Never looked at what I pay in fed. taxes until today... WOW!

[CommieGator]

Yikes!

You know what tho- If that $ went to something really good for people, society, and humanity- you know, something really worthwhile that would make the world better- I'd be fully OK with it, I'd embrace it.

Nowadays it just seems that $ gets flushed away on total garbage, and that's the most frustrating thing..

Am I a Republican now?




This post was edited on 4/25 3:28 AM by CommieGator

 

[djegators]

Shame its not 100% huh?

 

[CommieGator]

Originally posted by djegators:
Shame its not 100% huh?

I actually like taxes- I want to live in a better society, have nice roads, and deal with educated and articulate young people that are a product of a robust public educational system I pay for even though I have no children of my own. I often enjoy well maintained national and state parks, and support affordable housing for the working class,love public transportation for workers, looking after my fellow man when he needs it, and in general want a universal brotherhood among men... Makes me feel good that I'm supporting those things.

It's the sheer waste that digs at me... I'd like to see:

People having to physically write a check each month for their taxes- Eye opener for sure- and we'd see a reduction.Pick where my dollars go on a form of ballot of some kind.
I know my elected reps are supposed to allocate and be the stewards of my $, but they're (dems and republicans) beholden to special interest groups and represent the real monied elite... They waste my $ on garbage.

This post was edited on 4/25 3:28 AM by CommieGator

 

[Dr. Nole]

It's not paying taxes that is the problem.
I look at it like paying membership dues for, say, some club.

The problem is at least two fold:

The disparity in what each "member" pays in Club America and as you said, what the "dues" are being used for.

 

[BringBackBonner]

I actually think that *true* progressives like yourself should be even more mad about the current state of the federal government than conservatives. All of stuff that you ideally would like the government to do (big infrastructure, long term R&D, education spending, federal parks, etc) are getting crowded out of the budget by Retirement Programs (32% of the budget), Medical Spending (22% and rising quickly), Entitlement Programs (12%), Defense (19%), and Interest on the debt (6%). That leaves only 9% of the budget for everything else, so yes, you should be really pissed about how badly the government wastes all that money because it will mean that very soon, they will have no ability to fund the stuff you care about. Put another way, 91% of the budget is used on consumption and less than 9% is used on investment or capital improvements. That is a bad ratio and it will continue to get worse.

This is what I don't understand about American liberals, they are the ones who should be holding the politicians feet to the fire to provide effective governance (ala Singapore, Germany, the Nordic Countries, etc) but instead they seem content to settle for Southern European style liberalism which is shown to be ineffective and counterproductive. You should always demand GOOD government before you even think of demanding MORE government.

 

[Seminiferous]

This particular topic by this particular poster oozes poetic justice. It's amazing to me that the same light hasn't gone on for more "progressives."

 

[austingtr]

Originally posted by CommieGator:

Originally posted by djegators:
Shame its not 100% huh?

I actually like taxes- I want to live in a better society, have nice roads, and deal with educated and articulate young people that are a product of a robust public educational system I pay for even though I have no children of my own. I often enjoy well maintained national and state parks, and support affordable housing for the working class,love public transportation for workers, looking after my fellow man when he needs it, and in general want a universal brotherhood among men... Makes me feel good that I'm supporting those things.

It's the sheer waste that digs at me... I'd like to see:

People having to physically write a check each month for their taxes- Eye opener for sure- and we'd see a reduction.Pick where my dollars go on a form of ballot of some kind.
I know my elected reps are supposed to allocate and be the stewards of my $, but they're (dems and republicans) beholden to special interest groups and represent the real monied elite... They waste my $ on garbage.

This post was edited on 4/25 3:28 AM by CommieGator

To think that giving money to guvmint will create a better society, and educated and articulate young people is magical thinking at it's best. To think that guvmint will be efficient and productive with my money, and cause other people to be educated and successful is like thinking the moon follows me when I'm in my car.

 

[93nole99]

Originally posted by austingtr:

To think that guvmint will be efficient and productive with my money, and cause other people to be educated and successful is like thinking the moon follows me when I'm in my car.

It doesn't?

 

[Dannygator1989]

You know when you can see the moon during the day?

My grandfather was convinced it was a soviet space station...in 2001...

Still not sure if he was serious or just confusing the moon for the Death Star.

 

[SwamiG8R]

Originally posted by BringBackBonner:
I actually think that *true* progressives like yourself should be even more mad about the current state of the federal government than conservatives. All of stuff that you ideally would like the government to do (big infrastructure, long term R&D, education spending, federal parks, etc) are getting crowded out of the budget by Retirement Programs (32% of the budget), Medical Spending (22% and rising quickly), Entitlement Programs (12%), Defense (19%), and Interest on the debt (6%). That leaves only 9% of the budget for everything else, so yes, you should be really pissed about how badly the government wastes all that money because it will mean that very soon, they will have no ability to fund the stuff you care about. Put another way, 91% of the budget is used on consumption and less than 9% is used on investment or capital improvements. That is a bad ratio and it will continue to get worse.

This is what I don't understand about American liberals, they are the ones who should be holding the politicians feet to the fire to provide effective governance (ala Singapore, Germany, the Nordic Countries, etc) but instead they seem content to settle for Southern European style liberalism which is shown to be ineffective and counterproductive. You should always demand GOOD government before you even think of demanding MORE government.

THIS

 

[HathBrad]

Yes you are now a republican. Good roads and schools are fine and a legitimate use of public funds. But we now have an entitlement based society that thinks the government should use "other people's money" to pay for their stuff so they can be irresponsible without any personal consequences.

This video tells you all you need to about the types of places those extra taxes are going. Listen to this unmarried mother of 15, through different guys, the latest of which is in prison. Listen carefully at the :45 mark and following to see the liberal mindset in all its glory.

Somebody Needs to Pay Up!

 

[BAMA CANE.]

Hey Commie, You'll love these quotes!



In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
-- Voltaire


"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary,

too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."

Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Ludlow, 1824


We dont have a trillion-dollar-debt because we haven't taxed enough;

we have a trillion-dollar-debt because we spend too much.






Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:

If it moves, tax it.

If it keeps moving, regulate it.

And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan
Sir Winston Churchill on:


Socialism,

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings.

The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.



Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.



Democracy,

The biggest argument against democracy is a five minute discussion with the average voter.





Taxes,

There is no such thing as a good tax.



We contend that for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.




Margaret Thatcher: "The trouble with Socialism is, sooner or later you run out of other people's money."



"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting

the American Government take care of him; better take a closer

look at the American Indian."



Henry Ford



The problems we face today are here because the people who work
for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.
Unknown