Bryancd wrote:
I suppose for the same reason you in NZ and AU accept such absurd income tax rates. We may suck at endurance sport but at least we can retire wealthy.
Bryancd wrote:
And I was only half joking. Any developed nation that taxes it's citizens at such draconian levels should have sufficient money to invest in sport.
Well this is a whole other argument...
The US has the lowest upward mobility in the OECD
The median wealth in Australia is over 300 000
The median wealth in the US approx 60 000
Our tax rates are only absurd to residents of a country that are far more capitilist biased than equality. The fact our medain wealth is much higher in simple terms does show it is not hurting us as much as an extremely capitilist economy. You guys see this as very socialist policy, but the fact is here people like me are seen as too conservative. Which is laughable in comparison to a US conservative. Perhaps the taxes allow the government to implment policy that enables upward mobility and wealth creation leading to better outcomes for all. Believe it or not the rich get richer too! Just not by standing on everyone else.
Edit: It is a myth we spend alot on our grass roots sports system. In fact our AIS was once the benchmark is now behind the curve. Apart from shortfalls of the number of opportunities being limited by class (it is also in Oz to a lesser extent). The US collegiate system is better.