Europeans miss the point that you still need money to fund all those generous social benefits we have. Without money and a stagnating economy there will be less welfare to go around.
I've lost track of how many financially illiterate people told me "I don't care about the economy, as long as we still have great quality of life" who miss the part where that great quality of life is funded by the economy they don't care about.
Not entirely, of course you need money but you need people who believe in the cause to work towards it and make sacrifices. I work for a NFP, I took a paycut to do it. I'm happier for it.
I think a lot of America goes wrong because most people want their cake and to eat it too. Free healthcare? It will require sacrifices in the form of higher taxes.
Canadians pay higher taxes than Americans and their social services aren't that much better now that the US's. Why isn't it working for them if higher taxes and not a stronger economy is the solution?
Whenever the state says "give me more of your tax money so I can take care of you", check your pockets.
To be fair, I'd also agree with more taxes, provided those in power would be held accountable and punished severely for mismanaging it and that they would try to address growing inequality, but as long as they're unaccountable and spend my taxes like drunken sailors giving it to their golf buddies in the private sector while pushing for austerity for the plebs while the rich get richer, I'll do everything I can to pay less taxes to the state so I can defund it of the capability of improper spending, and use that extra money to take care of myself and my loved ones.
You see, that is already happening, just through other means. The political situation isn't really favoring Joe Sixpack, or even software engineers, it's benefiting the very few ultra wealthy.
You know how nowhere near enough is being done about climate change? That's because no one in government really cares about the impacts on you or your family. Because the energy companies are happy.
Google and Meta stealing your private information without your consent? Nothing will be done about that either because corporations own America.
IMO the fact we pay lower tax and are all just thinking it means we're better off by default is the joke. It is the pacifier.
I 100% agree with you though, higher tax does not mean things get better, absolutely not. What people have to do is grow brains and participate in democracy and not via Twitter on Instagram but actually doing some work.