Standard of living in UK better than in USA

Telegraph ^ | 1/7/2008 | Lucy Cockcroft

[ThomasThomas]

If you don’t count trying to get ice in your soda at a restaurant.

[fweingart]

Plus our so called poor get more money than most of the EU people make when and if they work.

This is a fact that is rapidly leading to our demise as the nanny state grows and grows and grows!

Where's the candidate that says HE will take a meat axe to the federal government and it's evil bureaucracy?

[fweingart]

Makes one wonder if their rate of savings is higher.

[SoCal Pubbie]

It would be interesting to see a per capita comparison between the two countries, of home ownership, size of those residences, number of vacation homes, cars, trucks, collector cars and hot rods, TV’s, DVD players, computers, high speed internet access connections, jet skis, snow mobiles, trucks, mp3 players, etc.

[agere_contra]

Yes, that seems about right.

People forget that 60 million Britons are living on a landmass 35 times smaller than the US. That’s roughly seven times less space per person, and SQRT(seven) smaller distance from one person to another.

Which explains how Britons can pay almost exactly SQRT(7) more for their petrol, and seven times more for the same living space. But, to quote Grahame Greene in The Power and the Glory, “it makes no difference to the teeth”.

[Antoninus]

The GDP per head in the UK is expected to exceed that of the USA in 2008 They predict that gross domestic product (GDP) per head in the UK, an indicator of average incomes, will be £23,500 in 2008, compared with £23,250 in America, reflecting the strength of the pound against the dollar and the steady growth of the British economy.

Right, is that before, or after taxes.

Hey, they've got to have something to hang their hats on. If that's all they've got, they're welcome to it.

[Clock King]

Yeah if you like a police state.

[fweingart]

The poor are not working hard enough...

A large percentage of American 'poor' are not only not working hard enough, they're not working at all.

They can just lay back while illegal invaders do the jobs they're too lazy to do.

I believe the entire tax structure is wrong.

The poor should pay taxes at a higher rate than the affluent to keep them on their toes and hungry for higher wages where they'll get a lower tax bracket.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Those teeth whitening process worked out to between $585- $1,950. I live in Orange County, California- a very high cost of living area. My dentist just quoted either $199 or $599 for two different teeth whitening systems. Assuming they’re the same treatments, the Brits are paying a LOT more.

[agere_contra]

Hey, they've got to have something to hang their hats on.

What? And pay Gordon Brown's 65% Hat Tax? :0)

[pepperdog]

Ha! They can’t fool me, I’ve seen those stinkin’ kitchens thay have on International House Hunters! Phooey!

[fweingart]

Heil Franco!

[SuziQ]

How do you define standard of living other than by the amount and quality of the goods and services you buy and the amount of free time you have to enjoy them?

Apparently free healthcare was weighted very heavily in this study.

[Intimidator]

The poor should pay taxes at a higher rate than the affluent to keep them on their toes and hungry for higher wages where they'll get a lower tax bracket.

Ah social darwinism at its best. You're definitely on the right website.

[mallardx]

The Brits have been our most loyal allies in the wars against fascists, communists, and jihadists.

Hear, hear. I raise a pint of bass Ale your way - cheers! May God's love always shine over Great Britain, our loyal ally and trusted friend.

[YOUGOTIT]

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005242

[agere_contra]

Assuming they’re the same treatments, the Brits are paying a LOT more.

Thanks for the data. I'm not an expert consumer when it comes to cosmetic dentisty - or cosmetic anything come to that. I did think we British might at least catch a break when it came to the cost-of-teeth-index, but no!

[YOUGOTIT]

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005242

[Bernard Marx]

Maybe some of our liberal entertainment elites will buy into this and move over to Europe.

Many of them already have second or third or fourth homes in various parts of Europe. But of course they maintain their American property and, most important, their U.S. citizenship!

[RockyMtnMan]

Analysts at the respected Oxford Economics consultancy say that increasing incomes, free healthcare and longer holidays make the average Briton better-off than his or her US counterpart.

Tell that to the Brit's waiting to see the dentist. There is no such thing as free health care. Their tax system does not have a concept of deductions and the rates are 11%, 15%, 21%, and 40% (not 100% sure on the top rate but it's close).

Let me also add that most of the "middle to upper" class pay for private insurance to supplement the "free" health care so they get better services.

The UK is a lovely place to live and I rate it a close 2nd behind the US. But then again I'm an American.