As long as the tax on the wealthy goes up too, then this is fine, but right now it really does feel like both the UK and US governments are squeezing those with poor to middle income while allowing the rich to continue as normal.

Not really, many countries have north/south type issues. Northern Spain is richer than Southern Spain for example. I don't think it's that a great article anyway for the points elfman mentioned, I'll stick with Nation Master for my comparisons

And is this an accurate reflection of health provision?

The UK spends just 8.2% of GDP on health, compared to a European average of 9%

The US spends far more as a proportion of GDP.

yes, I have been working 13 yrs - in that time 8 yrs has been added to my working life!

It's an unfair system when the south has to pay for the entitlements and handouts that is keeping the north afloat, but that has always been the way when the economy makes a wobble.

See who comes out number one?

<looks up french for smug.>

You missed a trick. I managed to squeeze in by being born in 1967!

and what did you come up with? (would be interested I can't think of anything!)

Satisfait de soi-meme?

Best I can come up with. <I left my Robert in France>

A convenient child offers:

"Hmm. I would go with: infatué if you want to be precise, outrecuidant if you want to be obscure, suffisant if you don't mind running the risk of confusing people or fat if you want to make a nasty pun.

I might choose "satisfait par soi-meme" but would prefer "trop pénétré de ses propres mérites" because it sounds verbose and condescending. Unless, of course, you are referring to yourself (which you likely are) in which case you would have to adjust the pronouns.

Oh, yeah, fanfaron is a favorite funny word that means "pretentious" but it doesn't quite capture the essence of smugness."

She adds, accurately,

"As you can tell by the extent of the foregoing list, smugness is not a concept foreign to the French."

I like that assumption that you wanted to refer to yourself.

Suffisant was my first guess, but it didn't quite sound right, as your convenient daughter suggests.

A convenient wife suggests that "fat" is mostly used in the colonies, "fanfaron" is lovely but "blowing your own trumpet" is slightly different.

There is universal agreement about the verbosity and pretentiousness of the other suggestion, so that's the winner.

Always one for the sly dig, something she must have inherited from her mother.

Yes of course.

Why would you become idle simply because you retire? My father was still attending university lectures and taught basic computer skills at the local senior's centre until 4 months before he died at age 88. My mother (aged 85) still golfs 3 times weekly and teaches dance. Retirement does not equal idleness.

How about "Il a la grosse tete"? Still not quite it somehow...

The plain fact of the matter is that the poor to middle income bracket are the bulk of the working population.

Hence tax on this group will reap much more revenue than a swinging tax on the mobile rich. (who will make use of accountants to move the money out of reach, or relocate themselves to somewhere less taxing)

Unfortunately the poor to middle income bracket have more of a barrier to overcome (whether it is leaving the country or accessing knowledge on managing your tax exposure) to escape the taxation clutches of the government.