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Comment by ChocolateGod | Hacker News Reader

The US has generally higher wages than Europe and lower taxation rates. Those paid days off are not free.

You're assuming that's due to more days off? I have my doubts. I think the US could offer more paid days off, and it would retain its higher wages and lower taxation rates.

You talk as if you believe low taxation rates are good for low earners.

Switzerland has all that and paid days off on par with the rest of Europe.

I think we're slightly below average with 20 vacation days per year as the legal minimum (compared to 25 on average in the EU?).

Still significantly higher than the US, and with notably higher income/GDP per capita, so indeed it doesn't seem to be some linear tradeoff.

And the US has the lower life expectancy.

Now, now. That is also related to our completely shitty, overpriced medical care!

> higher wages than Europe and lower taxation rates.

ah yes live to work. Not work to live right?

> lower taxation rates

eh.. many western countries have comparable taxation rates. That's not true.

Regardless it would be nice to have the choice to work 75% the hours for 75% pay. Not many jobs offer that, though.

Everything in the US is built around maximum value extraction for corporate profits, and I believe this is just another cog in that system.

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The areas with the highest wages are disproportionately more expensive, and the personal risks forced on both workers and the unemployed are far dangerous. (Esp lack of healthcare.)

What do you mean by "lack of healthcare" exactly? Are you under the impression that it's hard to get healthcare in the US? Or that the average healthcare experience is extraordinarily expensive?

It's easy if you're employed by a reasonable company.

Healthcare being so tied to your employer is so anti-labor it's unbelievable.

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