The Stagnant Working Class

[EricHiggin]

Rab said:

Pemalite said:

Free enterprise already has substantial control over the American health system... Hence it's insane cost on the American taxpayer. - Plus aren't all your politicians paid for by various lobby groups like big pharma' anyway? Thus various "enterprises" already exert significant control over your system starting from the very top anyway, thus I am highly dubious that a change towards your 'model' is going to exert any significant cost reductions to the taxpayer.

It is a false dichotomy to assert that your only options are either/or.

Australia leverages a mixed-system, thus capitalism and competition is what still drives it, you should really do your research... Because it's statements like that, which proves you don't really have an understanding of other healthcare models which are superior and cheaper.

Australia's model isn't ranked 2nd best in the world for shits and giggles you know. Do your research.

Taxation and redistribution via various schemes is also not stealing.

Higher cost of living? Not really. The minimum wage starts higher remember, plus we have lots of free value-added services like healthcare.

Our Military is a joke? Well. We aren't a superpower, we aren't ever going to have super-power levels of military forces, nor have we pretended to have as such, but as a domestic middle power we punch above our weight in our geographical region... But we prefer diplomacy over shooting everything that moves.

Hence why we are a part of so many treaties.

Our education system is different. - You are probably comparing our tertiary institutions against your colleges/universities.
But guess what? It hasn't held us back, we have less debt, we have a higher standard of living.

Unemployment goes through highs and lows... But you know, we didn't go through a recession and all that during the financial crisis, so I think we have a good handle on our own economic situation.

False. Welfare is a safety net the assists those who are in need... On a per-capita basis we actually spend less than the USA on welfare, but our system is far more efficient so we can extensively help more people.

A nation can always be judged on how well it treats the most vulnerable in society.

Pemalite If that's you in your avatar then I thank you for your volunteer service (State Emergency Service), years ago I had the honor of being part of the SES, so I understand the time and effort it takes 

Australia's economy, education and healthcare systems work more efficiently than the US system, so if the US wasn't engaged in massive trillion dollar tax breaks for the Very Rich, spending yearly $700 billion in it's corporate military industrial complex, huge bureaucratic costs of its health system, under funding its public education system resulting in some of the Worlds worst outcomes (one of the best outcomes being in Finland's cheaper per head FULL public system), massive tax payer funded Wall Street bailouts... then it might just be a few steps closer to the efficiencies we enjoy in Australia 

The question would be how much to cut and where exactly? Just look at the American military, and what it's done for the world overall since the world wars. Many of these first world countries can only operate as they now do, because of the overall peace the American military has kept for the most part. How much should they cut? Half? More? Only American defense or defense overall for the 'world'? If another country needs America's help and they can't respond in a worthy manner, is that worth it as long as Americans have better healthcare at home? Maybe America needs to charge other countries more for protection, which very well could lead to those countries having to cut into things like healthcare for their people to pay for it.

The problem is the future. How much are you willing to bet when it comes to overall safety? In such a fast paced world with the type of military tech available, how quickly could a problematic war escalate, how quickly could it spread, and how quickly could America or the world respond in a worthy manner in this future weaker case? How many saw Trump becoming Prez and how many still can't believe it? Just look at the insane amount of media coverage that election got and yet the 'worst case scenario' still played out as some would say. I think people are getting a little too comfortable for their own good and certainly take much for granted, myself included at times.

That's not even coming close to covering the military itself, not to mention everything else that would need to shift. It's something that won't easily be solved and will certainly take a very very long time to properly get as right as it can be.