How come most Americans are poor?

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: malG
For an Aussie pensioner, couples get almost $1k per fortnight in retirement benefits plus pharmaceutical allowance, rent assistance and etc. Do you get that much in America?

What do you not understand about this? You're paying for it. You'd have that money anyway if you weren't taxed in the first place, so why bother doing it? Why not just dramatically lower taxes and put people in charge of their own futures? What if I could invest wisely and take that same money that I paid in taxes to get the $2000/mo and use my investments to make $4000/mo? Why is it the government's place to decide these things?

don't you know, people are too dumb to fund their own retirement, or buy their own healthcare, or choose their colleges, or do anything. they should work, pay everything to the government, and they should decide what he needs.

 

[KingofCamelot]

Originally posted by: malG
You can choose to go to any college in Australia, public or private and the government will subsidise (HECS) the tuition fee. You can buy your own health insurance and receive a medicare rebate on your tax. You can also fund your own retirement. Hence there is FREEDOM in every aspect.

Except they took your money, then gave it back to you (with some extra), but told you what to use it for.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: JS80

What if I want to purchase my OWN college, buy my OWN health insurance, and fund my OWN retirement? Why should I dilute 70% of my money through bureaucracy? It's called FREEDOM - freedom to choose our own shvt. Apparently your government thinks you are too retarded to choose your own colleges, doctors, and retirement plan, so they do it for you.

You can choose to go to any college in Australia, public or private and the government will subsidise (HECS) the tuition fee. You can buy your own health insurance and receive a medicare rebate on your tax. You can also fund your own retirement. Hence there is FREEDOM in every aspect.

if i go to private school, do i get a rebate on public school tuition value that i am forgoing? do i receive a credit for the FULL value of public healthcare if i buy private? you just don't get it.

 

[malG]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Why not just dramatically lower taxes and put people in charge of their own futures?

I think most people are not wise enough to invest their own money. Just look at Americans...they spend more than they earn

 

[0roo0roo]

because the middle class is getting kicked in the teeth with globalization and illegal immigration depressing wages or shipping them off entirely.

frankly one reason americans get pissed when other countries think we should sacrifice the most and demand charity.

and why its annoying that rich folk like bill gates/oprah spend their charity over seas. look at madonna and angelina jolie hopping around the globe to pick up children when i'm sure there are plenty here that suffer.

 

[UCDAggies]

We have grants for most people in the U.S when it comes to colleges. Those who family make the median income can expect thousands of dollars in grants for schools from the government, this doesn't include the thousands of dollars in tax credit you get. Also for retirement, 1K a fortnight is hardly anything,most people who work for the government here get over twice that, some such as cops get over 4 times that.

 

[UCDAggies]

Not every medical care is free in Australia. With my insurance I get free PET, CT, and MRI scans. In Australia you have to pay tons $$$ for those.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Why not just dramatically lower taxes and put people in charge of their own futures?

I think most people are not wise enough to invest their own money. Just look at Americans...they spend more than they earn

then why are americans' net worths positive? you must be one of those people who think debt is bad, and we should be on the gold standard.

 

[FoBoT]

OP is very confused about personal wealth and socialist aspects of his govt.

STAY IN SCHOOL! DON'T DO DRUGS!

 

[malG]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
1K a fortnight is hardly anything,most people who work for the government here get over twice that, some such as cops get over 4 times that.

The $1k per fortnight in retirement benefits for couples is for every Aussie. You'll get more in superannuation if you've been working. Basically the $1k per fortnight is the minimum every Aussie will get when they reach 65. I doubt the poor in America get that much.

 

[UCDAggies]

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
1K a fortnight is hardly anything,most people who work for the government here get over twice that, some such as cops get over 4 times that.

The $1k per fortnight in retirement benefits for couples is for every Aussie. You'll get more in superannuation if you've been working. Basically the $1k per fortnight is the minimum every Aussie will get when they reach 65. I doubt the poor in America get that much.

If you work, then yes you do get enough to live off of in the U.S. Is that $1K AUD or USD?

If you haven't work, and have been nothing but a leech on society, why should you get money?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
1K a fortnight is hardly anything,most people who work for the government here get over twice that, some such as cops get over 4 times that.

The $1k per fortnight in retirement benefits for couples is for every Aussie. You'll get more in superannuation if you've been working. Basically the $1k per fortnight is the minimum every Aussie will get when they reach 65. I doubt the poor in America get that much.

please don't become a politician, because people would actually vote for you if you offer stupid shvt like that, and proceed to worsen the lives of the people you represent.

