"I would take what you say a step further and ask the question "Who is someone to decide where on EARTH someone else chooses to work"? What has a citizen of a certain country done to lay his/her claim on a that country or to exclude someone elses' claim on a "piece of EARTH"? Do you really think that in the "Real Truth of Things" the earth belongs to one person more than the other? I question the whole premise of "Countries" being exclusive to citizens of that country. I reject the boundaries called countries made by men. I was born on the earth and the whole earth is mine to tread."
Well, that just doesn't work on planet Earth.
We are cut up into countries with different customs, creeds and resources. When we can share, that's nice, but, the main concern of a country's government is to look out for the interests of its citizens above all others. That's why we put them in place. You obviously have a very different sense of your place in the world, but, I don't share it.
I am a citizen first of the state I live in, then a citizen of the United States (per our constitutions), and after that I guess I'm a citizen of the world. That is the order of importance I put on causes and issues too.
"His situation is, he had no choice but to live where he did (family reasons). He is solidly skilled, but without the large years of experience to command major negotiation for a single-person contract."
Hmm..well, I know people hit hard situations, but, I'm wondering what possibly family reasons would keep a person bound to one area?? In this day in age, you pretty much have to be willing to go where the jobs are..
And you said he didn't have much experience? Well, yes...you do have to pay your dues with less pay, and yes these days, less than optimal hours and benefits. But, that's fast becoming the norm. You do seem to have to put up with it for a few years till you can get enough resume experience to be able to negotiate.
You gotta also use that time in the 'grind' making contacts with collegues and IT pros (yes, even the management), you can and should use those later when you start going for better jobs. People skills can NOT be emphasized enough. You quite often get a job base more one WHO you know, rather than what. Just a fact of life.
You might advise your friend into looking into incorporating, I prefer the regular incorporation, the filing for subchapter "S"...this allows you a GREAT deal of freedom, you can write off tons of stuff related to work (every trip to/from the job site counts). You also get to pay yourself a 'reasonable' salary (per IRS), and you only have to pay SS and medicare on that salary portion of your total billed income. The rest falls through on your personal income tax..and just gets fed and state taxes, not subject to SS and medicare. That can lead to substantial savings.
Anyway, just saying...as long as your friend is working with contract pitfalls (no job security, no benefits), he might as well take advantage of the system, and try to get the benefits that contracting offers (tax breaks at least).
"Seriously. Look at Microsoft - they've been pushing outsourced (e.g. "revolving temp agency hiring") and overseas-sourced (how many times did Bill Gates lie his ass off claiming he "couldn't find" people trained to do things here while pushing for H1-B increases?) for years now. I have a friend who just spent three years "working for Microsoft", but he was actually hired by a temp agency (along with 80% of the people in his building) and forced to work "Shifts" with 90-day breaks in between "hirings" to avoid MS or the temp agency having to pay out certain benefits."
Err...sounds like these people were working as contract workers...I myself PREFER doing that. I work when I can that way through my "S" corp I set up...I get great tax benefits (I can write off tons of stuff), and while I do pay for my own health care, I get to also set up a HSA to fill with money pre-tax to use on routine medical care needs, and all of this (and my time off) is figure out when I bargain for my bill rate.
Frankly, I prefer this, as that I pay Uncle Sam tax money quarterly (or monthly as needed, depends on what salary I pay myself from the company I own) rather than have him take out too much per year and 'refund' it back to me later. Hell, it is about the ONLY way you can keep your hard earned dollars these days.
This isn't a bad system at all, you just need to educate yourself on how to play the game. I'd much rather contract, and be the master of my own destiny and fortune (God I hate having to 'earn' vacation hours, I'd rather just take off when I want to).
"Do not take things out of context! What the document says is companies might save some money if they hire foreigners on F-1 or J-1 visas. It is just so foreigners _who_study_in_the_United_States_ can find a job since employers seem to be under the impression that hiring a foreigner is a hassle."
With the way the recession is currently in the US, it makes no sense for the US govt. to not only allow, but, in some cases expedite bringing foreigners in (or letting them in willy nilly across the border illegally) to fill jobs that our own citizens are in desperate need of...
