More bang for the loonie

Egberto Willies of Daily Kos notes:

We are disadvantaged because of an ideologically-driven, willful gullibility that allows us to consent to politicians screwing us. [This analysis] should make most poor and middle class American re-examine their tolerance for electing politicians who not only lie to them, but who materially hurt their survival—literally and figuratively.

The analysis is a comparison of American and Canadian tax systems and what the citizens get for their money. The analysis was done because the nasty guy has repeatedly said we have the highest taxes in the world. Not even close. Considering income, local, sales, and other taxes, we pay a little below average of the countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Back to Canada. Surely, they pay more taxes than Americans! Yeah, a bit. But they get more bang for their loonie. A working universal heath care system for about half the price Americans pay, 18 months of subsidized parental leave, access to high-quality education for children across the income spectrum, and many other things. Middle-income Canadians enjoy public services worth about 63% of their income.

And the American tax system?

Willies says, “Our tax system is nothing more than a way to transfer wealth from the masses to the wealthy few.”

I add that our system is designed to make sure those people are unable to challenge those at the top.

We spend a lot on the military – which subsidizes private corporations in the military industrial complex. We spend a lot on healthcare – the taxpayer pays for research and the drug company keeps all the jacked-up profit.

Americans grumble about high taxes and feel we’re paying more than everyone else, and we do that because we get so little in exchange.

Willies offers suggestions:

* Tax investment income at a higher rate than work income.

* Drug companies must share profits of all drugs developed with taxpayer dollars.

* Every student with a good GPA should be offered pay-it-forward tuition-free college.

* Medicare for all.

* Corporations should not profit from fossil fuels or minerals. They did not put it there. All Americans should have a right to the country’s natural resources. You can profit from what you do with the minerals, but not to the minerals themselves.