Honestly, what's the big deal about taxes?

[margotb822]

Aren't they the price we pay for having this society? Police, schools, roads, a military?

I guess, the way I feel is that I am lucky to be an American and living this lifestyle. I think that if we all pay in, we all benefit. I went to a great public school, but every year, the budget failed because so many of the people without children (or whatever their reasoning) thought that educating future generations wasn't a good use of their money.

I am definitely willing to pay more in taxes if it means that schools will be funded, roads will be repaired, that our military will be properly equipped, that people have quality health care. These are the things that make us who we are, and I think that's just the price we pay for being part of this society.

I just don't get what the big deal is anyways. It's not like you can take your money or your things with you when you go.

[ananda]

1. I sure pay my share!

But then, I'm not rich or corporate either.

[Taverner]

2. Taxophobes

We pay the lowest taxes in the industrialized world, and some people STILL fucking complain

[960]

8. That's not really true.

Maybe federal income tax, but the total tax burden in the US is closer to the lower middle for industrialized nations.

[Taverner]

10. Show me the numbers

[960]

11. Couple of links.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/22469.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_rates_around_the_world
It is wikipedia, but there is a nice sourced graph.

I am not arguing that our tax rates are oppressively high, just pointing out the myth that they are extremely low compared to other nations.
(even most that are higher, are not significantly so)

[Towlie]

3. You're absolutely right, of course, but you'll never win an election if you talk like that!

[margotb822]

13. Haha, good thing I'm not running for anything!

Besides, if these anti-tax elected leaders really want to put their money where their mouth is, why don't they take a pay cut to the median American income? Why should their constituents waste their moeny for those gasbags to yak and waste time??

[960]

4. There are many reasons.

Even though taxes are a worthwhile price to pay for a civilized society, people don't like seeing a big chunk of their paycheck taken out.

Besides idiots who don't know all the stuff taxes pay for, their is an issue of equality. Who gets taxed at which rates, fairness blah blah blah.... and of course their is the WASTE of tax dollars.

I don't like paying for a trillion dollar war, or 75,000 for some guy's new office desk, or breast implants put on government credit cards etc.

[YOY]

5. When everyone is vying for a piece of your paycheck

The easiest baddie is the one who has been called "the problem" by conservatives. Everyone else is just "doing business" and "providing competitive services".

Health Care, Credit companies, Investment Brokerages, insurance companies, gas companies, and everything else that is needed are not the bad guys in many folks eyes. Funny thing is that they have been taking bigger and bigger chunks of change over time.

It's just easier to blame "gubmint".

And I daresay that our military budget mostly goes to Lockheed Martin and the like developing arms for an arms race that has been over for 20 years. Huge swathes of that could be cut without endangering our troops...of course making sure they're not fighting a war for no good reason save to spend money would help.

I find that the people who bitch the most are single white men. I had one tell me how much better I was off financially because I was married and have a kid. He had no idea how much of my paycheck goes to food, medical care, insurance, etc...

[old mark]

6. Read here this morning the "tax increase" on those making over

$250,000 per year will be $300 per every $10,000 over that base figure, works out to a bit more than 82 cents per day per $10,000.

Won't even buy a latte.

mark

[falcon97]

7. They were explained to me by former

Ohio Gov. Jack Gilligan as how a mature society pays for itself, ie. its needs. Seems pretty rational.

[margotb822]

12. Welcome to DU

Yea, that's the way it seems to me, too.

[jmg257]

9. I guess it all depends on how much you pay, and where your money goes. nt