Europe has a national health care plan, and now, so do we. Europe pays for their plan with a value added tax, (VAT,) and now there is talk that we do the same. It has been a dream of the liberal base for nearly a century to be more like Europe, and today their dream is finely coming true. Unionization, generous pay and benefits for government workers as well as the private sector, and long vacations… one needs plenty of time off to spend their ample pay. https://higginscompanies.com/dental/the-exciting-side-of-dental-insurance/
On the other hand Conservatives like economic growth. They like to make and invent things, and sell them.
But to be more like Europe we will have to spend like Europe. Their spending is 55% of GDP. Even after the bailouts, (which in large part have been paid back, with interest,) and President Obama’s budget we’re still only at 28% of GDP. Unless Democrats get busy, that 28% will actually fall in the next decade.
It is well known why Europeans can afford months’ long vacations, free health care, great pay, etc. Just look at their defense spending, or lack thereof. Even our good friends in England have cut way back in the last 50 years. They used to spend around 25% of their budget on defense in the early fifties, and today they spend around 7%. And why not, it only makes sense. With the knowledge that the world’s hegemonic state will take care of them there is no reason to spend a lot of money on such silly things as national defense.
But now the question is this: If we become like Europe, who will take care of Europe? Iran is a troublemaker, and who will keep them contained? Oh, I know, it will be China. But who’s going to contain China? Who’s going to keep the sea transit lanes open? As you can see, if we become like Europe, like the liberal base would like, Europeans will cease to enjoy their low cost defense thanks to Americans.
Europe also benefits from all that Americans invent, including medication. The top five hospitals in America run more clinical trials than all the hospitals combined in any one of the European countries. What would the folks handing out the Nobel Prize do when the topic of medicine comes up?
Instead of America becoming more like Europe, Europe should return to their days of innovation and an economically driven passion to succeed.
Michael Higgins
An Arizona health insurance broker.
602.405.8769