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Discussion » Questions » Politics » Since liquor stores are owned by the Canadian gov, is this why they can afford gov healthcare?

Since liquor stores are owned by the Canadian gov, is this why they can afford gov healthcare?

Imagine all the money US gov would take in if only gov sold alcohol. 

Posted - March 24, 2020

Responses


  • 19942
    If the US government sold alcohol, you can bet whatever profits they made on it would not go towards healthcare for all.  Countries that have universal healthcare tax residents' income at a higher rate that we do.  That's why they can afford healthcare for all.
      March 24, 2020 6:08 AM MDT
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  • 14795
    I don't think that's necessarily true.....   Costa coffee and other such huge chains makes countless millions each year and the pay a minuscule amount in English taxes...
    Our health care system is second to none world wide....anyone can walk in to any NHS Hospital and get a first rate service from all that choose  work there.

    What makes health care more expensive here is that any firm that supplies most all things to the NHS rip the government off for billions of pounds....it's the done thing and been going on for countless decades..l
      March 24, 2020 6:31 AM MDT
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  • 19942
    I'm not talking about corporate taxes - I'm talking about individual income taxes.  We have the same problem of big corporations paying very little in the way of taxes which is one of the reasons why I am not in favor of our government bailing them out due to this virus pandemic.  When Trump's new tax laws went into effect, the big corporations made out like bandits.  Instead of expanding their business and employing more people, they used the funds to buy back their own stock and to pay their CEOs more money.  Our government doesn't negotiate for better prices with pharmaceutical companies either (except for the Veterans Administration).  Medicare and Medicaid are the biggest consumers of government medications but we pay full price for them.  A medication I take costs me $1300 for three months if I buy it in NYC.  I now buy it from a Canadian pharmacy and I pay $365 for three months and that includes the shipping.  Outrageous.
      March 24, 2020 6:54 AM MDT
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  • 14795
    Are you diebetics. ?   I think it's Norway or Sweden that makes most all of the insulin in the world....There must be a way of buying it direct from them...It's no longer an expesnsive medicine any more...

    What happens to the poor who can't  to buy all the meds prescribed for them....do they just go away and die .   ?
      March 24, 2020 3:40 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    No, I need a blood thinner, Eliquis, and it's a relatively new drug so no generic yet.  There are ones that are less expensive, but you have to do constant blood testing and can't eat certain foods, so I'll use this now that I know where to get it for less.  Insulin has been around forever and it didn't used to be so expensive here either, but Big Pharma figured that they could charge whatever they wanted because patients must have it or they die.  My cousin needs it and says it's gone up about 400% over the last couple of years.  How despicable.  I don't know what the poor do.  They probably use less of it than they need or skip a day here or there.  
      March 24, 2020 4:04 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    Reading all these comments....I just can't believe how lucky we are all over here in England 
      March 24, 2020 4:19 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    Yes, you are.  
      March 24, 2020 4:33 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    How sad that such a country as wealthy and powerful as yours doesn't do the same....
    Why not elect someone who will...
      March 24, 2020 5:00 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    The closest we came was Obama and Trump is doing everything he can to dismember and deregulate everything Obama put in place.  He is that petty.  It's not just electing a president who will push for universal health care.  The representatives we elect have to agree also and our country is so divided right now they couldn't agree that the moon rises at night.
      March 24, 2020 5:12 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    How sad and far more foolish....Sounds to me that you need an entirely new political system....There is more to life than money...
      March 24, 2020 5:15 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    Tell that to our politicians. :)
      March 24, 2020 9:35 PM MDT
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  • 16197
    Australia's Medicare system is at least as good, considering it was Britain's NHS that we copied.
      March 24, 2020 5:02 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    Hooray for the Aussues.....lol 
      March 24, 2020 5:09 PM MDT
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  • 32529
    I know that is what we are told. 
    There was a Canadian user here who posted a question complaining about taxes from their check. The amount taken out was roughly the same as a US worker would have been.  But not really my topic. 

    I think if all alcohol sells were to gov could it cover healthcare. 
      March 24, 2020 6:45 AM MDT
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  • 19942
    I doubt it considering the cost of healthcare in the US.  
      March 24, 2020 6:47 AM MDT
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  • 32529
    I just looked up sales for alcohol 2018 $283B.  Your right not enough. We need $562B to pay for it each year.  But is it over 1/2. 

    Conclusion

    Universal Health Care would save the people of the United States about $600 billion for the same level of care they're receiving. We found it would require an additional $562 billion in taxation to cover the government spending, after savings and increases to demand. Is a single-payer universal system worth it? As always, that's for you to decide – we're just here to give you the data that helps you make important decisions

      March 24, 2020 7:05 AM MDT
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  • 14795
    Bush senior and junior have been byyinginto Blue Gold for decades.....in the not to distant future water will be worth far more then Gold  ....Gold has no real actual worth....you try living with out fresh water though....
      March 24, 2020 6:09 AM MDT
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  • 32529
    Blue gold?  
    My question is about alcohol. 
      March 24, 2020 6:14 AM MDT
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  • 14795
    Same thing ,just different gravy ...  :)
      March 24, 2020 6:36 AM MDT
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  • 9778
    Our state has a lot of municipal liquor stores.  Although it somewhat reduces property taxes for me, it's not a huge source of income for my city.
      March 24, 2020 6:25 AM MDT
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  • 32529
    But are they the ONLY sellers of alcohol or are they competing with gas stations, grocery stores and others? 
      March 24, 2020 6:47 AM MDT
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  • 9778
    In cities like mine, they are the only ones allowed to sell it. My city only recently allowed bars and restaurants to serve liquor.
      March 24, 2020 8:46 AM MDT
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  • 32529
    Ok.
    How do you have a bar without liquor? 
      March 24, 2020 9:02 AM MDT
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  • 7407

    It’s not every province in Canada that has liquor control boards. I know in  Quebec that the sale of liquor is privatized and I believe in Alberta also. But yes, the government does use that money for healthcare. You can go on their website and look at annual reports. Last year 2.7 billion dollars from the sale of alcohol was put back into infrastructure, health care and education services in Ontario. Alcohol is more expensive here than most other places because it isn’t privatized, but I’m fine with that.

      March 24, 2020 7:06 AM MDT
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