Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 18/03/25

Except that report isn't based on self reporting or feels. It's based on objective measures like access to housing, medical care, food, transport, being able to host five people in your home for a meal once in a year, being able to go to the cinema six times in a year, buy cloth,get a haircut. Simple essentals and basic quality of life measures. Nothing extravagant.

Another study from the OECD shows the USA has the second highest level of poverty in the OECD.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/233910/poverty-rates-in-oecd-countries/

Wealth inequality in the USA is higher than in almost any other developed country, and getting worse.

https://www.madisontrust.com/information-center/visualizations/which-countries-have-the-greatest-wealth-inequality

Do you have first hand experience of living in the US?

I admit I find it strange that the supposedly wealthiest economy should have so many seemingly only just getting by ,but I was only there some 50 years go (and very glad to see the back of it even then despite the many good aspects to the people and the country itself)

Probably taking a median for a country as large and disparate as the US is a bit of a crude measure, given income is extremely concentrated in the US.

There would be massive differences in terms of medians at state level I would say, and you've probably got some states way above the national median and the majority below it

I do remember all that time ago that the concept of "food deserts" was alive back then.

Of course I had no transport but all I could find was a little cornershop with junk food.

I think I lived on plastic bread ,peanut butter and grape jelly can't remember any cooking facilities in the "flat".

But, the median income in Europe includes health care. It doesn't in the US. It probably includes pension. Same, not included in the US. Those should be factored in, into any comparison. Ireland especially, people here have very rich lives compared to average Americans, again, not just income.

Plus, there's no safety net in the US should you fall on hard times. No dole, no health care, no income support, nothing. The crazy income inequality is just part of the story of how bad it is in the US.

Its not that much different here
Consumerism has gotten out of control everywhere in the Western hemisphere

I lived in the states for a brief period, I am also only an hours drive from it here in Vancouver.

What I have found really bizzare about the states is the contrast. If you go to LA, NY, any big city really, you will see a fairly modern flow of life. SF is kinda weird in that it is a nice city, but silicone Valley is really just a very, very large business park.

There is a Youtube channel called The Soft White Underbelly, it is eye opening. The places I just listed are what America wants the world to think it is like, massive towers, great food and coffee, etc. Places like West Virginia though, you will see some abject poverty, people who are beyond poor.

I saw a comment on Reddit once where some called America "The nicest third-world country they ever visited". I think that sums it up to a tee.

And God forbid you have kids that go to college. I believe that the average for an in-state public 4 year degree course is $120k. Go out of state, ouch!

No dole, no health care, no income support, nothing.

This is also not true.

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There's no health care that doesn't cost. Yes, in extremis you can go to the emergency room. I don't know if that really meets a definition of 'health care' beyond 'emergency medicine.' And you can be sure that there'll be charges no matter what. Medicare, which Trump is desperate to cut, is for people of very low income levels. Plus of course, it doesn't cover everything and you end up owing.

There's no dole. There isn't welfare anymore, either.

As for income support (like, guaranteed monthly income), not at all. At best, there are tax deductions that lower your tax debt. Oh, and any grants the Federal government might dispense, via the IRS, are getting clobbered by the reduction in the IRS staffing that DOGE et al are doing.

Also, don't forget about the mess that is US Taxes. Before we moved to Ireland from NYC, we did a comparison of how much we earned, what we paid in NYC, NY State and Federal Taxes, what our pension contributions (401k) took from our income, versus what the same income level would pay in taxes in Ireland. Came out far ahead in Ireland. People like to say Europe has high taxes, but the devil's in the details.

Let alone how complicated US taxes are, way more than here.

As for comparing who earns more or brings home more, on paper you might earn more in the US. The myth I see here, is that in the US everyone's rich. More than a million live on $2 a day or less: https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2015/winter/kathryn-edin-living-on-2-dollars-a-day/

There are some incredibly wealthy people is all, not many controlling way too much wealth.

12.7 million people.? Try approx 67 million for Medicare and 72 million for Medicaid. Whatever about relative income and wealth levels, people are far more vulnerable in the US than in Europe. Healthcare is dependent on employment. Worker's rights are diminished, especially in Republican states. Debt is a huge burden on the population, particularly young college educated people. Housing is just as precarious as it is in Ireland, with less protections for tenants. Food insecurity is on the rise, with something like 13% of households facing issues accessing enough food. Having a car is essential, which adds to costs for people, and adds risk where a minor mechanical issue can cost people their jobs and thus their healthcare.

It's a mess.