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You may not have learned well enough in college about understanding an issue fully before dismissing it.
I spent some time in Denmark - used to import machines from there. They make great machines, ships, windmills and many other products. They do it with a 33-35 hour week. They get minimum 5 weeks of vacation. Their wages are probably double the low wages here. Crime is minimal and people have established a nice social order.
This is in stark contrast to the US where we all have been taught to step on the person below us to climb the ladder so we can possibly achieve....what?
You forgot to mention that there is a price to be paid for all the wonders of Denmark which happen because their citizens pay 26.4% in income taxes compared to the average US citizen who pays 9.8%. You also forgot to mention that the average Dane's household debt per the OECD data has them at 310% of their disposable income compared to the US which is 114% and their wonderful progressive tax system does not protect them from this personal staggering debt. And lastly, the highest earners in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway own 65-69% of their country's wealth so those high percentages do not seen to be a model of income equality to me.
In the event that you missed taking Switzerland 101 in college, you might want to do a little post graduate research where you may be surprised to learn how well this capitalist neighbor of Denmark has been doing. The average citizen pays an income tax rate of 8.6% and the wealthiest 20.9%, and despite this low tax rate on the wealthy income inequality and debt is lower in Switzerland than it is in Denmark. 99% of Switzerland's economy is made up of small and medium sized businesses which employ 3/4 of their citizens, and their unemployment rate is 4.5% which is one of the lowest in the world. They also seem to be doing pretty well with regards to educational systems which ranks them 3rd in the world.
An last I heard, the Swiss are also pretty high up there with regards to happiness. Maybe the reason is their easy access to chocolate.
i lived with the Canadian one . they can have it . the care is nothing like we get here . it reminds me of the 1980 days here with the HIP clinics .
That is interesting. I have talked to several Canadians and I always ask how they like there health care. I have yet to get a negative response. Most common answer is they would hate to be without it.
I got my US SS at 62. And in the UK where I live I got my pension at age 61 and 11 months. But that was back in early 2014. My friend who is only 9 months younger than me wasn't able to get hers until age 63. The UK used to be 65 for males and 60 for females. That always seemed unfair to me, but that is all changing.
It was changed starting April 2016. My husband turned 65 after that date. So 65 is the new age now for male.
That is interesting. I have talked to several Canadians and I always ask how they like there health care. I have yet to get a negative response. Most common answer is they would hate to be without it.
Ask the right person like Michael Bubble, he is Canadian and has Italian citizenship, yet he took his son to USA to treat cancer.
i lived with the Canadian one . they can have it . the care is nothing like we get here . it reminds me of the 1980 days here with the HIP clinics .
You are obviously well-to-do from other posts you have written.
I suspect the group that would oppose a Canadian style single-payer system is the group that is well-to-do because this group expects Cadillac care with the most up-to-date technology. You wouldn't benefit from such a system because you could afford better for yourself and your family. That's fine. However, I think when you write a post like this that's what you ought to say that as background.
I was in Canada once, years ago, when my son became sick. None of the cliches that I've heard spouted about the Canadian medical system proved to be accurate. My son was promptly treated. He was promptly admitted to a hospital. Given all the scans and diagnostic tests that one would have expected. His attending physician saw him no less than five times on the day he was admitted. Three days later, he was released cured of the disease he had.
The biggest criticism I could make about the experience is that medical care in Canada is often rendered out of older building and clinics. Patients in a hospital are expected to share a room with another patient. IMO, that's not much of a criticism. I'd support doing something similar in this country to save costs.
Its a standard of care that is pretty damn good. Its not as fancy as what is in the USA. However, it only costs about 60% as much.
The middle class and the working class would benefit from such a system in this country. All Canada has really done is that it has taken medicare and applied to everyone in the country--not just the oldest people. In fact, they call their national health insurance plan, medicare, too.
I hope someday we get a system like the Canadians have. However, between the private insurance industry and medical providers, I see it as unlikely. Its a shame, too, for probably 80% of this country or more.
You forgot to mention that there is a price to be paid for all the wonders of Denmark which happen because their citizens pay 26.4% in income taxes compared to the average US citizen who pays 9.8%. You also forgot to mention that the average Dane's household debt per the OECD data has them at 310% of their disposable income compared to the US which is 114% and their wonderful progressive tax system does not protect them from this personal staggering debt. And lastly, the highest earners in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway own 65-69% of their country's wealth so those high percentages do not seen to be a model of income equality to me.
In the event that you missed taking Switzerland 101 in college, you might want to do a little post graduate research where you may be surprised to learn how well this capitalist neighbor of Denmark has been doing. The average citizen pays an income tax rate of 8.6% and the wealthiest 20.9%, and despite this low tax rate on the wealthy income inequality and debt is lower in Switzerland than it is in Denmark. 99% of Switzerland's economy is made up of small and medium sized businesses which employ 3/4 of their citizens, and their unemployment rate is 4.5% which is one of the lowest in the world. They also seem to be doing pretty well with regards to educational systems which ranks them 3rd in the world.
An last I heard, the Swiss are also pretty high up there with regards to happiness. Maybe the reason is their easy access to chocolate.
I agree with your post. My husband's friend, a hedge fund CEO, moved from UK to Switzerland to avoid paying a lot of taxes.
But as a whole, not just those countries Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway, Europe has very anemic growth compare to USA.
Perhaps emergency care, people in USA gets treated for free too for emergency care.
Seriously? Very, VERY few people in the U.S. get emergency care for free. Unless it is a life-threatening emergency, if you don't have insurance you better have a credit card.
Seriously? Very, VERY few people in the U.S. get emergency care for free. Unless it is a life-threatening emergency, if you don't have insurance you better have a credit card.
I know it's here in California. If you are homeless, no money, how do they charge you? hospitals can't turn you away. See below link for where to go. County clinics. http://centerforhealthreporting.org/...oure-uninsured
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