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Nevertheless over there the standard of living is better.
Finland does not make the top 10 in terms of the international Human Development Index ( HDI). This index uses life expectancy, access to knowledge and standard of living as criteria. The US ranks #8.
In terms of purchasing power, your money buys more in the US than it does in Finland.
Finland has a population of about 5.5 million, ethnically homogoneous. it's unreasonable to compare and contrast Finland and the US with a population of 315 million melting pot.
"Authorities in Finland are considering giving every citizen a tax-free payout of €800 (£576) each month. Under proposals being draw up by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), this national basic income would replace all other benefit payments, and would be paid to all adults regardless of whether or not they receive any other income."
That may sound like a great deal for normal people who can work in a 8 hour job, but what about people who can't work at all? Like the disabled for example? Or the sick who need expensive medicine and/or medical equipment? How will they make it on only £575 a month? Or perhaps the greedy people responsible for this idea haven't thought about this and just don't care?
EDIT: In dollars, the amount is roughly 862$ for those who want to know.
Who's going to pay for it? You're free to move there if you don't like it here. G'bye.
Settle down...now I don't like it here?
How is any unearned money "paid for"? And yes, that includes corporate welfare and Fed programs that basically create money out of thin air-quantitative easing for example.
Money is not inherently valuable and will NEVER be limited as a resource-people/humans are and society's should be built around that fact. Our economy is struggling because the majority of people do not have disposable income-cost of living continues to rise while incomes for 90% of the population is in stagnation or decline. 95% of all the unprecedented (and UNEARNED) money created since 2009 (Trillions and Trillions) has gone to a tiny fraction of the population-less than 1%. Instead of spending upwards of $20 TRILLION after the financial crash bailing out detached corporate entities and banks we should have bailed out the CONSUMER. 70% of our GDP is consumer spending. The recovery would have been RAPID and ORGANIC. The only thing we did was reward corruption and kept the financial power structure in place.
I somehow think Finland will make it work just fine-which is why I say good for them. Basic incomes will become a necessity whether you realize it or not. Even many professional careers will be automated in the future and at least Finland is thinking ahead and seems to have some concern for their citizens in a World where Governments have been ran over by nationless and detached institutions and corporate entities that really have no stake or concern for any Government on the face of the planet. Their only goal is global economic hegemony, which seems to become closer and closer to reality.
Finland does not make the top 10 in terms of the international Human Development Index ( HDI). This index uses life expectancy, access to knowledge and standard of living as criteria. The US ranks #8.
Did you know theres a inequality adjusted HDI that takes inequality into account? The US ranks 28 on that list, Finland 11.
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In terms of purchasing power, your money buys more in the US than it does in Finland.
Which is different from the cost of living, which is comparable. For example-healthcare is a HUGE amount of our expenses, not so much for them.
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Finland has a population of about 5.5 million, ethnically homogoneous. it's unreasonable to compare and contrast Finland and the US with a population of 315 million melting pot.
By that definition we should not compare the US in any way shape or form to anywhere. And yet...thats exactly what you did in your two prior comparisons! Sorry, but no, thats a cop out, and a bad one thats used over and over when people do not like facts. VERY rarely is it relevant at all.
Did you know theres a inequality adjusted HDI that takes inequality into account? The US ranks 28 on that list, Finland 11.
So ****ing what? I care about what I GET TO EAT, not what OTHER RICHER PEOPLE GET TO EAT. If my dinner plate gets smaller I don't care if it results in more "equality". I won't actually have more stuff to eat. You don't make the poor rich by making the rich poor.
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Originally Posted by greywar
Which is different from the cost of living, which is comparable.
If you consider costs of living in the US and Finland to be the same, and yet still admit that money buys you more in the US, doesn't that mean living in the US is better at least in this regard?
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Originally Posted by greywar
For example-healthcare is a HUGE amount of our expenses, not so much for them.
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Originally Posted by Finn_Jarber
They have universal HC, so it doesn't matter.
Have you any idea how much the Nordic nations have to pay in taxes? You do realize that the nordic don't only have high taxes on the wealthy right? A normal person in the nordic nations pays way more tax than people in the US.
So ****ing what? I care about what I GET TO EAT, not what OTHER RICHER PEOPLE GET TO EAT. If my dinner plate gets smaller I don't care if it results in more "equality". I won't actually have more stuff to eat.
If you consider costs of living in the US and Finland to be the same, and yet still admit that money buys you more in the US, doesn't that mean living in the US is better at least in this regard?
Have you any idea how much the Nordic nations have to pay in taxes? You do realize that the nordic don't only have high taxes on the wealthy right? A normal person in the nordic nations pays way more tax than people in the US.
Most people in Europe pay way more taxes than US individuals.
We want what they have but we are not willing to pay for it.
We want the rich to pay for it.
So ****ing what? I care about what I GET TO EAT, not what OTHER PEOPLE GET TO EAT.
Was I talking to you? Your response doesn't even make sense in context.
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If you consider costs of living in the US and Finland to be the same, and yet still admit that money buys you more in the US, doesn't that mean living in the US is better at least in this regard?
Let me help you. Comparable is not "the same". And we're discussing the fact that the cost of living is lower in Finland, while the purchasing power parity is significantly different.
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Have you any idea how much the Nordic nations have to pay in taxes? You do realize that the nordic don't only have high taxes on the wealthy right? A normal person in the nordic nations pays way more tax than people in the US.
Yes I am in fact aware. I also know that those taxes have massive benefits in education, healthcare, and poverty. Their society as a whole is better off for it. I know you're upset about anyone thinking that taxes can do good because you have a belief that taxes are evil. Forgive me if I look at results.
Most people in Europe pay way more taxes than US individuals.
We want what they have but we are not willing to pay for it.
We want the rich to pay for it.
But that doesn't exactly work does it? If it did the nordic nations would already be doing this. But they don't. Even a poor person in the nordic nations has to pay lots of tax. Hell, in Denmark many low-income people can't even afford to buy cars because they are taxed so much (up to 350% I think).
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