US infrastructure is far behind Europe (military, cost, compared, education)

[LINative]

Originally Posted by BruceTenmile

I agree with most of what you say, but you seem to be suggesting that the US virtually protects it's European allies all on it's own. I think you'll find that whilst the US supports it's allies when they need it, they all have a significant amount of defence of their own, and they support the US when they need it.

Well your country is one of the few exceptions. Even then, the number of "capital ships" of the Royal Navy is only a fraction the size of what it used to be.

What I am talking about is the huge reductions of the size of armies that continental European nations have today vs. a hundred years ago or even longer in the 1800s. All that money saved can be used on the social, health programs, mass transit etc.

The same is more so true of Canada. Canada is a wealthy country of more than 30 million people. Yet it has a smallish navy (and all destroyers or smaller ships) to protect the world's second largest land area and a THREE ocean coastline. This is probably because they know that their allies will protect them, why waste the money?

[Visvaldis]

Where does the tax money for infrastructure go?
Years ago I lived in Chicago. In 1968 one branch of the subway system was extended (from Logan Square to Jefferson Park) in the median of the Kennedy Expressway. Steel and concrete ties supported the rails. The ties were manufactured in Sweden which caused an uproar among tax-payers who insisted that America can build the same ties. The city agreed and contracted the tie construction to an American firm that produced exact duplicates of the Swedish ties. Later came the nasty surprise...for more profits the American firm changed the recipe for the concrete ties which were found to be inferior to the ones from Sweden and required premature and frequent replacement. All costing more money.

I mention the names for those familiar with Chicago and its subway system.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Today there was a derailment on a PATH Subway train was it was entering the Terminal , this is only the beginning. More Derailments to come on more systems in the US , unless Politicians start investing more...in our Infrastructure

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Maybe it's time the OP moves to Europe.

How will this help the US infrastructure? There is a big problem and people who aren't ignorant can see it

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

How will this help the US infrastructure? There is a big problem and people who aren't ignorant can see it

The Problem in North America is the Loud Minority trumps the Silent Majority , where in Europe thats flipped....it needs to flip here or things will only get worse.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Of course it is NOT comparing apples to apples when comparing the roads in the US and European Countries. It all boils down to different wants, needs, and expectations. When we in the US want most of our paychecks to go to the Gov't and let them decide how to spend most of what we earn individually, then the roads/services here will match the roads/services there. As it is right now though, few here want the taxes our counterparts in Europe have to pay.

The taxes here are not even that low. There are federal (15-25%), state, city, social security (6.2%), medicare (1.45 %), property taxes (3000+ a year!) What do we get back? Free healthcare? Free college? Perfect roads? Modern public transportation? The property tax doesn't even include garbage! Cell phone companies charge for incoming calls! Something that has never been seen or heard in Europe because the government has rules and they have to follow them. How can you charge twice (2 people) for the same call? How about the 0-day paid vacation by law. Most people get from 5 to 15 days a year while people in Europe get 25-40 days because this is the law.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

US infrastructure is far behind Europe. Many highways/roads/bridges have not been maintained at all. A lot of interstates haven't been repaved or even touched for more than 50 years. Modern public transportation is almost non-existent. New technologies have been implemented 20 years after Europe. If you want to see real highways and trains, go to Western Europe (Spain, France, Germany). They repave their roads every couple years. Gas tax in the US is only 18.4 cents per gallon which is ridiculously low. But Americans don't want to pay taxes. They have proved that they don't like changes. That's why they still use the 15th-century imperial system. But today is 21st century.

U.S. infrastructure lagging far behind Europe | Homeland Security News Wire

I essentially agree with your post>>>>>

America's Failing Infrastructure - CBS News Video

Infrastructure Report Card 2005

Poor infrastructure fails America, civil engineers report - CNN

[rranger]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

US infrastructure is far behind Europe. Many highways/roads/bridges have not been maintained at all. A lot of interstates haven't been repaved or even touched for more than 50 years. Modern public transportation is almost non-existent. New technologies have been implemented 20 years after Europe. If you want to see real highways and trains, go to Western Europe (Spain, France, Germany). They repave their roads every couple years. Gas tax in the US is only 18.4 cents per gallon which is ridiculously low. But Americans don't want to pay taxes. They have proved that they don't like changes. That's why they still use the 15th-century imperial system. But today is 21st century.

U.S. infrastructure lagging far behind Europe | Homeland Security News Wire

No kidding ... That's what happens when people want services but don't want to pay taxes for them. I think a lot of Americans have lost sight of this fundamental economic reality.

[barney_rubble]

A lot of interstates haven't been repaved or even touched for more than 50 years.

Citation?

[rranger]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

The taxes here are not even that low. There are federal (15-25%), state, city, social security (6.2%), medicare (1.45 %), property taxes (3000+ a year!) What do we get back? Free healthcare? Free college? Perfect roads? Modern public transportation? The property tax doesn't even include garbage! Cell phone companies charge for incoming calls! Something that has never been seen or heard in Europe because the government has rules and they have to follow them. How can you charge twice (2 people) for the same call? How about the 0-day paid vacation by law. Most people get from 5 to 15 days a year while people in Europe get 25-40 days because this is the law.

Taxes in the US (unless you live in a tax hell like New York State - where you get little in return for very high taxes) are very, very, very low relative to the rest of the developed world. Keep in mind that - at the end of the day - most Europeans are taxed at a rate in excess of 50% of their income. But, as you point out, they get what they pay for.

Healthcare in the US, BTW, is a morass that is exacerbated by huge lobbying money in Congress supplied by Insurance Companies, the AMA, and pharmaceuticals (just to name some key players). And each of those constituencies is quite happy to keep things as they are (much hand wringing to the contrary notwithstanding).

Again, fundamental economics apply here: you get what you pay for. And, if you're not willing to pay, you must borrow and borrow and borrow to maintain your lifestyle. This is not rocket science.