Oh no, who could've guessed!

November 1935 is nearly 3 years into Nazi Germany, nothing pre about it. Don't for a second believe you're in a pre-nazi USA, you're well past the Machtergreifung.

Yes, average healthcare costs per year in the US was $ 13,432 per capita and in Germany was $ 8,441 per capita in 2023 (PPP adjusted). Germany is the third most expensive comparable country, second most expensive was Switzerland with $ 9,688.

UK national healthcare btw. was $ 6,023, so less than half of US costs.

compared to the average healthcare costs in all US-comparable countries of $ 7,393, the US manages to spend nearly double.

Source

And a happy cake day to you!

And wasps will kill any fly that dares come close. Only thing they like more than sugar is protein.

This gives so much perspective, and feels like not being alone, thank you.

Sometimes I struggle with my own, internalized expectations of masculinity and that the world expects a 6'8" guy who also has 0 external feminine traits to behave "like a man" doesn't make it easier.

I'm so incredibly fortunate to have found a strong woman who will hold me when I cry and loves me for my sensitivity and empathy.

None of this means I'm gender fluid, I'm... okay, relaxed, not unhappy with my masculinity, sometimes I can even revel in it. But modern sentiments that deconstruct social expectations of gender roles have made it sooooo much easier to just exist, even as a cis man for all the times that I strongly deviate from them. It's only that societal expectations have been internalized hard by my generation and it can still be such a struggle.

Comments like yours make it easier, because I know I'm not alone in this. Thank you.

First off even for regular checkups I have to pay extra cuz a continues 1/5th of my pay isn't enough

That is so wild. The US has the most expensive system in the world and often not that great service in return and somehow so many are convinced that their broken system is so much better... I guess that's partly explained by an also broken education system. That's something that always has been broken as far as I can remember, but now it'll get sooooo much worse under Trump.

Plus I'm brown enough to live in fear of getting an accidental deportation parking ticket. Here, you hit the wrong car and they can apparently blast your front door. How does any of that even help me?

Aaaaaand another thing that's getting sooooo much worse under Trump. And all paid for by your taxes.

I'll emphasize though, the problem isn't taxes, it's a broken political system where 0.01% of the population pay for 50% or more of political campaigning and the people have allowed their representatives to create a system of government that fucks them over for reasons that appeal to their basest instincts.

My Take-Home in Germany is a little less than two thirds of my pay.

The difference is that I'm happy with it, because I get my moneys worth in return. Holy shit healthcare alone is just so goddamn cheap compared to what all my health issues would cost extra in the US.

Yes, rich assholes not paying their fair share is a problem over here too, but far less than in the US and honestly, for my personal happiness it's far more important that I can see the positive impact my taxes have on me and in my community.

I think that's the biggest difference, are taxes levied for mutual benefit or to funnel money to the mayors/governors/presidents daughter's/brother's/buddy's company and thus are a means to rob the populace? Over here it's overwhelmingly for mutual benefit.

I have encountered big american pickups only seven times in my country. They all had some kind of nazi imagery or text attached.

Je mehr Leute den ÖPNV nutzen, desto freiere Straßen, mehr Parkplätze und sicherere Radwege.

I keep repeating myself.

Bernie, AOC, Zohran Mamdani... conservatives shouldn't be shocked by their popularity, they should be thankful.

Because electing popular lefty politicians through the system and working with the system to change the system is a compromise.

The working class has other means to defend itself from the overreach of the bourgeoisie inherent in the system, and everyone who wants to hold onto the current system should be extremely thankful that the working class doesn't simply decide to violently overthrow it.