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sc94597 on 29 December 2012
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Aielyn said:

 

Also, I think you'll find that Australians are a remarkably individualistic lot, very comparable to the US. But we also have a strong history of working our way up from the bottom, in part thanks to the whole "convict" history stuff - and we recognise the need to work together to make everyone's lives better. Something Americans seem to still have trouble with (ironically, given the level of religiosity in America - one of the other ways that Americans differ significantly from Australians by the way).

More so than Europeans? I've realized that's a huge difference, which is substantiated by polls, between Americans and Europeans. Americans greatly appreciate individual liberty. Also I think it is unfair to say that Americans are entirely less socially oriented, it's just that we don't want to sacrifice our individual liberties for the greater good, but rather find other solutions to help the greater good. Many of the largest charities in the world are based in the United States, and the idea of mainting and supporting one's town is very strong in middle-america. 

As for the mandatory purchase part of "Obamacare", what most Americans don't get is that it's a necessary part of the system. Requiring that all Americans (who can afford it) buy healthcare, you expand the base of the insurance system, thereby making it possible for insurance companies to cover those with preexisting conditions without going bankrupt. Indeed, if you look into it, the mandatory purchase condition was put in place for the sake of the insurance industry, and insurance companies like it.

There must be a better way that doesn't infringe upon people's right to property and happiness. As a libertarian/classical liberal I think the option with the most freedom is always the best one. Also, as somebody on medicaid I think Obamacare is going to vastly decrease my chances to access sufficient healthcare, as most private practices will refuse me. But by then I plan to switch to a different, and private insurance anyway. A monpoly is never good, even if it is a government one. 

The big problem with Obamacare is that it's still private health insurance. In Australia, we have our own "Medicare"... but Medicare in Australia covers all Australians, with a "Medicare Levy" charged on those earning more than a certain amount. Medicare could be thought of as public health insurance, and it operates on a non-profit basis. There are then private health insurance companies that cover private hospitals (except in critical emergency cases, which are covered by Medicare) and various optional extras, etc. Private health insurance also has a shorter waiting list, as fewer people have private health insurance than public health insurance.

Seems like a solution to the concern I just brought up. 

 They want all of the benefits of government, but don't want to have to pay for it. 

I don't think this is true. Only a small minority want social democracy. Most people want to be left alone and for the federal government to mind its own business (interstate commerce, inernational commerce, etc.)

And yes, like I've said a couple of times, at first the US spending is going to have to drop. But as the debt falls, spending should increase again.

At what point is it too much though? They already spend 40%. I see that as too much. 

Now to turn attention to the one that Americans seem remarkably scared of - often called the "third rail" of American politics. Social Security. Now, I'm very much a left-winger in terms of my natural inclinations. But America's social security system is woefully inadequate compared with Australia's system, which is a system predicated on private accounts. We call it Superannuation, and it essentially works like this - based on your wage, your employer is legally required to pay at least a certain amount of money into a superannuation account of your choice. This account, which you cannot access to draw money out of it until you turn 65 (retirement age) except in exceptional circumstances, usually gets better interest than your typical savings accounts, because banks can be certain that the money will remain available for a significantly longer period of time. The government will also provide an incentive (at one point, it was "we'll match you dollar-for-dollar for any non-mandatory contribution you make to your Superannuation") for you to put additional money into your superannuation account, up to a certain point.

This system seems excellent. I'd love to see it implemented. 

On the flipside, our unemployment benefits are very generous, compared to America, although you have to show that you are making an effort to find work in order to remain on the benefits (there is no maximum time after which it gets cut off). For a single adult looking for work, you get AU$228 per week (there is also a separate amount available to help people cover the cost of rent, if they are renting). This amount is independent of the amount that the person may have been earning prior to losing their job. Sounds like a relative boon for people wanting to live on welfare, right? Well, Australia's unemployment rate (which is basically the number of people on unemployment benefits) is 5.2%, compared with 7.7% in the US.

Unemployment should remain temporary in my opinion. It acts as a deincentive, and I've seen it first hand (coming from the bottom 5%.) California gives out so much unemployment by the way ($425/week) and it also has one of the highest unemployment rates. Meanwhile my state - Pennsylvania -  only gives out $98/week and  it is a bit below-average (32.) 

In all seriousness, if America wants to improve their system, a great starting point is to look at Australia. We may not be the best with regards to any of the systems, but we seem to do better than America on most measures.

I think Australia is one country to look at, yep. Canada is another country I'd say is a bit similar to the U.S. Both have higher Index of Economic Freedom than the U.S as well. So it's certainly a good idea to look at these countries. But of course, there is a problem with our federal reserve that can't be ignored either and the government must stop it's fascist-like policies with big corporations and bail-outs. Our biggest problem is the depleting middle class.