Taxes

[Danigt22]

That is perfectly fine, the point is to ask basic questions so we can all argue with each other about what the answers are, and as my OP illustrated, there are a ton of people here who don't understand what the tax system is all about, or indeed any tax system.

I'm middle of the road and think taxes should pay for things that can not efficiently be done on a piece-work basis, the military, roads, and most likely, basic healthcare. And control of food quality and a bunch of things where a patchwork system would not work.

I believe in a balance, somewhere around 40% gdp which makes universal healthcare a bit difficult. We manage it getting rid of the army.

 

[MorkandMindy]

I lived in the UK where a far better health service ran on 10% of GDP. It is government funded and far less complex. It's my bed time so bye for now.

 

[JackRT]

Comparative outcomes -------- Canada / US :

per capita medical spending --- $4500 / $8500

percent of GDP ---------------------11.2 / 17.7

public share –---------------------- 70% / 48%,

doctors per 1000 -------------------- 2.4 / 2.5

nurses per 1000 ----------------------9.3 / 11.1

life expectancy ----------------------- 81 / 79

smoking rate --------------------- 15.7% / 14.8%

obesity rate -----------------------25.4% / 36.5%.

As you can readily see, Canada achieves comparable or superior outcomes at close to half the expense and every citizen regardless of status or income has equal access.

 

[Danigt22]

Comparative outcomes -------- Canada / US :

per capita medical spending --- $4500 / $8500

percent of GDP ---------------------11.2 / 17.7

public share –---------------------- 70% / 48%,

doctors per 1000 -------------------- 2.4 / 2.5

nurses per 1000 ----------------------9.3 / 11.1

life expectancy ----------------------- 81 / 79

smoking rate --------------------- 15.7% / 14.8%

obesity rate -----------------------25.4% / 36.5%.

As you can readily see, Canada achieves comparable or superior outcomes at close to half the expense and every citizen regardless of status or income has equal access.

We are getting rip off.... ahhh.
Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social | Calculadora Patronal

 

[DaisyDay]

How do taxes work in the USA?, in my country it is directly in the products you buy. Im not very savvy in this topic, since my country is very small and everything is centralized.

The federal government does not charge sales tax, but state and local (county, town, city) governments do - the locals also charge property taxes, school taxes, sewer taxes and such to fund local services. The feds get the bulk of its revenue from income taxes. The OP, I believe, is referring mostly to federal income taxes.

Like in Germany were they have universal healthcare?

No, we don't have universal healthcare. Probably most people here get at least part of their health care insurance (which varies in quality) through their employment - lose your job, lose your and your family's health care (unless you then qualify for medicare the quality of which varies by state).

 

[Danigt22]

The federal government does not charge sales tax, but state and local (county, town, city) governments do - the locals also charge property taxes, school taxes, sewer taxes and such to fund local services. The feds get the bulk of its revenue from income taxes. The OP, I believe, is referring mostly to federal income taxes.

No, we don't have universal healthcare. Probably most people here get at least part of their health care insurance (which varies in quality) through their employment - lose your job, lose your and your family's health care (unless you then qualify for medicare the quality of which varies by state).

Thanks captain. So this is why they charge taxes after buying a product instead of being directly in the product.

 

[DaisyDay]

The less taxes, the more money is in the private sector. It all trickles down back to you at some point.

Not here - the government redistributes most of the money back to the private sector through salaries, grants, etc.

 

[DaisyDay]

Thanks captain. So this is why they charge taxes after buying a product instead of being directly in the product.

The sales tax rate vary tremendously from place to place. It is also possible for the state, county and town to each charge a sales tax on a product where in another state, county and town may not charge any sales tax at all on the same product.

 

[Danigt22]

The sales tax rate vary tremendously from place to place. It is also possible for the state, county and town to each charge a sales tax on a product where in another state, county and town may not charge any sales tax at all on the same product.

Couldnt this cause migration of the private sector from one place to another.

 

[Albion]

I was asked in a questionnaire:

Do you agree with President Trump that hard-working Americans should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn?

Are you asking if we agree? If so, yes, they should be allowed to keep more of their money.

Unfortunately, with both parties rushing to add about 5 trillion dollars to our national debt in the past year, that's going to be tough to accomplish.

 

[DaisyDay]

The US healthcare system is overall a government run monopoly, obedient to the huge healthcare lobby.

No, it isn't, far from it. Apart from some aspects of Medicare and the healthcare provided to the military, US health care is a hodgepodge of private interests.

 

[Albion]

I also read americans really hate reaganimics.

If so, 49 out of 50 states probably would NOT have voted to re-elect President Reagan.

That was the most lopsided presidential victory in our history.

 

[DaisyDay]

Couldnt this cause migration of the private sector from one place to another.

It might play a small part in the total decision - but businesses don't charge each other sales tax; sales tax is paid by the final consumer.

 

[Albion]

Couldnt this cause migration of the private sector from one place to another.

To some degree, yes, but it's the consumer who pays these taxes, so the impetus for a business to move isn't related to sales taxes as much as it is to the property taxes that commercial businesses are charged.

 

[SeventyOne]

I was asked in a questionnaire:

Do you agree with President Trump that hard-working Americans should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn?

Until the government learns to spends only within its means. I'm not in favor of them receiving an extra dime from anyone.

 

[Fantine]

I was asked in a questionnaire:

Do you agree with President Trump that hard-working Americans should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn?

Where were you when the 2017 tax cuts were passed? Most went to the 1% and corporations. What's more, yours will expire and you will be at the mercy of Congress to get them renewed. The 1% will get theirs unless a law is passed to end them.

Want that payroll tax break? Better tell your children to have a spare room ready when you retire penniless without a safety net.

You're being played.

And, BTW, the sender of that questionnaire has lied 20,000 times since his inauguration.

 

[KCfromNC]

I was asked in a questionnaire:

Do you agree with President Trump that hard-working Americans should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn?

Practically speaking, no, I don't want to fund a huge new government program to monitor how hard each taxpayer works. Taxes should be based on income levels regardless of how hard people work.

IOW, don't fall for the propaganda embedded in these sorts of questions.

 

[98cwitr]

I was asked in a questionnaire:

Do you agree with President Trump that hard-working Americans should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn?

Even moreso, I think we need a full and hard stop on compulsory taxation by repealing the 16th amendment.

 

[Belk]

I hope I'm being fair here because the OP is a Right Wing perspective and I'm giving initially Right Wing replies.

The military has a number of functions: employing large numbers of people and giving them discipline and training, developing new technologies, and on many occasions protecting this nation.

Politicians abuse it by using it as threat to other nations, fighting 'forever wars', and implementing regime change against the will of foreign nations.

I'm ex military and pro defense spending. That said our current defense spending is the same issue the US has had historically. A lot of the budget is going to maintain the tools that were successful in the last war and not to keep the military focused on the next war. We need to get the military focused on emerging threats and let the pork go by the wayside.

 

[Pommer]

Even moreso, I think we need a full and hard stop on compulsory taxation by repealing the 16th amendment.

“Good luck“ with that.