Social Welfare, Low Taxes, Low Debt

Several countries are able to maintain low levels of taxation and debt even with a robust system of social welfare.

Examples include: Canada, Australia, Ireland, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Citizens of those countries generally enjoy a very high quality of life.

Their countries are safe, prosperous, and stable.

So how are those countries able to maintain low levels of taxation and debt while providing comprehensive social welfare?

Could it be that none of them are paying for a gigantic military empire that is trying to control the planet?

Why doesn't the US try something similar? How about Americans just pay for DEFENSE and let the rest of the world worry about its own problems? That's what the founders practiced and preached. Perhaps we should do the same.

 

This.

Well, we need it to stay safe. And, prevent another world war.

 

Plenty of Canadians would argue with you about their taxation rate, but at least they see their tax dollars at work in their own lives.

I fully agree with the reduction of military spending, though. Isn't it time the US stopped being the world's police?

 

Over 60% of total Federal spending is spent on social programs.

Only about 16% of total Federal spending is spent on military.

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/spending/

 

Are the countries I mentioned not safe?

Prevent a world war? The US empire is just as likely to start one.

 

100% yes

 

Relatively speaking, Canada has one of the lowest tax levels among industrialized nations.

 

Those countries are boring and beer is expensive in them.

 

I agree we should abandon most of the military bases abroad.............unless the country's in the vicinity want to pick up that tab. But without research, I don't believe Canada and Australia's taxes are low. And I'm shocked the Ireland's are. Are they not part of the EU still? We still need a sufficient army and nuclear defense system, the best out there to protect our borders. But we piss away way too much money abroad, and it's far past time to stop that.

Edit: Just saw that chart. Australia has a whopper of an income tax. The US tax rate is a little skewed because they must be considering social security taxes
Employer-employee.

 

The US was the lone super power following WWII, and the strongest militarily since then.

Yet, no world wars were started while regularly defending countries who rebuilt after being overrun in the last WW yet still dont see the need for defense.

They are idiots, and you attempt at demonizing the USA as likely to start the next WW is ignorance on display.

This fact makes

 

Funny that your original OP provided selective examples based on this graph. Why is that?

 

When you include veterans benefits, interest on debt, and various "national security" agencies (CIA, NSA, FBI, DHS, DOE), the figure is closer to 30% of total federal spending.

 

The bankers and defense contractors say you're a nutjob

 

The proliferation of nuclear weapons prevented a world war from happening, not the US empire.

And even though no world wars were started during that time, several other incredibly damaging and horrific wars were fought in every theater across the globe, many of them started by the US. Even as we speak, the US is waging its own global war "on terror" - a war that has been a dismal and expensive failure, by the way.

 

Because they're examples of countries that have relatively low taxes and debt.

 

Most of those countries don't have low taxes, they have low INCOME taxes. Many of these have very high taxes sales and luxury items.

 

They have relatively lower taxes when compared to other countries, including the US.

 

You didn't understand the chart. The US (income taxes) are among the lowest. There's a 15% tax (employer, employee combined) on earned wages. That's a good chunk which skews the chart. It's all (and more) paid back to the employee at retirement though.

 

Not all of it is paid back. Medicaid for example, isn't paid out to anyone who isn't eleigible.

 

You mean medicare? Medicaid is paid for through the general fund, there are no "medicaid" taxes.

 

I don't doubt your information, but you will still get an argument from Canadians about their taxes. Those who move to live and work in the US do so because of the tax rate.

 

If companies we not paying that tax to the government it could go to the employee. As for it all being paid back that isn’t necessarily true. We are overtaxed and have fewer safety nets than lower taxes nations all while enjoying the most expensive healthcare in the world with declining educational attainment. MAGA indeed.

 

I understood it just fine.

According to the chart, Switzerland has lower income taxes than the US does. So does Canada. The other countries I mentioned have income tax rates comparable to the US. And their overall tax burden is lower or at least comparable. Yet they have much lower debt levels than the US does because they are not wasting trillions of dollars on a bloated military empire.

 

I didn't really comment on Canada......I said I was surprised about them. And Daggdad said there are hidden use taxes not accounted for there. I said AUSTRALIA was very high.. You confuse me with Daggdad there.

And I agreed with you on the bold portion.

 

FICA taxes? Take that up with FDR. Social security would be even more pitiful without the employer contribution. Really depends on your point of view.