| TheWickerFan |
01-23-2012 02:38 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ManchestrMorgue
(Post 917206)
Thanks.
When you say "ludicrously expensive", what do you mean? What would an average house cost (not a huge mansion, just a regular house). What about goods and services - how much does it cost to live once you have accommodation sorted out? I ask because I think Sydney is ludicrously expensive ... :mad:
As far as political divide - we have essentially a two party system in Australia, with a Liberal and Labor party (with the Liberal party being traditionally more right wing, and Labor being more left wing), although I think both of these parties are reasonably moderate in most of their policies, and there is a right wing faction in the Labor party, as well as a left-wing faction.
With regards to national healthcare, my understanding is that the bulk of healthcare is privately funded through insurance, which is usually provided through workplace packages? Is that correct? Is there any emergency healthcare - say if you were unemployed and without insurance and suffering something life-threatening - like a serious car crash or a heart attack?
With regards to looking "backwards" to other countries - I wouldn't worry. Sometimes I feel the same way about Australia. But I think that people make a lot of assumptions about other countries with the only knowledge being what they see in the media.
That is part of the reason why I have started this thread. Obviously we hear a lot about the USA through the media. But I am sure that this is only what the media wants to portray, and isn't much of an indication of what it is like for the average person. So I was just really interested in what average people thought of their country. And I wanted to learn a little bit about what normal, mundane life was like in the USA. Not the lives of movie stars and CEOs.
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The average cost of a 1,500 square foot house is about $300,000 (it's come down significantly since the economic meltdown) and you could expect to pay $2,000 in monthly rent for a 2 bedroom apartment.
The liberals, in this country, are the far left party. The Democrats (left) and Republicans (right) are the dominant parties, but lately the Conservatives (far right) have been heavily in the spotlight. The Tea Party is a splinter group of the conservatives that has gained a lot of power over the past few years, and are seriously affecting affairs in the White House. I'm sure some of the more colorful members (and there are a lot of them) are the ones that have been getting international coverage.
As for health insurance, it is true if you have a good job, there will probably be a benefits package, but if you're not, you're up the creek. If you have a life threatening emergency, hospitals don't turn you away, but you're still on the hook for the cost of your care (tens of thousands normally). I know someone who has an ovarian cyst, but can't get it treated until it bursts (in other words, until it becomes life threatening) without having to pay out of pocket. She's a bartender with a young daughter, and has no health insurance. Of course the whole business of what private insurance is unwilling to pay for is a whole other story.:rolleyes:
Sorry for the rant.:o |