I don't see that a state funded school should be allowed by the taxpayers of that state to promote the hiring of foreign people over US citizens either...that's not what my tax dollars should be going for...
"caused my house to drop in value. They made it harder for me to sell my house. They caused me harm."
Well, the housing market was due for a major correction anyway, the debt bust just accelerated and exacerbated it a bit, but, it was coming. The Fed had a great deal to do with it keeping interest rates too low for too long, and housing was way over priced. You got people buying houses as 'investments' rather than something to live in in too many cases.
Housing prices will normalize in the not too far future....well, if the govt will let people fail, get out of the homes, and then let housing prices set where good risk people that will pay their mortgages, will come in and buy the homes at a reasonable price and the market will stabilize at a more realistic valuation.
I don't really understand your other major points...you seem to insist that I am somehow "my brothers keeper" that I and the greater public are responsible for the dipshits out there that can't control their spending. I don't see how that isn't PERSONAL respnosibility on MY part??
Isn't PERSONAL responsibility by definition being resonsible for your OWN individual actions and consequences?
"Its easy to say people dig their own hole. But isn't the person who gave you the shovel and showed you where to dig at least a little obligated to help pull you back out?"
[Emphatically]NO!
:)
Look, we are all big boys and big girls out here with credit cards, you are legally an adult to own one. You as an adult are responsible for what you do in life.
"True. But I do hold the credit companies and almost every business partially responsible. They introduce several incentives to use your credit cards, almost punishing you for using cash.
One year I worked at Universal Studios. If you bought a ticket with cash, you just got that one ticket for a day. But if you paid with a Mastercard, for the same price you got a yearly pass with no blackout dates and a free poster. Visa customers sometimes got discounts for paying with a Visa card. The current marketplace and the businesses that manipulate it must bear some of the responsibility."
That's all fine and good. There is NOTHING wrong with using a credit card, as long as you can pay it off. If you can afford that one day ticket, go ahead and use the CC. Just make sure to pay it off at EOM (hell if you really wanna be careful, log on to the web if you have internet banking, and pay it off when you get home).
I was in CC hell once. I swore I'd never go there again. Living within your means CAN be done. I know that's hard to get people to believe these days, but, it is possible. And it makes the toys you CAN and do get...that much more meaningful and fun.
"If you fear the government or the corporations will abuse it, well, do your best to cut down the government, and have some decent regulations to avoid abuse by corporations (which will happen, ID or no ID; the ID just means the mixups won't hurt you so often). Over here we have a pretty decent law (Uruguayan law 18.331) which limits what corporations can do with your personal data."
Well, while we're trying to cut the govt. and legislate handcuffs on what the corporations can do....let's NOT give them a National ID to play with in the meantime...IMHO
I mean, why help them before we can constrain them?
"You'd think SSNs would help with that...yet last time I pulled my credit report I found THREE other socials listed on my report under my name. They actually have a field for "Alternate SSN" for some reason. So I had 3 guys with my same first and last name, but different socials somehow affecting my credit score."
Well, one reason is that you can CHANGE your SSN. Yep, just like you can change your name, you can apply to change your SSN.
"I used to work for the local branch of Equifax, and at least over here (Uruguay), there are at least two levels of checks before data is inserted (to avoid this kind of mistakes). AND we have a national ID, which is very useful to avoid this kind of mistakes. Of course, I don't know how they manage in the US without a national ID."
"More poor clients. Mainly because the rich clients will pay off their debt. each month, where the poor clients will only pay off the minimum (so you make a lot more money from them). "
Regardless....it is peoples' own faults if they get into credit card debt hell.
When will we require personal responsibility again in this country? If you can't afford to buy a nice new shiny LCD big screen TV, then don't change one!!
Live does not owe you a fancy house, a nice car, and the finer things in life. If you sell yourself into debt 'slavery' to get those things, well tough luck, you did it to yourself, deal with the consequences.
"Credit is little more than a way to keep people working for low wages in crappy jobs. The entire credit system is little more than legalized slavery. We can see how the rise of the credit industry has coincided with a slow degradation of real income for workers.
