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Old 05-10-2009, 11:32 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
4,897 posts, read 8,304,014 times
Reputation: 1911

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This is a really great article from the NYT which talks about some of the pluses and minuses of Holland's social welfare system which is really just a large network of both public and private initiatives. In many ways it is superior to the American system and in a few ways it is worse but it holds some really great insights to anyone who wishes to reform everything from health care to education in the US. The actual article is to long to reprint here but it is well worth the read so please do if you have the time. The reality is far different from the characture American politicians like to paint.

The New York Times > Log In
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Old 05-10-2009, 03:12 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
4,897 posts, read 8,304,014 times
Reputation: 1911
The really interesting thing is that the Europeans pay just about the same taxes we do when you count total taxation but they get so much more for their taxes. It just goes to show how wasteful our military spending really is. We truly do not need to keep spending more then the next 50 countries combined.
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Old 05-10-2009, 08:58 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,197,274 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oerdin View Post
The really interesting thing is that the Europeans pay just about the same taxes we do when you count total taxation but they get so much more for their taxes. It just goes to show how wasteful our military spending really is. We truly do not need to keep spending more then the next 50 countries combined.
Really? It is solely due to "wasteful" military spending?

LOLOLOL
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Old 05-10-2009, 09:01 PM
 
4,104 posts, read 5,300,611 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oerdin View Post
The really interesting thing is that the Europeans pay just about the same taxes we do when you count total taxation but they get so much more for their taxes. It just goes to show how wasteful our military spending really is. We truly do not need to keep spending more then the next 50 countries combined.


yeah, and I own the Brooklyn Bridge.
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Old 05-10-2009, 09:07 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
4,897 posts, read 8,304,014 times
Reputation: 1911
Read the article. It goes over it most completely.
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Old 05-10-2009, 09:34 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
4,897 posts, read 8,304,014 times
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Originally Posted by Greatday View Post
Really? It is solely due to "wasteful" military spending?
Mostly, yes. The primary differences between countries such as Holland and the US is the higher social services in Holland and the higher military budget in the US. Those are the huge outstanding budget differences. Now, of course there are other minor budget items which add up to a percent here or there but, yes, as I said the military is the giant white elephant in the room.
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Old 05-10-2009, 09:41 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,197,274 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oerdin View Post
Mostly, yes. The primary differences between countries such as Holland and the US is the higher social services in Holland and the higher military budget in the US. Those are the huge outstanding budget differences. Now, of course there are other minor budget items which add up to a percent here or there but, yes, as I said the military is the giant white elephant in the room.
It is impossible to compare Holland and the US.

What part of the US military would you like to cut?
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Old 05-11-2009, 12:47 AM
 
Location: Northeast NJ
345 posts, read 642,232 times
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Military spending is certainly a factor as to why US citizens get less bang for their tax buck than the Dutch, but that's way over-simplifying it. For one, The Netherlands (and most of North Europe) is a largely homogeneous culture, and due to that and it's geographical location, it has much less of a problem with illegal immigration, as we do here. The tax dollars spent on illegal immigration issues, from patrolling the borders to the social welfare that often props their arses up, are quite hefty. Again that's just one factor, which sits aside military overspending.

By the way, I'm not saying we shouldn't take a few hints from the northern-Europe style of government, but what works for them will not work for us.
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Old 05-11-2009, 12:49 AM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
4,897 posts, read 8,304,014 times
Reputation: 1911
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greatday View Post
It is impossible to compare Holland and the US.

What part of the US military would you like to cut?
Mostly the expensive toys which cost 300%-500% more but only perform 2% better. That and we don't need to have bases in 90 different countries. I say this as a person who spent 9 years in the military. Waste, fraud, and abuse by contractors is the norm not the exception.
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Old 05-11-2009, 12:52 AM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,197,274 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oerdin View Post
Mostly the expensive toys which cost 300%-500% more but only perform 2% better.
Such as?

What do you consider "Toys"?
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