Stupid, Ridiculous Prices for Stuff

[Boatguy30]

New Zealand does a flat social security payment. Not exactly sure, but it more than base social security. Doesn't matter if you "flipped burgers" or were a brain surgeon! No big waste of time formulas or calculators and extra bureaucracy. Just a fixed amount, same for everyone at age 65.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Ok, here's the thing. Being conservative with money is conservative right.

Not in bizarro 2015 land. Case in point: NPR interviews a Toyota dealer in Portsmouth NH. Big time republican hates Obama, etc, etc. Thinks full professor at the university of NH should make $60,000 a year tops.

So he's birchin about not selling enough new cars. I believe car sales are quite robust lately, but he goes on about all the cars with over 100,000 miles coming in for service. Now, what the f*** don't you buy a freaking Toyota cause you think it will go 300,000 miles? Plus "conservatives" like to save right? They even used to like to buy American!

Also what you want to bet he's sold a bunch of late model Prius to university professors far more than could be bought on $60,000 a year no doubt!

Seriously this **** has got to stop. The amount of hyprocracy seems to have reached unbelievable levels!

Don't forget, SNL tonight!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Boatguy30]

Trying to stay awake. The good stuff will be on YouTube.

BTW, $800 a month on $18,000?

I just checked. If you made $18,000 in 2014 and hit 65 in 2015. You will get $752. So again if people could use actual FACTS, that would be great!

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Lets face it, US healthcare is nuts. And I'm getting a small taste of it right now as we travel through this wonderful country. Anywhere else in the world I'd be comfortable self-insuring (paying as we go), but here in the USA a broken arm could bankrupt me. So we bought emergency travel accident insurance.

Sorry Mike, get T-boned on your bike or hit a deer and you could be pretty uncomfortable if self insured. Your hospital tab for a motorcycle accident and the aftermath could hit 500 K or a million in a heartbeat in just about any country without a national health care program.

[Boatguy30]

I'm fairly certain he could afford a few days in most overseas hospitals and then make arrangements to get back to Canada. The UK, NZ and perhaps some other countries offer "free" accident insurance to tourists. It's actually paid for with gas taxes, hotel taxes, etc.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by smj

So Kenomac, your telling us you own and maintain an Oyster 53, you cruise 3-6 months a year in the Med on your Oyster, you pay dockage the other months your not cruising on your Oyster, your "tossing" around the idea of buying a large power cat and you pay over $53,000 per year on insurance and you and your wife are both RN's making approximately $22.00 an hour? I call BS. Plus your complaining about paying a measly $270.00 for a dental procedure? And that pisses you off? Now we need to review your tax statements:-).


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

You need to work on your reading skills. Mike said that minimum wage should be raised up to $22 per hour, i said that the minimum wage is catching up to me. I also added, that i've worked six years in the field and make a little more. I also don't, and have never limited myself to a forty hour work week and own and operate a commercial office building. My wife has been in her nursing specialty, which is in very high demand for forty years.

Why are you so bothered by the fact that I find $270 too much to pay for a dental cleaning which took less than 40 minutes? Because we've worked more hours and saved more in order to buy an Oyster, should we be required to pay more to have our teeth cleaned?

Most people we know own a house which costs more than our boat. We choose to own a boat rather than a house. Is anything wrong with that? After all.... This is a cruising forum.

[Kenomac]

[QUOTE=smj;1956488]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

My friend in North Carolina is an RN and pays $99.00 per month for health care, taken out of his paycheck. Less than what he paid before Obamacare.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

My wife and I are both RNs who live in Massachusetts and pay $35,000 for healthcare insurance. What's your point?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Trying to stay awake. The good stuff will be on YouTube.

BTW, $800 a month on $18,000?

I just checked. If you made $18,000 in 2014 and hit 65 in 2015. You will get $752. So again if people could use actual FACTS, that would be great!