Banks and corporations are working hand in hand to make sure as many people are underwater as possible. Why else would your credit score go down when you cancel a credit card, and also go down when you get a new credit card?"
Well, it isn't like the credit companies are holding a gun to anyone's head to make them take them, and use the irresponsibly.
"I am surprised in many ways that the credit system is allowed to exist as Judeo-Christian culture has a considerable history of a total ban on interest in any form."
I thought that was the muslims??
Never heard that the jews or christians ever had a thing against making a buck off interest.
Well, if that is the case, they it REALLY sounds like the US Fed. govt. needs to clean its house and get the few health programs it does have (the poor, the elderly and the veterans) before it even thinks about taking on the health care for the greater populace, eh?
I mean, if they can't do it for the few, how can we expect them to do it for everyone?
Sounds like it will be detrimental to the majority of people that have jobs, insurance and are happy with their level of care.
"Don't you have it already? Amazingly, the US gov't already spends more money per-capita on health-care than most other comparable economies, yet it covers only a small portion of the population."
I don't get where you get this stat...the US Federal govt spends money on medicare, medicade (only for the very poor, and one for the elderly), and the VA (Veterans Admin). Now, granted, that is a good bit of $$$....but, the vast majority of the medical expenses are not by the US Fed. Govt. That' what the big stink over here is...they are wanting to make the US govt pay for medical care, rather than the private (read, no govt. intervention) payments and insurance.
While I'd like some things fixed, the LAST thing I want to do, is get more govt. involvement in healthcare..MY health care. I mean...they sure have fucked up the 3 areas I listed above. I can't imagine they'll do any better if they force ALL of us in a new govt. run and mandated system.
Hell, at the very least...let the govt. fix the health systems they currently run...cut the expenses, the fraud (they know about it, but do nothing about it), and make it run efficiently for the patients and the money they currently do...and then, I'll listen to a plan that "I" and most people in the US would have to get into, run by them.
"Very little if the money came out of their gargantuan advertising budgets, an easy thing to achieve if the government got some balls and outlawed direct-to-consumer advertising, along with the various perks they hand out to doctors and other caregivers. But we wouldn't want that, would we? God forbid a consumer get information about drugs from, you know... their *doctor*."
Well, I do listen to what my Dr. says. I do educate myself at least on the web when I feel poorly, and after I go to look up what he tells me. I consider it personal responsibility...this USED to be something more people had commonly, but hey...if someone wants to be a sheep, and not listen to their Dr. well, that's not my fault. You don't like Dr's getting samples? Do you not realize that is a GREAT way especially, to help a poorer person. They often get loaded with samples to take with them to ease the burden of drugs they might need to buy. I've left the Dr. office at times not needing to buy any meds at all at times (if a fairly minor problem).
And as far as the govt limiting what can be advertising...what business is it of the US govt. on who can and can't advertise their wares? If you can, can you help me find in our US constitution (the basis of our federal govt) where in the limited powers it enumerates to the US Federal govt, does it give it the power to regulate who can advertise what on the tv?
"And of that 70%, 90% have probably never even been outside the US."
And your problem with this is??
The US is a VERY large country, it isn't like the EU where if you drive a couple hours, you are suddenly in another country. We have everything here from deserts, to ski slopes, beaches, things like the Grand Canyon, tropical climates...etc. Quite often, if nothing else, there really is no compelling reason for most people in the US to leave the country. We're here largely because we LIKE it here.
I've been out of the US before a few times, mostly when younger. It was interesting, but, honestly, I've got no real compelling reason to travel outside the US. Even if you discount the general (at least perceived) dismal attitude that foreigners seem to have when they hear you speak and realize you are from the US....I don't need to see so many places out there, when you consider ther is still SO much of the US I've not seen or visited yet.
And frankly, these days, I'm not so sure I'dd feel as safe traveling outside the US as I did years ago when I did do some traveling....even to Europe.
