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Comment by sparkling | Hacker News Reader

60k€ results in ~2900€/month after taxes for a married person. A decent appartement in a big sout/west german city for 4 people will easily cost you 1250€ or more. Subtract further costs for transportation etc. and your living standard is indeed not mich higher than that of a undemployeed family with free housing and welfare benefits.

But gotta feed them "refugees", eh?

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I live in a decent apartment in a big south/west German city, I have a 60k+ salary and yes, I pay a lot in taxes and for rent. There's NO way I have the same quality of life as an unemployed family, while they might get some money from the state it's nowhere close to a 60k salary.

Now, where I do see the problem is that most of the housing is owned by people renting it out (check out Germany in this list [1]). My whole building is owned by the same guy who I guess lives quite a relaxed life out of my rent, while producing nothing. If you want to fight the increase in living costs, I'd start there.

I have no problem with feeding and sheltering refugees.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_home_owne...

> Now, where I do see the problem is that most of the housing is owned by people renting it out (check out Germany in this list [1]). My whole building is owned by the same guy who I guess lives quite a relaxed life out of my rent, while producing nothing. If you want to fight the increase in living costs, I'd start there.

Because it's tax smart. If you own real estate, all repair, maintenance costs etc. can be deducted from your taxable rental income. On the other hand, if you live in a property you own, all maintenance costs are paid from your after-tax personal income.

Then close that tax loop. Easier, better, and more effective than blaming immigrants.

Its not a tax loop. And if the laws were changed, the costs would simply be passend on to the tenants, be it directly vor indirectly.

Laws do no change market realities.

Yes, we probably should ensure people don't starve to death in a modern society. What's wrong with you?

Besides crime and different values (women, gays, open society), Germany is one of the most dense populated countries and has 80 Million inhabitants.

How many immigrants do you want to accept? 1 Million? 10 Million? 100 Million? 1000 Million?

Based on the population and fertility rates of the middle east and especially Africa, 1000 Million (1 Billion) would be a number that is not impossible. But, don't you see a problem there?

I don't see a problem here

I agree that "the west" has a moral obligation to ensure people in other parts of the world are not starving to death. But: a 20-year old from Tunesia or Morocco is not starving to death in his home country, nope.

Where are you from man?

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