@paul
That figure depends on what and how you count -- you are quoting a top-of-the-line employer paid plan that might include medical, dental and optical for the employee and their dependants.
Health Insurance Premiums and Premium Costs by State
Stay out of the USA -- you can't afford to live here. Fortunately, I can but many have hard times here I did once too.
I have been to Prague a few times there is no comparison. If you are happy in Brno --fine.
Did you include state income taxes, sales taxes, use taxes and property taxes in your US figure-- probably not.
This chart is more current but this is only Federal Taxes -- what the exact 'local jurisdiction taxes' are in all the countries is not stated. It is not that unusual here to pay 1% to 2.5% property tax on the assessed value or equalized value of your home (100% to 50% of the value) -- the average value of an existing home is about $250K (national average).
source:Forbes
source:Forbes
You think you get a lot more for your money? How much income are you paying 36.3% on ? Don't answer that it is a rhetorical question -- but if you are making 100K euro a year you are not coming out ahead
Now get your crying towel out, we (in the USA) have a lot of adjustments to our taxable income your chart does not show; pension tax deferred accounts, property tax deductions, healthcare cost deductions, tax differed healthcare savings accounts that can be used tax free for allowed healthcare expenses. You might be able to legally exclude 25% to 35% of your income from any tax. This increases many of our "standards of livid" and disposable income.
No, I don't want to pay 10% more off the top really. I am already paying property taxes to pay for free K-12 education, I don't have any kids in school but it's a social obligation, also the quality of the school district supports higher home values -- so I do get some direct benefit from the expense.
But getting back to the topic: some poorer (not many) and many middle class people do support the Republican Party. Hey, it is a free country, and many less affluent people want to live independent lives from government manipulation -- that is their right to strive for. However, both Republicans and Democrats support military spending often not to the benefit of the citizen-voters. There is no black and white clarity (no pun intended) in American politics -- only a fuzzy grey-zone -- there never has been that big of a difference since I remember really. The poor and lower middle-class supporters of the Republican party today are the prodigy of
Nixon's Southern Democrat Strategy. You would need a deep understanding of American politics to understand this. You also forget Abe Lincoln and T.R. Roosevelt, their heads are enshrined on Mount Rushmore, two of the greatest Presidents and leaders of the US were Republicans. However, I think they would turn over in their graves if they saw what is happening today