"Universal in the sense of "well just give us everything you DO have and we won't actually let you die till we discharge you"? Apparently the procedure is to camp out in the hospital parking lot until your condition worsens enough to be life threatening, then go in."
Ok, I gotta ask, honestly...where the hell in the US do you live?!?!
I mean, I find it hard to believe what your saying...if people were dying in the parking lots and streets in all the cities in the US, especially with all the attention healthcare is getting these days...that I would have seen something about this on tv??
I've been around and through plenty of hospitals, and I've yet to see ANYTHING even remotely similar to what you're describing.
Do you really even live in the US? I'm starting to hear more and more that people from the EU and other lands outside the US seem to have imaginations that people are just walking/crawling around and dying in the streets, that it is a common every day sight...
"Health care in the US costs twice as much per capita as the next worst nation"
Man..what are you talking about. I'm having to go W2 for right now, but, getting on their insurance, (single guy) I only pay like $40 or so a paycheck...that is full coverage for me, with $20 copays for med visits and meds. Dental (basic) is covered for no extra.
But, even when previously I was working through my own S corp only, I had a HSA that I loaded with money pre-tax to pay for my routine needs (they gave me discounts, even for an MRI when they knew I was paying), I had a high deductible policy that was like $200/mo...which I never used, only for emergencies.
All that was tax deductible too...so, it really didn't cost me very much. With the bill rates you get as a contractor, you can easily cover the indie insurance, but, if you're working for a W2 employer, I don't see it as being all that expensive.
If you're not working...well, there is always medicade...the govt already gives that out to the poor.
"No, we should not. I pay about 25% in taxes in the US. I know nobody in Western Europe who pays 45+% tax on a similar income. The highest figure is usually in the lower 30s. So expect an extra 5-7% in taxes."
I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination...but, with the fed, state, ss and medicare taken out of my check when working W2 gigs...I easily get near 33%. You then add in the sales taxes, utility taxes, tv and phone taxes, etc., I'm easily paying 45%+ in taxes annually. (last one is guestimate)
I could likely agree ONLY this replaced all income taxes. They'd have to repeal all other taxes and go only to consumption tax for myself (and many others actually ) to agree with it I think. Something along the FairTax thing that has often been proposed.
We're already heavily taxed enough IMHO...I don't want to add more to the heap, it is hard enough to save as it is...
As for vacation? Well, that's up to you man. If you're good enough and have experience, go out there and have some balls to negotiate better for what you will work for...that includes time off as well as compensation.
Healthcare? Sure, we need to do at few things to change it for the better: alleviate the pre-existing condition things, make it easier to set up HSA's so individuals can more easily save up pre-tax for routine health visits (insurance should be only for emergencies), let us be free to buy meds from anywhere (Canada for instance), allow insurance and plans to cross state lines, etc, etc, etc.
It isn't THAT bad over here...at the worst you see on any polls, about 70% of the people in the US LIKE what they have. I dare say you can't hardly come up with any other topic that many Americans would agree on. So, why try to chuck the whole system, that the majority of people are seemingly happy with? Why not just fix what parts of the current system are broken?
"All these companies need to pay for health insurance for all their full time employees. They dont get it via 20+% taxes like you do in Europe. So things cost more but you pay less taxes. I'll leave it up the reader which solution is best."
Unfortunately, it looks like we have a real chance of switching to just such coverage here in the US too. Yep, we'll get that extra 20+% taxation (I even hear they're bandying about a VAT tax here too, to go with the current income tax)...and yet, those prices the companies charge that you mentioned...will still exist and not come down. It will go to some profit, and I'm guessing overhead for more govt. paperwork and oversight.
I suppose they could always try to start promoting, and working WITH artists that can actually put together a full album worth of good music.
I find that I have tons of whole albums by groups like Zeppelin, Floyd and the Stones...that I quite often try to throw on just one song, I end up listening to the full 'album'.
"A shock really that people think that paying $18 for that on a piece of media..."
Wow..where do you buy CD's that are $18/each (unless you're talking imports?)
I too just buy CD's...I have a good stereo, and rather play with the best format I can get, so, until they sell something online that is lossless and without DRM, I'll not be interested in buying music online.