Social Security is based on forty quarters. I just go online, log in and the government website tells me to expect $800 per month. I wish it was more, nothing I can do about it. Question: How were you able to access my personal social security account?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

Of course you like the healthcare system anywhere else in the world because the local yokels are subsiding your cheap healthcare costs with their high taxes! I wish somebody would subsidize my healthcare costs too! In the US, it's sort of the opposite where those of us who can afford (supposedly) to pay for healthcare are forced to subsidize those who can't afford to buy their own by paying inflated prices for both insurance and healthcare itself. So, you apparently don't like the idea of having to pay a small fortune for something as simple as a broken arm to subsidize other deserving peoples health care? I sort of thought that would be something you'd think every citizen should embrace.

You seem to misunderstand. I want and expect to pay for the services I use in a foreign land. What I said was that only in the US could I face such a huge bill for a relatively minor medical event. No where else in the world could I be destroyed financially by breaking my arm. If healthcare was significantly better in the USA than anywhere else, then perhaps the added cost would be justified. But as we all know, US healthcare is no better, and in too many cases, worse than most other developed nations. Which gets back to how things are priced ... it's not about the value or cost. It's about what people are willing (or in this case forced) to pay.

And it's interesting that you see a relationship between the high price some of you pay for insurance to cover those citizens who are not as financially fortunate. That fine collectivist, dare I say socialist, perspective. Good on you This is exactly how taxes work. It is a collective effort to deal with a society-wide issue.

[Kenomac]

I'd like to point out to some of the participants on this thread, that although Mike and I are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, we can still remain civil and friends during a light hearted, entertaining discussion.... like the one we're having.

He's probably the one person on this forum I'd most like to sit down with and have a few beers. I just wish others could be more civil and enjoy one another's company, even if it's only on the web.

Debate can be fun and entertaining, I just wish some folks wouldn't always strive to shut things down. Thanks avb for allowing us to continue.

[Boatguy30]

[QUOTE=Kenomac;1956584]

Originally Posted by smj

My wife and I are both RNs who live in Massachusetts and pay $35,000 for healthcare insurance. What's your point?

Can you post a pic of the check for $35,000 please.

[Boatguy30]

No prob if you blank out the account number.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

Sorry Mike, get T-boned on your bike or hit a deer and you could be pretty uncomfortable if self insured. Your hospital tab for a motorcycle accident and the aftermath could hit 500 K or a million in a heartbeat in just about any country without a national health care program.

You're going to have to give me actual evidence LS. This does not agree with everything I've researched about medical costs around the world.

BTW, just b/c a country has a national health care program does not mean foreign visitors receive those benefits. In Canada, if you show up without valid provincial healthcare, you will be billed the cost of your procedure. I know this is also the case in Mexico and Costa Rica (b/c I have direct knowledge of these places). However, in the case of US vs Canadian costs, there is never any comparison. Costs are way lower here ... and we are the second most expensive system in the world. Gets back to how things are costed. Prices are set, not by their inherent value, but by what people are willing (or forced) to pay.

[senormechanico]

Let's cut through the BS.
If the TRUE market was at work, the cost of any transaction would be what it was worth between the customer and the provider.
That's what progressives / liberals just cant or refuse to see.
Let the people run their own lives....and government stay the fk out of the way !
Waiting for AVB3 to close the thread and delete this post.......3-2-1....

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I'd like to point out to some of the participants on this thread, that although Mike and I are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, we can still remain civil and friends during a light hearted, entertaining discussion.... like the one we're having.

He's probably the one person on this forum I'd most like to sit down with and have a few beers. I just wish others could be more civil and enjoy one another's company, even if it's only on the web.

Agreed. I'd even buy the beers (the first round anyway ... after that it's on you buddy ).

Seriously folks, a lot of us are just a little bored and twitchy about being away from our boats. This has been fun, engaging, and kinda stimulating. Lets not make it personal. We've even got AVB in on the chat. Lets not give him any reason to close us down.