Hehe...Is that not why we fought you Brits(and now we celebrate it on July 4) and established these Unions we now call the United States.. Claude 1024 Bric --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Welmoed" <welmoedj@...> wrote: > > Got my eye on this a bit late. > > National health care?... That's the Brits that have it. > We pay for our health care two ways: once through taxes (approx 7.1%) on income and also privately (euro 103 per month in my case). > Furthermore we have to pay for medication with a risk amount of 220 euro a year. > Pension premium is 17.9%. Other premiums in the social security sector take 1.10% and 12.15% out of the income. > This only is an average for the Dutch, I recall Belgians are better off (a bit like the British). > > Then there is the IRS: they take a big chunk out of the income left-overs (starting with a first scale of 33% of the first euro 18,628). > That's of course not all as the IRS has many good surgeons who can strip you very well of the last pennies earned. > > Maybe we're better off even with the higher gas prices (of which 70% is taxes), but this comparison is incorrect as there is more to deal with. > E.g. cheaper food, higher wages (not always and not for all). > That's way McDonalds comes in for the cost of living standards :) > > Anyway, the original answer was more like "don't complain too much, enjoy the driving". > > Welmoed. > > > --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Bob Brandys <BobB@> wrote: > > > > Welmoed, > > > > Just remember what you get for those high gas prices. Like national health care and better pensions. When you calculate what you spend extra on gas, > > > > compared to what you would have to spend in the US for equivalent health care coverage. ABOUT $10,000 per year for zero deductable coverage PER PERSON!. (if you can even find it.) > > > > When you look at it that way. your gas prices are a bargain. (Expecially since the US spends 2-4 times as much for the same medical care or treatment. > > > > Bob > > > ------------------------------------ To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnewsYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/