>>>>>>>Luckily, it's all in the past now, well, most of it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Eh... I beg to differ. Most of what you describe here still is there in the Netherlands, though in less quantity. We don't get a year off, but arround 16 weeks arround the birth of a child. Daycare is partly funded by the government and affordable for most up here. We have something called kinderbijslag, which is a fund from which you receive some money every month to grow up your kids. It is not much, but just enough to make a difference to the poor. We also have the 'patronage nurse' over here, that would visit the new member of the family once or twice. And then we visit her regulary at her place to check out whether the child is developping normally until the age of 4 (i think).
>>>>>
>>>>>Just wait until the West enforces democracy on you.
>>>>
>>>>Or capitalism... LOL
>>>
>>>Or behavior control...oh wait.
>>>
>>>- daycare is partly funded by fellow taxpayers
>>>- kinderbijslag - which is a fund from which you receive some money funded by fellow taxpayers
>>
>>So what ?!?
>>You pay taxes, we pay taxes. Above means that we get more in return.
>>
>>What do you get there for paying for taxes ? Freedom to pay everything from your pocket ?
>
>You only get more in return if you get more services (that you use) for the same percentage of income in taxes. What percentage of your income do you pay in taxes?
>
>IMHO, there are some countries who provide benefits that are worth their cost in tax dollars. Others, I would disagree with the mandating of those services and the payment for them in taxes, but if the majority of the country wanted those services, then being a democracy, I can see them being paid for in taxes.
>
>I recently watched a show on frontline from 2008 which reviewed the healthcare systems in Canada, U.S., Britain, Japan, Taiwan, Nederlands, and Germany. I was most impressed with the system in Taiwan.
>
>Update: I got confused with the shows. The frontline show reviewed 5 countries:
>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/
>The entire show can be viewed online:
>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/view/
>(the first 60 seconds are the typical 'who paid for this program' stuff)
>
>It was another show that reviewed the others. I'm looking for a link to it now - I can't remember the name of the show, but I may find it...it was on PBS, Science, Health and Fitness, or another program (I wish I could remember)...


Nice movie! Mind you not by Michael Moore {g}
Agree on Taivan. They really took it to the next level with new technology and all that.

What we pay in income tax here is close to 7-10% on higher salary bracket. Lower salary brackets pay close to none.
There is also other deductions/contributions on salaries/employers that goes to government pocket such are social ins, defnce etc.
Then there is VAT, corporate taxation etc.

Many companies provide free medical insurance (with private insurance companies) to all employees. All major unions are
providing some sort of medical schemes for their members at rock bottom prices.

Next to it there is Government hospitals ust like those in UK, but they are mostly competing to lose patients {g}
majority of whom have no need going there because they are insured otherwise. In reality, elderly/poor use public hospitals
and everybody else (insured) uses nice private cliniques.

Private hospitals/specialists charge reasonable prices, while general practitioners charge reasonable visit fees.

So we are somewhere between UK and US healt-care system wise.
I have no idea Tax wise.

Did not hear anybody complaining, except those who wld complain anyway, even if they were in the best US hospital
at someone elses expence :))