[rayiner]

Whatever your politics, we should endeavor to stop giving oxygen to rhetoric that misstates easily verifiable facts:

> I don't wanna make 250k while most people work three jobs

About 5% of people work more than one job in the US: https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/it-takes-two-or-more-oregon-s-...

In Germany, where the author is based, that figure is 3.5 million of a labor force of 45 million--over 7% https://www.dw.com/en/germany-more-and-more-people-work-mult...

> My father is disabled and my mom had the mentioned medical issues.

Portugal has a disability pension of 430 euro per month: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2018-2019/eur...

The average Social Security Disability benefit in the U.S. is $1,260 per month: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/082015/what-are-max...

Additional benefits are paid to disabled workers with families--the average is $2,200. That is higher than the cost-of-living (PPP) adjusted average monthly wage in Portugal.

> My mom had cancer on minimum wage back in Portugal and we didn't pay a fucking cent

A minimum wage worker with a disabled spouse would almost certainly be eligible for Medicaid, which has extremely low out-of-pocket costs: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/cost-sharing/cost-sharing-...

You can take anecdotes and spin out a story that is highly misleading. You can find people abusing public benefits and spin out a myth about "welfare queens." But you can also find plenty of people who have fallen through the cracks of the system for whatever reason, and spin out a myth that we have no safety net and people are dying in the streets.

[handelaar]

Whatever your politics, we should endeavor to stop giving oxygen to rhetoric that misstates easily verifiable facts

* Your comparison between Portugal's social security system and the US's includes only one source of support, but several are available. (Cost of housing is one.) Neglecting this easily-verifiable fact has the same misinformational outcome as lying.

* "Medicaid has extremely low out-of-pocket costs" is not a reply to "we didn't pay a fucking cent". Your (not-included) estimates of how much money a US resident definitely will have to pay is by definition never going to be as good as zero. It's almost like you're setting out to smooth over this also-easily-verifiable fact with "rhetoric".

[edbob]

> "Medicaid has extremely low out-of-pocket costs" is not a reply to "we didn't pay a fucking cent". Your (not-included) estimates of how much money a US resident definitely will have to pay is by definition never going to be as good as zero. It's almost like you're setting out to smooth over this also-easily-verifiable fact with "rhetoric".

This reasoning is absurd. If I have to pay $10/mo in the US, but I make $100/mo more in the US, then I'm still up $90/mo. No one cares about "not paying a fucking cent" if "not paying" actually means "I'm $90/mo poorer".

[leereeves]

> Your comparison between Portugal's social security system and the US's includes only one source of support, but several are available.

Several sources of support are available in the US as well, including food stamps, medicaid, and housing assistance.

[jelliclesfarm]

Thanks for the data.

[raverbashing]

You're technically correct, but are picking at straws

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

Even from your link:

> Nearly 3 million people worked a "minijob" — meaning they earned €450 ($499) or less per month — on the side of a full-time job.

So they have a "main job". How many of those in the US would just be unaccounted for? How big is the size of "under the table" jobs in the US?

How easy is to qualify for Medicaid or SS aid in the US?

Portugal is a low COL country, 430 Eur there is not comparable to $1260 where depending on the US you are it can be a lot of money or it can be nothing

[pidg]

Not to mention that Portugal has a nationalised healthcare system. I think I'd rather have 430 Eur + nationalised healthcare than $1260 and have to pay out of pocket (or deal with years of paperwork and insurance claims)

[leereeves]

Someone receiving $1260/month in disability income (and no other income) would also be eligible for the US's government healthcare system, Medicaid.

[NoRagrets]

The country’s left-wing coalition has prioritized private investment and economic growth over public services such as housing, education, and forest fire prevention.

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/portugal-economy-p...

[..] The country’s left-wing coalition has prioritized private investment and economic growth over public services such as housing, education, and forest fire prevention.[..]

[..] PERKS FOR FOREIGNERS Portugal has tried since then to enhance its fiscal attractiveness as a stimulus to the real estate market. Since 2012, “golden visas”—five-year residence entitlements for non-EU foreigners who buy property in Portugal worth over €500,000—have brought in €4 billion. Non-habitual residency (NHR) status, which offers tax advantages, is available to EU pensioners who buy homes in Portugal.[..]

[..] BUDGETARY BOMB Portugal’s universities are almost bankrupt, and the health system is understaffed and under-resourced. The state body that runs the railways estimates that 60 percent of its infrastructure is in bad or mediocre condition. Social housing is just 2 percent of the housing stock. “A framework law on housing is currently being debated in parliament, but we already know how it will go,” said Rita Silva of Habita, a housing rights association. “Despite a few positive steps, there is no political will to invest public money in housing. [..]

And it goes on and on. Worth a read.

[tptacek]

His analysis acknowledges the cost of living in Portugal.