• Matty Roses@lemmy.today
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    5 days ago

    That’s just not true. EU states spend tons of money on healthcare and other programs - the price is much higher taxation than US.

    Funny, I (a very high earner) moved from the US to Spain.

    My taxes went from roughly 42% to 45%. I also now get health care and education for my kids at a fraction of the price.

    I don’t get F-35s that crash in the rain as much, but I’m trying to somehow make due.

    And now we have crazy ruskie try hard invading our neighbour

    You ever think that maybe the US wasn’t sad about that, and in fact wanted that proxy war? Because they said openly they liked it - see the recently departed Lindsey Graham.

    The US might benefit from these nonsense games - they certainly profited from LNG sales after they blew up NordStream. But unlike them, we live next to Russia, so maybe it might be in our interest to live peacefully with them, instead of demanding their complete submission to NATO.

    • BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      My taxes went from roughly 42% to 45%. I also now get health care and education for my kids at a fraction of the price

      Your particular case is irrelevant.

      If you look at total taxation as government spending in GDP, in US it’s like ~30%

      In France or Germany ~50%

      • Matty Roses@lemmy.today
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        5 days ago

        Your figures are just nowhere near reality - and this - total taxation as government spending in GDP isn’t a thing.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_revenue

        Your particular case is irrelevant.

        No, it’s not. Because it shows exactly why your logic is nonsense.

        The US has low overall tax rates - because it cuts the taxes for wealthy people while having tax on labor that is similar to most EU nations. It then also imposes large costs on middle class families to support its spending, which is very much pushed to the arms you seem to think are a good idea.

        Its low quality of life isn’t unrelated.

        • BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          It is a thing, it just measures taxation in a different way.

          What you linked is measure of what is officially considered as tax

          Meanwhile spending to GDP measures every fee that state collected + deficit spending. That includes regular taxes, state run healthcare insurance, social security, deficit spending, fines, ect. You can find more about in under the term ‘Tax Freedom Day’

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_Freedom_Day

          It’s much better measure of actual burden of state ‘tax’ collection on the society because it encompasses everything.

          • Matty Roses@lemmy.today
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            5 days ago

            Oh, I’m familiar with that term. It’s marketing nonsense brought to you by the same people that thought the Laffer Curve was not only real, but that the United States was on the right side of it.

            As even your article states, the argument against it is beyond simple, as the figure ignores what the taxes buy. And the exact point is that Europe, with slightly higher taxes, provides significantly more to its citizens for their taxes.

            How does it do that? Well, it’s pretty simple - it spends far less on expensive weapons systems (which as the Iran War has shown are overpriced failures at best), and less on things that go to corporate bottom lines, like private medical care.

    • BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      You ever think that maybe the US wasn’t sad about that, and in fact wanted that proxy war?

      That alone is the argument for US involvement. If the goal is to damage Russia, the support should flow.

      demanding their complete submission to NATO.

      Maybe that’s a correct course of action against country ran by genocidal motherfucker? You seriously think you can live peacefully with Putler? Ukraine thought that too. Funny how that worked out for them

      • Matty Roses@lemmy.today
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        5 days ago

        Maybe that’s a correct course of action against country ran by genocidal motherfucker?

        What course of action - please be specific.

        And note these same governments you’re saying should be arming Europe are currently arming Israel as well, a nation which unlike Russia (which has a CoE vote against it) actually has a full genocide displayed and levied by the ICC.

        You seriously think you can live peacefully with Putler?

        Given that Russia is next to Europe, are you suggesting instead that we invade Russia and kill hundreds of millions of people? Or overthrow their government?

        No, of course not. Your plan is to fight Russia to the last Ukranian.

        Ukraine thought that too.

        You mean when the government was overthrown in 2014 to decide to join an anti-Russian alliance with a history of illegal invasions?

        I don’t like Russia, but to pretend that they’re just evil orcs is the stupidity usually reserved just for Americans. We need a peace that will enable Europe and Russia to work together, not to have us bleed for the benefit of the Americans.

        • BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          Given that Russia is next to Europe, are you suggesting instead that we invade Europe and kill hundreds of millions of people? Or overthrow their government?

          You’re sick.

          You mean when the government was overthrown in 2014 to decide to join an anti-Russian alliance with a history of illegal invasions?

          WTF are you even talking about? Democratic elections?

          I’m blocking you, this goes nowhere.

          • Matty Roses@lemmy.today
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            5 days ago

            So, no actual plan, just “let’s keep stoking the war fires then act surprised when they catch”.

            Because you don’t think it’ll be you fighting, I’m willing to guess. Like most chickenhawks, you’re eager to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian - and no further.