Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : The Residential Real Estate Crash Index -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: neolib who wrote (242791)	3/31/2010 9:38:29 PM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 306849

Swiss health insurance premiums for adults subsidize the lower premium rates for younger people. But the low-income premium subsidy, any difference between the full premium and 8% of your income, is paid for with general tax revenues for each Canton. The different allocations of costs fit Swiss sensibilities. Adults are responsible for the young and the wealthy are responsible for the poor. Kinder rates (1-18) are subsidized because children are a benefit to all of society. Junger rates (19-26) are less than adult rates, because the jungen are just learning how to take on full adult responsibilities. Erwachsene rates, for all adults, pay for themselves and a portion of the young ones. As in Germany and many other nations, Swiss traffic fines are a percentage of your annual income. Just recently a Swiss man with a net worth of 23.3 million SFr ($22.5 million USD) drove his Ferrari Testarossa through the town of St Gallen at 100 km/h (62 mph) where the city speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph). He received the maximum fine. Given his very large income that year the fine was 299,000 SFr ($290,000 USD). In Mexico traffic fines are income multiples, say 4 times "The Daily Minimum Wage". But the "Daily Minimum Wage" is something like $16 for a 12 hour work day. So traffic fines are inconsequential for the wealthy "thousand families" who control Mexico, but absolutely punishing for the slim percentage we would call the Middle Class. Of course there is always the possibility that the policeman is corrupt and will forget the whole thing for a negotiated fee. Mexican fines are of course devastating for the poor (often driving an employer's truck) who usually pay the four days in jail time instead. .