How do you respond to morans who say they don't want to pay higher taxes for the

[raccoon]

public schools, because they don't have kids in public schools?

That attitude is SO "I've got mine, the hell with anybody else."

[cdb]

1. Tell them

You don't want to pay taxes for land mines and missiles.

[KansDem]

14. This is an excellent response...

I might say something like:

So you don't want to pay higher taxes to put American children in schools? I don't want to pay higher taxes to put Iraqi children in morgues.

[Zywiec]

2. I'm sure people with kids in private school live in good neighborhoods

It's in their best interest to keep the local public schools in good shape, otherwise their property value will suffer.

[NewJeffCT]

8. Here in Connecticut

some of the wealthiest towns have excellent public schools.

I used to have a boss that was a staunch RW Republican. But, he used to brag that in his town, people were taking kids out of the elite local private schools (Avon Old Farms for boys, Miss Porter's for girls - which is where Jackie Kennedy went) and sending them to the town's public schools.

[Burma Jones]

3. I tell them School is cheaper than Jail

[MikeNearMcChord]

17. That is the best response, I give it to them also

Just like the old Fram air filter commercials, you can pay now or pay later.

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. Ask if they mind paying taxes when the money is used for roads?

Or bridges. Particularly those roads and bridges they may NEVER drive on, but their kids might someday. Like one over a river, for instance.

[ClassWarrior]

5. Tell 'em not to worry. Compared to their tax dollars being pumped...

...into the over-stuffed pockets of Haliburton executives and other corporate cronies, the amount of their money going to help future generations is a mere pittance.

NGU.

[DutchLiberal]

6. Not. They will never change.

[raccoon]

7. Thanks, yall, for some kick-butt answers! nt

[Warpy]

9. Ignorance costs a whole lot more than a few bucks in property taxes

Ignorance helped put the present gang of criminals into the White House. Ignorance gave the GOP a majority in both houses of Congress for 11 of 12 years. Ignorance is what is keeping people from realizing just how unfree this gang have made us.

[MADem]

10. Tell them fine--we'll let the graduate of Faith-Based Fundie Academy

do the math required to safely install your gas boiler in your home--and hope it doesn't blow up on ya.

And we'll let everyone who doesn't drive skip paying highway taxes. Oh, and anyone who doesn't like war? The chunk of the budget that goes to the Pentagon, they can deduct. No problem!!!!

What idiots. If they don't want to pay those taxes, they can MOVE to a town that doesn't give a shit about their schools. The big money, unless you live in a place like Vermont where it's a statewide game and everyone pays the same amount, comes out of the local property taxes in the town.

[AngryAmish]

11. We will crush you, we will destroy you

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. School bonds measures always get voted down around here.

& public schools are toilet bowls only for lower middle class & poor people's kids, people without a voice in the system.

[yardwork]

13. Ask them who they think will be supporting them when they retire.

Do they want a bunch of ignorant, unemployed people responsible for the U.S. economy when they are retired?

[bluestateguy]

15. Better schools mean higher property values for their home

Although that argument only works for people who own their own home, or have house that is almost paid off.

[Throwing Stones]

16. tell them to move somewhere that doesn't have public schools

[NewJeffCT]

18. Tell them

If our infrastructure starts falling apart, how is Best Buy going to deliver their new big screen LCD TV and home theater system to them? The roads will not be safe to drive, gas will be too expensive and maybe the bridge on the way is out of service?

[CrispyQ]

19. Education is our best hope!

I don't have kids, but I cannot imagine ever denying my support of educating each & every generation!!

The people you asked about are selfish entitled assholes.

[raccoon]

23. Same here--I don't have kids. But I went to public schools

which somebody paid for. (They sucked, but were a durn sight better than nothing.)

I'm OK with paying to educate the younger generations coming along.

[NuttyFluffers]

20. because a free society is 100% dependent on an educated populace

people need to understand how they are free and what are their responsibilities to keep this freedom.

does he want to live in a dictatorship in old age?

does he hate freedom?

[Locrian]

21. tell them

Tell them taxes wouldnt be so high if the WEALTHY and the CORPORATIONS paid their fair share (ie progressive taxation).

[terip64]

22. If they love America so much they should be willing to take care of it.

They should put their money where their mouth and pay their fair share to society. They act so patriotic and yet they don't want to foot the bill. Hypocrisy at its best!

[LaPera]

24. Typical republican thinking keep America dumb & poor as they steal the country....

[zbdent]

25. Usually, this is after their kids went through the school system

which gave them a bargain ... I say, if you don't like the "public school tax", then refund the school district what it cost them to educate your kids (no matter their grades, which, given Repuke propensity, were piss poor ...)

By repuke standards, libraries are a socialist invention. If you want to read a book, buy it ...