Comment Oh, we have our taxes too... (Score 1) 656
I pay more than %30 in (federal) income tax in the US. Living in a state like Illinois, they can easily take another %10. I then have %7 sales tax on ALMOST everything (except certain things like unprepared food) and outrageous property taxes. Oh yeah, my employer and I also pay %100 of my medical insurance. I can't wait to find out what percentage of my income I get to hold onto this year (probably a bit less than %40)... Not to mention paying social security, etc for a system that might not be there in 40 years when I need it. Meanwhile, we still don't have any national healthcare or guarantees of higher education. We can all complain about something!
All of this in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The thing about Brazil (and other countries like it) is that as long as the average (and minimum) incomes are so low taxing %40 of income still isn't much money... As I'm sure you know, the "minimum wage" in Brazil is something like 300 reals / month. That's about $140 US. Even taxing as much as %40 is only $56 of income for the government. With a less burdensome tax code (taking maybe %10), you get $14.
According to the CIA world factbook, the GDP per capita in Brazil is about $8600. In the US it is $43,500. Obviously that turns into MUCH more income for the government on all levels...
All of this in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The thing about Brazil (and other countries like it) is that as long as the average (and minimum) incomes are so low taxing %40 of income still isn't much money... As I'm sure you know, the "minimum wage" in Brazil is something like 300 reals / month. That's about $140 US. Even taxing as much as %40 is only $56 of income for the government. With a less burdensome tax code (taking maybe %10), you get $14.
According to the CIA world factbook, the GDP per capita in Brazil is about $8600. In the US it is $43,500. Obviously that turns into MUCH more income for the government on all levels...
