to be paid, that's another reason that insurance is so expensive.

In Switzerland healthcare insurances have a status to be not lucrative, but they became an instituional mafia in which directors are paid 250'000 US$ a month.
Today Switzerland and France don't get enough "generalists", young medicine students want to become specialists, because they earn a lot more with less work.
We get surgeons who earn a million dollar per year.
WTF... what happens to the oath of Hypocrates.

I've got a friend that get an allergy since two years. Doctors and specialists do not find the cause, but each time he has to pay 200 US$ after the visit.
He's disgusted. He earns a small wage and tried to save money by taking the less expensive health insurance.

The most expensive "basic" health insurance costs about 5000 US$ a year for a franchise of 400 US$, the less expensive cost about 2500 US$ for a franchise of 2800 US$.

[iFluke]

Whats it like being American ?

[MaxJoker]

Originally Posted by iFluke

Whats it like being American ?

Their portions are larger.

[crinolynne]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Well supposedly a lot of the blame for the high medical costs can be laid at the feet of uninsured and illegal immigrants. There are many laws in place dictating that all be given care no matter their circumstances or lack of coverage.
Just posting not advocating so don't excoriate me please.

That's an amazing assertion. Can you explain how people who can't afford healthcare drive up the cost of healthcare? Really, I'd like to know because it will help me put together this portfolio on a bridge I'd like to sell to some people.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by Decadence

Like it or not, tax cuts work. JFK knew it, as did Ronald Reagan.

Like it or not tax cuts only work when accompanied by spending cuts. Spending cuts are not politically possible at this time. Only Korea, Ireland, Chile, and Mexico have lower tax rates than we do.

http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/brief...nternationally

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_tax_rates

It is true that the wealthy pay the overwhelming amount of taxes. That seems fair to me as they receive most of the wealth. The United States government was created by the Founding Fathers to prevent the poor from seizing wealth and property from the rich. Please consult the Notes of the Constitutional Convention if you are unclear on this point.

[Rogerbh]

Originally Posted by crinolynne

That's an amazing assertion. Can you explain how people who can't afford healthcare drive up the cost of healthcare? Really, I'd like to know because it will help me put together this portfolio on a bridge I'd like to sell to some people.

A nurse I know states it this way - that the emergency rooms are full of people with no insurance because they are not allowed to turn away people who cannot pay. Thus hospitals have to foot the bill for the indigent by charging more to the people who can pay. Thus we have more hospitals closing. https://www.hrsa.gov/enews/past-issu...-increase.html

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by crinolynne

That's an amazing assertion. Can you explain how people who can't afford healthcare drive up the cost of healthcare? Really, I'd like to know because it will help me put together this portfolio on a bridge I'd like to sell to some people.

How American Citizens Finance $18.5 Billion In Health Care For Unauthorized Immigrants



https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapot.../#7999fe6812c4

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by MaxJoker

Their portions are larger.

Not from what you, Mal and some others post.