Hubby and I were surprised when we visited Australia a couple of years ago.
They have a very strong economy. Their banks pay 5% interest on saving. Their minimum wage is =$18.00/hr in US dollars. There is no tipping because they pay a living wage. What a concept!!!
They have a very low unemployment rate despite issues with illegal aliens from SE Asia.
They have had universal, single payer health care with which they seem very happy. It it like our medicare, but for everyone. Some older people also get private insurance as their risks increase.
We were asked so many questions about why health care is such an issue here, why our economy is in such bad shape. The people we met had as many questions about our government as we did about theirs. We learned a lot. Our eyes were opened on many issues.
Their country runs with a surplus!! Not a deficit!!
We asked if their taxes were high. They did not think so. They said that the corporations make up for any of the nations needs that income tax did not cover. They were actually upset when we were there because their national surplus had dipped!
When young couples start a family they get a $5,000 "baby bonus" for each baby. It is cash on a debit card for baby expenses. That's for each baby. But they have very low welfare rolls.
It was like being dropped onto another planet. The standard of living is high. homelessness was low.
I do believe that we live in the best country in the world.
But I do believe that we have let our elected officials take us far off track. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class shrinks. Corporate America DOES make all the rules. They have the elected officials from both parties in their back pockets.
You won't see tax reform in our lifetimes. Because there is too much at risk for our professional politicians. The corporate tax cuts will continue and the rich will continue to get rich and the poor continue to get poorer. We have set our government up with career politicians that do not care about you or me or the real future of our country.
This is not what our founding fathers envisioned. They wanted ordinary people to serve the nation, then go back to their real career after serving. I do not know the answers to the problems we have today. But contrasting our nation with Australia was stark and very difficult to swallow. We need term limits and politicians who serve the people not the special interests.
We are the lucky ones. Our grandkids will be the ones to really have to deal with these realities.
That trip to Australia was very eye opening to us.
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