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Well, that just doesn't work on planet Earth.
We are cut up into countries with different customs, creeds and resources. When we can share, that's nice, but, the main concern of a country's government is to look out for the interests of its citizens above all others. That's why we put them in place. You obviously have a very different sense of your place in the world, but, I don't share it.
I am a citizen first of the state I live in, then a citizen of the United States (per our constitutions), and after that I guess I'm a citizen of the world. That is the order of importance I put on causes and issues too.
Hmm..well, I know people hit hard situations, but, I'm wondering what possibly family reasons would keep a person bound to one area?? In this day in age, you pretty much have to be willing to go where the jobs are..
And you said he didn't have much experience? Well, yes...you do have to pay your dues with less pay, and yes these days, less than optimal hours and benefits. But, that's fast becoming the norm. You do seem to have to put up with it for a few years till you can get enough resume experience to be able to negotiate.
You gotta also use that time in the 'grind' making contacts with collegues and IT pros (yes, even the management), you can and should use those later when you start going for better jobs. People skills can NOT be emphasized enough. You quite often get a job base more one WHO you know, rather than what. Just a fact of life.
You might advise your friend into looking into incorporating, I prefer the regular incorporation, the filing for subchapter "S"...this allows you a GREAT deal of freedom, you can write off tons of stuff related to work (every trip to/from the job site counts). You also get to pay yourself a 'reasonable' salary (per IRS), and you only have to pay SS and medicare on that salary portion of your total billed income. The rest falls through on your personal income tax..and just gets fed and state taxes, not subject to SS and medicare. That can lead to substantial savings.
Anyway, just saying...as long as your friend is working with contract pitfalls (no job security, no benefits), he might as well take advantage of the system, and try to get the benefits that contracting offers (tax breaks at least).
Err...sounds like these people were working as contract workers...I myself PREFER doing that. I work when I can that way through my "S" corp I set up...I get great tax benefits (I can write off tons of stuff), and while I do pay for my own health care, I get to also set up a HSA to fill with money pre-tax to use on routine medical care needs, and all of this (and my time off) is figure out when I bargain for my bill rate.
Frankly, I prefer this, as that I pay Uncle Sam tax money quarterly (or monthly as needed, depends on what salary I pay myself from the company I own) rather than have him take out too much per year and 'refund' it back to me later. Hell, it is about the ONLY way you can keep your hard earned dollars these days.
This isn't a bad system at all, you just need to educate yourself on how to play the game. I'd much rather contract, and be the master of my own destiny and fortune (God I hate having to 'earn' vacation hours, I'd rather just take off when I want to).
With the way the recession is currently in the US, it makes no sense for the US govt. to not only allow, but, in some cases expedite bringing foreigners in (or letting them in willy nilly across the border illegally) to fill jobs that our own citizens are in desperate need of...
I don't see that a state funded school should be allowed by the taxpayers of that state to promote the hiring of foreign people over US citizens either...that's not what my tax dollars should be going for...
Well, the housing market was due for a major correction anyway, the debt bust just accelerated and exacerbated it a bit, but, it was coming. The Fed had a great deal to do with it keeping interest rates too low for too long, and housing was way over priced. You got people buying houses as 'investments' rather than something to live in in too many cases.
Housing prices will normalize in the not too far future....well, if the govt will let people fail, get out of the homes, and then let housing prices set where good risk people that will pay their mortgages, will come in and buy the homes at a reasonable price and the market will stabilize at a more realistic valuation.
I don't really understand your other major points...you seem to insist that I am somehow "my brothers keeper" that I and the greater public are responsible for the dipshits out there that can't control their spending. I don't see how that isn't PERSONAL respnosibility on MY part??
Isn't PERSONAL responsibility by definition being resonsible for your OWN individual actions and consequences?
[Emphatically]NO!
Look, we are all big boys and big girls out here with credit cards, you are legally an adult to own one. You as an adult are responsible for what you do in life.
