From the Herald's opinion page...
The circus-like scenes in several state legislatures facing budget disasters demonstrated the shallow ideology of ``no new taxes.'' No matter that school systems were firing teachers, inadequate social services were being reduced, essential government employees were being added to the unemployed and so on.
What happens to popularly elected and apparently sensible individuals when they gather in a legislative body? Are they really blind to the impact of their actions, or inactions, on the people whose interests they represent?
A recent visit to Copenhagen leads me to offer some comparisons. The Danes are widely considered the happiest people in Europe. How can this be when they face a flat 52-percent tax on incomes, plus a 26-percent consumption tax?
The answer is that they realize that 50 percent of their taxes come back to them annually in services. Excellent medical care with minimal costs, free schooling through university, excellent and reasonable public transport, government-supported day care, at least two years maternity leave with pay and a guarantee of getting their job back are some benefits high taxes make possible.
There is no poverty in Denmark, no homeless, no one begging on streets. The elderly and unemployed are given an income. Teachers receive about $65,000 annually in a society where salaries range generally between $40,000 and $120,000.
I was told that Danes are happy because they have low expectations; they are not afflicted by consumerism or status symbols. Only two in 10 people in Copenhagen own a car, reflecting in part excellent public transport but also the 180-percent tax on vehicle purchases. The Danes focus on socializing with family and friends, not on shopping.
The Lesson: ``You get what you pay for.''
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9 comments:
I would very much support a tax that funded one-way airline tickets for emigration to Denmark. Their population is only 5.5 million.
If they have created Utopia, as you say, then its about time they were forced to spread the wealth.
The Danes have their defense subsidized by the USA, and live under the umbrella of NATO and the EU...also, they are not that productive or diverse as a nation, nice try with the socialism is great example!
bombs or butter.
there is no peace dividend in perpetual war, just profiteers and spilled blood.
Commie faggots. No, we're not jealous.
Just donate all of your salary to the government. After all they know what to do with your money better than you.
King of Cats and Green Lizard...I'm not endorsing anything here. I think the column is food for thought and something worth thinking about this Sunday morning.
Do you guys ever take a break and look at things without immediately attaching your own rigid ideological bias to it?
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Rick your comment Lesson: you get what you pay for certainly sounds like an endorsement.
Ok I thought about it. I do not want to move to Denmark and I do not want their style of government here. I believe that we should not have charity through taxes and whatever the government manages. We should instead give charity at a pace and level that each person gets to decide individually. Its a fallacy that all rich people just want to keep their money and never ever give to charity. Some people want to frame the argument as its either the "Danish" system or you are a greedy miser but Americans are very generous to charities. Helping the less fortunate should not be imposed through government taxes and regulations. BTW if you look at the US it has a good infrastructure of welfare if you compare it to other countries. Its just never enough. People want more and more until at the end the only "fair" system is one where everyone is equally poor. Which I guess works well for the already poor.
I was going to stop commenting because you are somewhat mean spirited. Like calling Some Cranky Guy "loony" for his rants. I do not like that you always end up insulting people who have different opinions but I could not help pointing out the obvious mistatement here that you did not take a stand. You obviously like the Danish system or you would not have pointed out this article in the first place and then you actually endorse it by stating the cliche you get what you pay for that's the lesson!
Anonymous @ 10:04: That's from the column, not me. Look's like you misunderstood and made a misstatement.
I give back what I get here, Anon. If someone spouts off or attacks, I respond in kind.
As far as Some Cranky Guy goes, if believing that America is on the verge of a civil war isn't loony, then I have a fake birth certificate for the President that I'd like to show you.
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Anon 10:04,
In the spirit of civil debate, I want to point out something.
Your contention:
"Helping the less fortunate should not be imposed through government taxes and regulations. BTW if you look at the US it has a good infrastructure of welfare if you compare it to other countries. Its just never enough. People want more and more until at the end the only "fair" system is one where everyone is equally poor."
...isn't exactly supportable with evidence. Now, you can believe wrong things (many in the US believe that Obama wasn't born in HI), but your belief doesn't make it true. In fact, even the idea that welfare is a disincentive to work is not exactly clear:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/03/30/the_sting_of_poverty/?page=3
The question really should be, are you more comfortable hiding behind your well-worn ideas, or are you prepared to accept the possibility that the things you believe in are wrong.
-g
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