this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2025
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Actually Infuriating
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Indeed, but nothing is for free and we pay for the so-called "free" services through taxes. Yes, the 1st Class EU members are way ahead of the piss poor US labor laws and public services. Thanks to the MAGAts, working conditions will become 3rd World.
One matter, the blue-collar apprenticeship system in Germany is outstanding and the only organization that comes close are the trade unions in the USA, but it depends on which local you are in. Some are superb and some are WTF.
Yes healthcare is paid for via taxes so it isn't strictly speaking isn't free, but it also isn't the same as paying for health insurance. For one thing you don't pay more money just because you've got a Pre-Existing medical condition. In a way everyone pays less because all of the people that would otherwise pay for private healthcare, still pay the taxes, so everyone else is being subsidized by the rich, who in the US wouldn't contribute to anyone else's healthcare.
I don't think anyone ends up paying more in taxes than they would if we operated under the US private health care system.
So while your point is strictly speaking true, it's also a bit pedantic.
No disrespect to the guy individually but "it's not free, it's paid for by taxes" is mentioned every single time when this conversation comes up.
Everybody knows. Nobody actually thinks these these things appear out of thin air. We all know how taxes pay for public services and employment rights.
I love the way Germany has trade unions that are trade wide rather than smaller unions. I wish we could import that to America.