Quote from Voodoo-king:
Okey Iâm from Norway, let me give u some highlights from the Social democratic heaven Norway.
Consumption tax 25%
Income tax 7.8-47.8%
Capital gain tax 28%
Wealth tax: 1.5% of wealth.
And then there is all these indirect taxes and excise duties. The list is very long.
http://www.dep.no/fin/norsk/tema/skatter_avgifter/006071-230269/dok-bn.html
Buy a house? 2.5% of the price goes to the government. If you own a TV you have to pay 350$ each year to NRK (the Norwegian broadcasting corporation) even if you never watch that channel. Everything is more expensive because of these excise duties. The cheapest bottle of whine you can buy on the state owned Whine monopoly costs around 13$. We pay around 6.7$ per gallon for gasoline. Ok Iâm whining Iâm whining.
$64,193 nominal GDP per capita is nice. Better than the US $42,000. But living costs are a lot higher, partly because of the fact that minimum wages are a lot higher, comparing PPP numbers reveals that the living standard is about the same, Norway $42,364, USA $41,399. 70% of our income goes to the government, how much in USA?
To compare the Scandinavian model, or the Norwegian model as we call it with Capitalism I think itâs fairer to compare Sweden and USA. Oil, water energy and other natural resources explains much of the high Norwegian GDP number.
GDP (PPP) Sweden 31,600, GDP (PPP) USA 41,399.
The thing about democracy money buys power, power buys money, once a country starts to move left it seems to me thereâs no stop, the government wants more more more. Unions, special interests and the government marry each other. Helping each other to pull society more and more left.
My paycheck here in good old NY USA is cut by 35%. That includes Federal, stat, city taxes, FICA, and SS among others. There is a sales tax in the amount of 8.25% I guess you guys would call it consumption tax. When I bought my house, my closing costs (taxes, fees and other add ons) were close to $24,000. Since the price of the house was around 600,000 that comes to 4%. My property tax is around $4000/year.
My TV bill is close to $50/a month and out of the 120 channels, I watch maybe 5. Still I must pay for all or get none. So your money goes to support state television which if it is like Public TV in USA, is actually educational and on a very decent level. My TV money support moronic programs that I would not let my dog watch for the fear of him losing his IQ, which by the way is higher than most yahoos watching this garbage.
As for the bottle of wine, you know why you guys pay so much for alcohol. It is done to discourage people from boozing. I would love to see the statistics of accident deaths from drinking and driving from Norway and compare them to the rates of the US.
Now, here in the states we just had superbowl. This is the day when the number of battered women is by far the highest. Di I blame football? No I blame the booze that comes with it, so making it more expensive is beneficial imho.
As for gasoline, its $2.7/gallon but because most people drive bigger cars in the states (btw. most of us here would not pass the stringent and demanding tests required for a driver license in your country) and live further from their work, in the end the average expenditure for gasoline would probably be the same. I or example take a train to work, but my wife drives and our gasoline bill is around $100/week. How much do you spend on gasoline?
You yourself have stated that the income GDP is around the same for Norway and USA. Yet this is what you get for your money:
1. Much more advanced, superior and FREE education - in my travels to Scandinavia and from talking to people from your neck of the woods, I have noticed that unlike my compatriots here in USA:
a. you can fluently speak a second language
b. actually have an idea of what is going on in the world
c. have read more than cliff notes in college
d. have travelled extensively
e. have interests and hobbies
f. do not think that $$$$$ is everything
2. Cleaner, safer, dare I say more civilized society, country, and state.
3. More stability - labor laws do not allow foryour employer to just fire you on the spot for no reason.
4. Free & excellent health care
5. Appreciation for arts, culture and finer things in life.
BUT, what is perhaps the most amazing thing about your standard of living is that you guys have nothing but some oil and gas under the North Sea. It is amazing that a little country which is 80% mountainous, covered in ice and snow without any major corporations, has been able to re-distribute wealth and create a middle class paradise. Now imagine what the US could have achieved for its citizens if we were to adopt the same system. It goes to show you, how much good the government can do if given the opportunity.
