subterFUSE

The USA still has some of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. Our unemployment is also among the lowest in the world. We are now at 4.7% national unemployment, and it is still dropping. Compare that to France or Germany. France unemployment is more like 12% or maybe higher. Hell, they have laws against working too many hours there.

The wealthy in the USA do pay a lot to the public, in the form of taxes. The top federal income tax bracket is still 35%, and then there is state income tax (if your state has it), sales tax, capital gains tax, property taxes, transfer taxes, death tax, etc.... I could go on. The average person who makes a good living in the USA pays about 50% of their income to taxes in some form. How could it be fair to make them pay more than that? It isn't.

Detrimental to the overall good? I'm afraid not. I think your point is that capitalism can be detrimental to SOME people, namely.... those who lack the ability to compete in a free market. If this is your point, you are certainly correct. But the "overall good" is measured not by a few... but by the whole. And on the whole, the USA economy is excellent... and many people are able to work and succeed.

I'm not saying everything here is perfect. But we still have it better than most countries in Europe, or elsewhere... where the economies are basically socialist.

SergeyM

[QUOTE=subterFUSE;237297]USA is a great country for car enthusiasts. Even a poor guy like me can easily afford 8-cyl 5-series. All you need is about $1,000 per month of disposable income ($750 lease + $150 fuel + $100 insurance). Almost anyone can do it.