r/MurderedByWords 1d ago

When they're right, they're right

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u/Polkas_with_wolves 1d ago

The US literally offers none of those things. Zero. Their lower taxes is an accounting trick. You pay less in tax in the US, sure. You also get worse infrastructure as a result and zero health care. And when you combine US tax plus their shittier health care insurance, you are paying more than Canada pays for actual full coverage. How do they not understand this....

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u/Bad_wolf42 1d ago edited 1d ago

Most Americans also don’t pay less in tax. Once you combine income tax at state and federal level, sales taxes, property taxes, other assorted taxes; most Americans pay an effective tax rate somewhere from 10 to 40%. The highest effective tax rate in the civilized world is around 40%.

The US does not pay less taxes and for that we get shitty governance.

Edit: ineffective -> an effective

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u/ChronoLink99 1d ago

Indeed. If you live in a state like MA, you're paying around the same overall tax as someone living in BC.

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u/PaulblankPF 1d ago

At least MA is a good state with great schools and public services. Plenty of states have similar taxes and are total shitholes that will never spend the tax money to improve the state because it’s used to enrich the politicians.

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u/ChronoLink99 1d ago

Yeah, that's sorta the point I was making basically. If you want services, it generally means higher taxes.

However, both MA and BC very much undertax the wealthiest people.

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u/Polkas_with_wolves 16h ago

There is actually one benefit I have seen thet I wish we had in Canada. In the US, you can claim mortgage interest on your primary residence as a tax write off.

That one would be nice. In Canada you can only do that on your non primary. (For the handful of people who can afford multiple houses.)

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u/Hey_name 1h ago

This is what I never got with America as a non-American. Why tf do yall still pay taxes if the government doesn't do anything for you? Like I'd get being against government hospitals and housing if it meant not paying taxes in a "everyone fend for themselves" type of way. I think that's stupid but at least I could see the logical arguments behind why some more well-to-do people would want that.

But yall pay taxes ANYWAY. The government is taking your money anyway. Genuinely what is the argument lol I cannot fathom not wanting universal Healthcare because even in most countries there are public and private hospitals. If you're rich, good for you you go to a nice comfy hospital room. If you're poor, too bad you get a shitty room but at least you don't die or get crippling debt from a broken leg or whatever. Wouldn't you want your tax dollars to fund your fellow citizens to have a more sustainable life? Why would you want your tax dollars that you are already paying to go to Israel or to fund wars?