"True. But I do hold the credit companies and almost every business partially responsible. They introduce several incentives to use your credit cards, almost punishing you for using cash. One year I worked at Universal Studios. If you bought a ticket with cash, you just got that one ticket for a day. But if you paid with a Mastercard, for the same price you got a yearly pass with no blackout dates and a free poster. Visa customers sometimes got discounts for paying with a Visa card. The current marketplace and the businesses that manipulate it must bear some of the responsibility."
That's all fine and good. There is NOTHING wrong with using a credit card, as long as you can pay it off. If you can afford that one day ticket, go ahead and use the CC. Just make sure to pay it off at EOM (hell if you really wanna be careful, log on to the web if you have internet banking, and pay it off when you get home).
I was in CC hell once. I swore I'd never go there again. Living within your means CAN be done. I know that's hard to get people to believe these days, but, it is possible. And it makes the toys you CAN and do get...that much more meaningful and fun.
Well, while we're trying to cut the govt. and legislate handcuffs on what the corporations can do....let's NOT give them a National ID to play with in the meantime...IMHO
I mean, why help them before we can constrain them?
Well, one reason is that you can CHANGE your SSN. Yep, just like you can change your name, you can apply to change your SSN.
Don't worry....they're working on it over here.
Regardless....it is peoples' own faults if they get into credit card debt hell.
When will we require personal responsibility again in this country? If you can't afford to buy a nice new shiny LCD big screen TV, then don't change one!!
Live does not owe you a fancy house, a nice car, and the finer things in life. If you sell yourself into debt 'slavery' to get those things, well tough luck, you did it to yourself, deal with the consequences.
Well, it isn't like the credit companies are holding a gun to anyone's head to make them take them, and use the irresponsibly.
People dig their own hole with credit.
I thought that was the muslims??
Never heard that the jews or christians ever had a thing against making a buck off interest.
I mean, if they can't do it for the few, how can we expect them to do it for everyone?
Sounds like it will be detrimental to the majority of people that have jobs, insurance and are happy with their level of care.
I've never seen anyone with such a serious injury as what you described get that bad of treatment.
I don't get where you get this stat...the US Federal govt spends money on medicare, medicade (only for the very poor, and one for the elderly), and the VA (Veterans Admin). Now, granted, that is a good bit of $$$....but, the vast majority of the medical expenses are not by the US Fed. Govt. That' what the big stink over here is...they are wanting to make the US govt pay for medical care, rather than the private (read, no govt. intervention) payments and insurance.
While I'd like some things fixed, the LAST thing I want to do, is get more govt. involvement in healthcare..MY health care. I mean...they sure have fucked up the 3 areas I listed above. I can't imagine they'll do any better if they force ALL of us in a new govt. run and mandated system.
Hell, at the very least...let the govt. fix the health systems they currently run...cut the expenses, the fraud (they know about it, but do nothing about it), and make it run efficiently for the patients and the money they currently do...and then, I'll listen to a plan that "I" and most people in the US would have to get into, run by them.
Well, I do listen to what my Dr. says. I do educate myself at least on the web when I feel poorly, and after I go to look up what he tells me. I consider it personal responsibility...this USED to be something more people had commonly, but hey...if someone wants to be a sheep, and not listen to their Dr. well, that's not my fault. You don't like Dr's getting samples? Do you not realize that is a GREAT way especially, to help a poorer person. They often get loaded with samples to take with them to ease the burden of drugs they might need to buy. I've left the Dr. office at times not needing to buy any meds at all at times (if a fairly minor problem).
And as far as the govt limiting what can be advertising...what business is it of the US govt. on who can and can't advertise their wares? If you can, can you help me find in our US constitution (the basis of our federal govt) where in the limited powers it enumerates to the US Federal govt, does it give it the power to regulate who can advertise what on the tv?
And your problem with this is??
The US is a VERY large country, it isn't like the EU where if you drive a couple hours, you are suddenly in another country. We have everything here from deserts, to ski slopes, beaches, things like the Grand Canyon, tropical climates...etc. Quite often, if nothing else, there really is no compelling reason for most people in the US to leave the country. We're here largely because we LIKE it here.
