Reply #103: Completely worth it!

[ExPatLeftist]

In Iceland I pay incredibly high taxes by US standards. It amazes me when Americans whine about their "high" taxes... I gues it might be at least partially due to the fact that they feel like they get very little for it...

I pay almost 40% in income tax and 24,5% in sales tax. But it is totally worth it, IMO, based on what I get - I am still amazed that after my son was born, we walked out of the hospital with no charge and nothing to fill out or even sign. Then a doctor came to our home twice and a midwife (educated baby care professional) came to our home twice a week for the first month (and was there for up to a couple of hours) and then once a week for a couple of months after that. Both parents got several months of paternity/maternity leave - all paid by the government. Prescription medication is subsidised by the government. University is extremely low-cost - almost free. And the list goes on and on. (In Norway things are even better - they also have dental care included, which we do not. But then they have tons of oil money... ;)) Iceland is one of the most expensive places in the world to live. Yet it is regularly in the top 3 (last year number one - always well above the US) in listings of nations with the highest standards of living, and there are no starving homeless and really almost no "poor" people by US standards.

It is simply a matter of different priorities and attitudes. People genuinely care that everyone is cared for and appreciate the safety net that exists if something should go wrong. I never hear people griping and moaning that "their" tax money is being used to help someone else - I think people actually appreciate that idea, rather (which would be unthinkable among the BrainRushed right-wing masses in the States). And they understand that their nation and they as individuals are stronger if everyone in the nation is cared for. It is just an underlying societal given.

I get more than my money's worth, and after having lived in both the US and Scandinavia (Iceland and Denmark), then I say I am proud to pay high taxes so that I can live in a nation that cares for me very well - along with everyone else. It is well worth it.