But in the US the top tax rate kicks in at $539,901 (for a single person! Higher for married). In Ireland it kicks in at the princely sum of €70,044. We tax people on decent but not incredibly high incomes as though they're on Ferrari money. You might think "well that's Europe for you" but in Germany the highest rate of tax kicks in at €277,826 per year.
And for your taxes you get:
ridiculously expensive childcare (€1000 per month per kid - compared to nothing or a couple hundred a month per kid in other EU countries)
a collapsing HSE (wait times for pediatricians can be a year+ public, and I had to spend hours on the phone to find a private one who'd see my 3 year old in under a month)
(almost all) religious schools that still ask for a "voluntary" contribution
mediocre public transport
US-style car-dependent single use sprawl
horrible cycling infra
incompetent and agonizingly slow public bureaucracies (_especially_ immigration but tbf immigration is horrible most places)
and very high costs of living.
On the bright side, it's one of the better-shielded places from climate breakdown. The weather here is amazing. I grew up in a hot place and never want to be over 40C again.