controversial opinion: money & finances edition

[Anonymous]

The mortgage interest deduction is bad policy and we should get rid of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

It's 21% of our budget. At least in other countries everyone is covered.

In other countries most people behave like responsible adults.

Right. Subsidizing other people’s poor choices and bad habits (obesity, heart disease, smoking related disaeases) is how “responsible adults” operate

You don't get it.

Insurance works well in other countries, with very reasonable costs, because most people there behave like responsible adults: good diet, exercise, self-control, family support...so sick rates and costs are way lower.

Have you ever even been to those countries and seen how many people smoke in Germany and France

Seriously...and not just smoking. People don't really exercise in europe and are increasingly obese, even in France (gasp!)

First hit on google, and this data isn't even that recent: "The data showed the incidence of obesity in French women in 2014 was 24.0% and among French men 23.8%"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The mortgage interest deduction is bad policy and we should get rid of it.

We should get rid of all deductions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

Same here!

I (unfortunately) have extensive experience with the US and UK systems. For all it’s flaws, I would take the UK system any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

It's 21% of our budget. At least in other countries everyone is covered.

In other countries most people behave like responsible adults.

Right. Subsidizing other people’s poor choices and bad habits (obesity, heart disease, smoking related disaeases) is how “responsible adults” operate

You don't get it.

Insurance works well in other countries, with very reasonable costs, because most people there behave like responsible adults: good diet, exercise, self-control, family support...so sick rates and costs are way lower.

Have you ever even been to those countries and seen how many people smoke in Germany and France

Seriously...and not just smoking. People don't really exercise in europe and are increasingly obese, even in France (gasp!)

First hit on google, and this data isn't even that recent: "The data showed the incidence of obesity in French women in 2014 was 24.0% and among French men 23.8%"

How does that compare with US rates?

Because that's the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

Ask an academic. Their countries are slowly going broke. The Titanic is sinking and every time the captain tries to tell everyone, the band plays louder and the people close their eyes and put finger in their ears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

Ask an academic. Their countries are slowly going broke. The Titanic is sinking and every time the captain tries to tell everyone, the band plays louder and the people close their eyes and put finger in their ears.

And it's because of the same reasons we have here

[Anonymous]

I think that financial literacy should be taught to every grade throughout a child's education. If there is no time in the school day, I recommend cutting down a bit on all other subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

It's 21% of our budget. At least in other countries everyone is covered.

In other countries most people behave like responsible adults.

Right. Subsidizing other people’s poor choices and bad habits (obesity, heart disease, smoking related disaeases) is how “responsible adults” operate

You don't get it.

Insurance works well in other countries, with very reasonable costs, because most people there behave like responsible adults: good diet, exercise, self-control, family support...so sick rates and costs are way lower.

Have you ever even been to those countries and seen how many people smoke in Germany and France

Seriously...and not just smoking. People don't really exercise in europe and are increasingly obese, even in France (gasp!)

First hit on google, and this data isn't even that recent: "The data showed the incidence of obesity in French women in 2014 was 24.0% and among French men 23.8%"

How does that compare with US rates?

Because that's the point.

Actually, if you had critical reading skills, you'd have gotten that "the point" was providing counterfactual evidence to the claim that "people behave like responsible adults" in Europe and "other countries," which is the reasoning PP presented backing the claim that insurance works well outside the US. He/ she also mentioned "good diet, exercise, self control" as mitigating factors, which is clearly not the case if a quarter of your country is obese. That was my point. I don't need to bring in the US when I'm pointing out that a) people in other countries are not as healthy you claim so b) this means there are likely other reasons why their insurance works "well," if in fact, it does.

If you must know and can't google for yourself, roughly a third of America is obese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

It's 21% of our budget. At least in other countries everyone is covered.

In other countries most people behave like responsible adults.

Right. Subsidizing other people’s poor choices and bad habits (obesity, heart disease, smoking related disaeases) is how “responsible adults” operate

You don't get it.

Insurance works well in other countries, with very reasonable costs, because most people there behave like responsible adults: good diet, exercise, self-control, family support...so sick rates and costs are way lower.

Have you ever even been to those countries and seen how many people smoke in Germany and France

Seriously...and not just smoking. People don't really exercise in europe and are increasingly obese, even in France (gasp!)

First hit on google, and this data isn't even that recent: "The data showed the incidence of obesity in French women in 2014 was 24.0% and among French men 23.8%"

How does that compare with US rates?

Because that's the point.

Actually, if you had critical reading skills, you'd have gotten that "the point" was providing counterfactual evidence to the claim that "people behave like responsible adults" in Europe and "other countries," which is the reasoning PP presented backing the claim that insurance works well outside the US. He/ she also mentioned "good diet, exercise, self control" as mitigating factors, which is clearly not the case if a quarter of your country is obese. That was my point. I don't need to bring in the US when I'm pointing out that a) people in other countries are not as healthy you claim so b) this means there are likely other reasons why their insurance works "well," if in fact, it does.

If you must know and can't google for yourself, roughly a third of America is obese.

So, US obesity rates are 50% over those in Europe (achalky they are higher, but let's go with your google numbers).

That's quite a difference, don't you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a person who has lived overseas, Americans have a very strange idea of how free healthcare works.

20-30% of the national budget goes towards it and increases every year. Most countries want to get rid of it.

I have traveled extensively in Europe and Canada and never met anyone who wanted to get rid of it or worse, replace it with the american system.

Ask an academic. Their countries are slowly going broke. The Titanic is sinking and every time the captain tries to tell everyone, the band plays louder and the people close their eyes and put finger in their ears.

I'm an academic and while it is true that countries with robust safety nets have their flaws, I and the vast majority of other academics would strongly prefer those models over the one that the US has currently. Not only is health care in the US extraordinarily expensive, but our results are terrible, especially given the price we pay for it. Also, those other countries that are "slowly going broke"? It's because of a significant reduction in birth rates.

[Anonymous]

Those that work in food service, retail, and other similar jobs deserve $15 an hour.

I say so as someone currently working in the service industry (not by choice, mind you).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who makes $200k plus and is "scraping by" has poor judgment.

So is having two kids poor judgment? Because the average daycare in this area is $2,100. Per child. You can probably find a cheap nanny for $3k per month. Let’s say your mortgage is at least $3k. You also need to save at least $500 per month per kid in a 529. This means you have $7k of fixed expenses and you probably bring home around $10k per month.

That being said, I waited until I was older to have kids and we make way more than 200k. But I absolutely understand why once you have kids in this area it’s hard to get by on 200k and have anything leftover unless you want to live with your family in a one bedroom apartment, not save for college etc. Having one parent quit working only helps in the short term and will screw you in retirement.

You've described someone who is not scraping by

+1 Having $3K of spending money per month, while also saving $500/mo for college for a child who is still in daycare, and living in a home that costs $3K per month is a pretty comfortable lifestyle. Plenty of people don't save for college until they are done paying for daycare.

In this scenario the people don't have $3k of spending money. The budget doesn't include food (maybe $800/month) gas, electric, phone/cable/internet, cell phones, credit card, home repairs, haircuts, health insurance, car insurance, car payment etc.