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bumbytoday at 12:28 AM1 replyview on HN

Median US income is $45k. Almost 18% of US household income goes to healthcare costs. So you’re saying healthcare access/quality, time off, and mortality are moot once you make $23/hr? Color me skeptical.


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WarmWashtoday at 1:45 AM

I mean, you're on the cusp there but $23/hr is around where "full benefits" jobs become the norm.

Also keep in mind that French pay a lot for healthcare too, except it's called taxes. That $23/hr in France would be taxed at 30% compared to 12% in the US.

This only gets more dramatic as you climb the income scale, which inevitably means (in France) you are paying way more taxes (41% at $100k) while using those social services the least.

Compare to the US where you are paying 22% on $100k and likely getting high tier health insurance for ~$200/mo from such a job.

The takeaway is that America sucks if you are poor, but gets much better if you can make it out of the bottom half, and way better if you can get to the top 25%.

P.S. there is a reason the media only talks about the bottom 50% and the top 1%. Talking about the 50-99% would reveal where the real money in the country is (and offend/call out half the country too).

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