 

[malG]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Not every medical care is free in Australia. With my insurance I get free PET, CT, and MRI scans. In Australia you have to pay tons $$$ for those.

You're dead wrong; every medical procedure and scans in public hospitals are free. However you have to pay to visit your local GP, although it's substantially subsidised. The dentist is not free in most states.

 

[UCDAggies]

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Not every medical care is free in Australia. With my insurance I get free PET, CT, and MRI scans. In Australia you have to pay tons $$$ for those.

You're dead wrong; every medical procedure and scans in public hospitals are free. However you have to pay to visit your local GP, although it's substantially subsidised. The dentist is not free in most states.

Mistake, However you only have 8 PET Scanners in all of Australia. There are more than 8 with in 30 miles of me.

 

[Kelvrick]

ok, wtf are you guys buying into this flame bait for. I'm going to sleep.

That, and poster above me, are you really that happy you go to UCD? I mean, the aggies aren't even our real mascot. Go Gunrock!

EDIT: Unless you're actually an aggy student. Carry on if you are.

 

[UCDAggies]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
ok, wtf are you guys buying into this flame bait for. I'm going to sleep.

That, and poster above me, are you really that happy you go to UCD? I mean, the aggies aren't even our real mascot. Go Gunrock!

EDIT: Unless you're actually an aggy student. Carry on if you are.

Please don't tell me Gunrock is the name of the mustang (our mascot). What a horrible name.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

We have a DMK617 sighting!

 

[BrownTown]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Mistake, However you only have 8 PET Scanners in all of Australia. There are more than 8 with in 30 miles of me.

Really? LOL, there's at least one less than a mile from here . I wonder how many 8 Tesla MRI machines they have there, they just installed once of those and it got its own buidling with 500 tonnes of metal shielding .

 

[malG]

I've been to New York and California and I see large numbers of homeless people sleeping on the streets. Why is this commonplace in America?

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: novasatori

Originally posted by: malG

Originally posted by: Queasy

What are the tax rates in Australia?

Income tax in Australia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_Australia

Again, our taxes are quite low when compared to most G8 countries and we get subsidised college tuition, free healthcare and great social security.

your highest marginal tax rate is 10% higher than the highest American marginal tax bracket.

Australian - 15 - 30 - 40 - 45 %s
USA - 10 - 15- 25 - 28 - 33 -35 %s

so if you make 75k+ you get taxed 40% in aus
in the united states that's lowest bracket of 28% marginal rate.

we have much lower marginal taxes than AUS

Social Security is seperate.

Taxes in the US when all things are considered break 50% for the rich unless they do a LOT of work on deductions.

 

[Flyback]

Originally posted by: malG
I've been to New York and California and I see large numbers of homeless people sleeping on the streets. Why is this commonplace in America?

Choice of lifestyle.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: montanafan
Oh, and when it comes to Economic Aid to other countries:

Australia $894 million
USA $6.9 billion

And that's just the government, doesn't include private donations.

National Defense:

Australia $17.8 billion
USA $518.1 billion

I think your first statistic actually helps his claim:
You've forgotten that the US has nearly 15 times the population. So, with 15 times as many people here, we can only afford about 8 times as much foreign aid? He actually has a pretty good point. Some of you keep saying that Australia takes wealth in the form of taxes and redistributes it to other citizens. What you forget is that in the US, wealth is taken from citizens in the form of taxes and redistributed to wealthy companies in the form of subsidies and government contracts.

Maybe that's where some of the money's going?

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
We have grants for most people in the U.S when it comes to colleges. Those who family make the median income can expect thousands of dollars in grants for schools from the government,...

Nope, blatantly wrong information here.

 

[flexy]

- living beyond their means...credit card debt

- still LOW economy/employment

- cheap workers from other countries

- many people have no health insurance ---> more debt in case of illness etc.

- huge defense budget and debt

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: malG
I've been to New York and California and I see large numbers of homeless people sleeping on the streets. Why is this commonplace in America?

The homeless rates are in line with what you would expect. In fact, based on the numbers here the rate is half of that in Australia.

The difference is that NYC has a very densely concentrated population, so you are far more likely to see them there. The two of 60,000 I live in has 3-4 that I know of (and that only because I see them on a regular basis).

btw, there are a lot of factors that go into homelessness, and little of it has to do with economics.