Re:US freezes visas for 75 nations
by joe_mamba on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @03:29PM
(#46622694)
> sales taxes, property taxes, tariffs, tolls, etc and the % is already pretty high.
These taxes are even higher in many EU countries than the US, especially sales tax. Same for tolls, tariffs, etc. they're all higher here. Also commodity products and services are generally more expensive here than in the US.
I see on youtube the hobby stuff Americans do in theri garage with home labs, electronic measuring equipment, power tools and stuff, and if I want to replicate their setups it would cost way more here(from a smaller wage), not to mention buying a house with a garage in Europe is very much of out of budget to most working class in Europe to begin with.
All this stuff being so cheap is probably why Americans in their garages are so much more entrepreneurial.
>After factoring the cost of benefits that are free/subsidized in other countries, and the cost probably averages out to the same.
True, but a lot of free stuff you get back from the government is sometimes of low quality due to never being enough money for everything everyone needs and not being able to attract and keep qualified workers to stay in the public system when they can earn more privately, and it's only getting worse since Covid and Ukraine.
For example, I am now paying ~1000 Euros for private physiotherapy after my accident, since the free government one is abysmal, which I am forced to pay for anyway out of my salary even though it's useless.
Another example, after my jaw surgery at the public hospital here they just strap cold packs to your face like in WW2, while in the US, my ex-boss who went through a similar procedure at a hospital there they had specialized head cooling devices instead of medieval ice packs, while also being free from his employer insurance. So you might pay more in the US for health insurance, but you also get more in return.
So there's valid reasons why skilled immigration to the US is so high despite all the issues the US has.
These taxes are even higher in many EU countries than the US, especially sales tax. Same for tolls, tariffs, etc. they're all higher here. Also commodity products and services are generally more expensive here than in the US.
I see on youtube the hobby stuff Americans do in theri garage with home labs, electronic measuring equipment, power tools and stuff, and if I want to replicate their setups it would cost way more here(from a smaller wage), not to mention buying a house with a garage in Europe is very much of out of budget to most working class in Europe to begin with.
All this stuff being so cheap is probably why Americans in their garages are so much more entrepreneurial.
>After factoring the cost of benefits that are free/subsidized in other countries, and the cost probably averages out to the same.
True, but a lot of free stuff you get back from the government is sometimes of low quality due to never being enough money for everything everyone needs and not being able to attract and keep qualified workers to stay in the public system when they can earn more privately, and it's only getting worse since Covid and Ukraine.
For example, I am now paying ~1000 Euros for private physiotherapy after my accident, since the free government one is abysmal, which I am forced to pay for anyway out of my salary even though it's useless.
Another example, after my jaw surgery at the public hospital here they just strap cold packs to your face like in WW2, while in the US, my ex-boss who went through a similar procedure at a hospital there they had specialized head cooling devices instead of medieval ice packs, while also being free from his employer insurance. So you might pay more in the US for health insurance, but you also get more in return.
So there's valid reasons why skilled immigration to the US is so high despite all the issues the US has.