[conanbatt]

This faction of the US is unique, which is why the US has some of the lowest tax rates in the world and in consequences has one of the most positive balances in net immigration, specially considering it has one of the harshest immigration policies in the world.

[koyote]

The US has some of the lowest tax rates in the world, IFF you are making a large amount of money.

If you are earning a median wage a lot of other countries have comparable tax rates. If you are earning minimum wage a lot of other countries have lower tax rates.

[conanbatt]

Yup, not a great country to be poor. Also tax-pressure is still considerable (33% of GDP). This implies the US has lots of regressive expenditures and taxes.

On the whole, I think the tax rate is the main difference between the US and most of industrialized countries, and net immigration is hugely positive for the US.

[microcolonel]

The U.S. is by any good measure somewhere between #1 and #3 in median individual income net of taxes and other mandatory transfers; and always #1 in the mean.

I think a lot of people look at the gap between the mean and median, and think that something must be going wrong; but to me, the inequality of outcome this measures is more a sign that America is a welcome home of extremely productive people and the smarter of their direct offspring, who inevitably earn ridiculous sums of money when and where doing so is not itself reviled.

[SketchySeaBeast]

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, Those sick of a 35% income tax on earnings over $45,000".

[conanbatt]

I'm literally upset at the US for being so closed for immigration. If it were just a little more lax it would have a lot more than what it has now.