I've been out of the US before a few times, mostly when younger. It was interesting, but, honestly, I've got no real compelling reason to travel outside the US. Even if you discount the general (at least perceived) dismal attitude that foreigners seem to have when they hear you speak and realize you are from the US....I don't need to see so many places out there, when you consider ther is still SO much of the US I've not seen or visited yet.
And frankly, these days, I'm not so sure I'dd feel as safe traveling outside the US as I did years ago when I did do some traveling....even to Europe.
Ok, I gotta ask, honestly...where the hell in the US do you live?!?!
I mean, I find it hard to believe what your saying...if people were dying in the parking lots and streets in all the cities in the US, especially with all the attention healthcare is getting these days...that I would have seen something about this on tv??
I've been around and through plenty of hospitals, and I've yet to see ANYTHING even remotely similar to what you're describing.
Do you really even live in the US? I'm starting to hear more and more that people from the EU and other lands outside the US seem to have imaginations that people are just walking/crawling around and dying in the streets, that it is a common every day sight...
Man..what are you talking about. I'm having to go W2 for right now, but, getting on their insurance, (single guy) I only pay like $40 or so a paycheck...that is full coverage for me, with $20 copays for med visits and meds. Dental (basic) is covered for no extra.
But, even when previously I was working through my own S corp only, I had a HSA that I loaded with money pre-tax to pay for my routine needs (they gave me discounts, even for an MRI when they knew I was paying), I had a high deductible policy that was like $200/mo...which I never used, only for emergencies.
All that was tax deductible too...so, it really didn't cost me very much. With the bill rates you get as a contractor, you can easily cover the indie insurance, but, if you're working for a W2 employer, I don't see it as being all that expensive.
If you're not working...well, there is always medicade...the govt already gives that out to the poor.
I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination...but, with the fed, state, ss and medicare taken out of my check when working W2 gigs...I easily get near 33%. You then add in the sales taxes, utility taxes, tv and phone taxes, etc., I'm easily paying 45%+ in taxes annually. (last one is guestimate)
Varies what state/city you live in. Where I've lived...EVERYTHING is taxed, no exceptions for food or anything that I know of.
I could likely agree ONLY this replaced all income taxes. They'd have to repeal all other taxes and go only to consumption tax for myself (and many others actually ) to agree with it I think. Something along the FairTax thing that has often been proposed.
We're already heavily taxed enough IMHO...I don't want to add more to the heap, it is hard enough to save as it is...
healthcare costs
shortest vacations"
But on the bright side, we do have:
The best looking pr0n chicks!!
As for vacation? Well, that's up to you man. If you're good enough and have experience, go out there and have some balls to negotiate better for what you will work for...that includes time off as well as compensation.
Healthcare? Sure, we need to do at few things to change it for the better: alleviate the pre-existing condition things, make it easier to set up HSA's so individuals can more easily save up pre-tax for routine health visits (insurance should be only for emergencies), let us be free to buy meds from anywhere (Canada for instance), allow insurance and plans to cross state lines, etc, etc, etc.
It isn't THAT bad over here...at the worst you see on any polls, about 70% of the people in the US LIKE what they have. I dare say you can't hardly come up with any other topic that many Americans would agree on. So, why try to chuck the whole system, that the majority of people are seemingly happy with? Why not just fix what parts of the current system are broken?
Unfortunately, it looks like we have a real chance of switching to just such coverage here in the US too. Yep, we'll get that extra 20+% taxation (I even hear they're bandying about a VAT tax here too, to go with the current income tax)...and yet, those prices the companies charge that you mentioned...will still exist and not come down. It will go to some profit, and I'm guessing overhead for more govt. paperwork and oversight.
I find that I have tons of whole albums by groups like Zeppelin, Floyd and the Stones...that I quite often try to throw on just one song, I end up listening to the full 'album'.
"A shock really that people think that paying $18 for that on a piece of media..."
Wow..where do you buy CD's that are $18/each (unless you're talking imports?)
I too just buy CD's...I have a good stereo, and rather play with the best format I can get, so, until they sell something online that is lossless and without DRM, I'll not be interested in buying music online.