It drives me absolutely farking insane when people compare the price of a gallon of gas in the USA to the price in the UK. They are two totally different things. Yes, I understand that they pay about $7/gal for gas in the UK and we’re still only paying about half that. But, based on information I could find on places like CNN and MSNBC, I made the chart below that shows you what percentage of your gas dollars go where.
In the UK, the majority of what they pay at the pump is taxes, about 75% (vs only 20% in the USA). In the UK, they use that money to fund programs like National Healthcare. Who reading this wouldn’t mind paying $7/gal if it meant you, your family and your kids would get free healthcare forever? No more paycheck deductions for a health insurance scam (oops, I mean scheme) that ends up costing you hundreds if not thousands in co-pays and deductibles only to be told that the life-saving procedure you need isn’t covered anyway. In the UK, if you need it, you get it. Period. You need a certain drug? No problem. Need an operation? OK. There’s no such thing as ‘not covered’ in the UK when it comes to healthcare. In some hospitals in the UK, there is a cashier that refunds you the cost of getting to the hospital. In the USA, some health insurance scams (oops again, I mean plans) don’t even cover the cost of getting to the hospital. Need an ambulance? Let’s see your credit card there, partner. This ain’t a charity mobile, ya know.
The government in the UK knew gas prices were going to go up and stay up, so they started taxing the hell out of it. That kept demand down but kept prices high. They figured people were going to pay high gas prices no matter what. So, why not make the majority of those high prices taxes that benefit society instead of profits for the oil companies.
But in the USA, our situation is the complete opposite. Gas prices are going up and will stay up. But, the majority of what we pay at the pump does nothing but line the pockets of some of the most evil people on earth. And, our government is either too scared, too stupid or just too lazy to do anything about it.
By the way, did you see the recent black and white TV commercial with Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich sitting on a sofa? Cute.
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