MiserDD

We have those systems in practice already... Cuba, China, N. Korea...

Photon

Don't forget practically all the Scandinavian countries.
Believe it or not, letting the government take charge of running the basic human needs things like schools and hospitals actually do work.

Compare it to communist regimes all you like, but the fact is that the countries with these systems have the highest standards of literacy, living, education, crime etc.
Might be hard to steer the steam liner USA in that direction very quickly, but looking at things like health care and schools over here, it can't get much worse

FDXLAG

Schools were actually pretty good until the government decided they should become lavatories for social change in the 60s. Health care here aint too bad, the major problem is cost and a little blame on nanny state mandates is he major cause of those problems.

DeadHead

Hospital standards in most of these countries are not what they are here in the states. It's bad enough doctors have to reference their patient-healthcare insurance handbook now before administering certain tests, when the government starts metering out these socialized healthcare funds I'd expect it to get much worse.

Photon

Well what's the point of good hospital standards if you have millions upon millions who simply can't afford a hospital visit.
I know personally, growing up in Norway, even though nothing is perfect, everyone is entitled to free hospitalization, and even the most sought after universities in Norway, are all practically free to attend (you basically pay about $50 a year to go there).
Now, Norway is a much much smaller country, and easier to manage, but it still is bad to see so many people born and stuck in a ditch over here, where one accident will put you in debt for life.

ryan1234

Norway has 4.6mil people..... the US has 300mil people increasing exponentially everyday.... apples and oranges

FDXLAG

The US is one of the few places in the world where you can work your way out of a ditch. That is one reason I suspect you are here as opposed to Norway. If that is not your reason for being here it is the reason millions of people stand in line for ten years to bring their families here. And millions more cut in front of the line every year. If you want socilaized medicine move to Canada, you can always drive here when the heart bypass line gets to long.

UAL T38 Phlyer

I'm against because it masks a hidden agenda.

Proponents usually advocate a flat-tax as a flat national sales tax. Sounds easy.

For politicians, they can say that the IRS is abolished, so it sounds pretty good.

What they aren't telling you is that it a convenient way to tax illegal aliens. It requires no identity.

So, it allows them to avoid a HUGE problem by pretending to solve another.

Photon

I thought it was the exact opposite.
I'm here because I get so much more for my money.
Back home, a security guard at the mall makes about $26 an hour, or about $60k a year ($40k after taxes).
And to be honest, I don't see people digging their way out of ditches.
I see 10 people filling the same position as 3 people would back home, and guess what, they also make about 1/3 of what someone back home would make AFTER taxes.
I see the families that work at wal-mart, that also have to work a second job, and I see their kids, not being able to go to the schools they like, or get the education they want, and end up having to go to the same type of low-paying job, unless they're a sports prodigy and get some kind of scholarship.
What am I missing here that makes people able to dig out of the apparent class system I'm seeing?

FDXLAG

You admit your here because you get more for your money, some would call this quality of life. Think what you want but this is the most class mobile place on earth. People and generations move from lowest 10th to upper tenth percentile and back all the time. If you want to talk colleges I will be glad to show you a direct correlation between Federal Aid and the increase in the cost of tuition. I worked my way through school with 2 part time jobs and no debt. Impossible now. But anyone can go to college now (they may be in debt when they finish) anyone. You miss the point of Wal-mart, it like FDX ramper is supposed to be the second job. Nothing wrong with that, one of the earliest memories I have is walking across the street to the shopping center where my Dad was working his part time job to make ends meet.