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To all those, "we need schools and police officers so pay your taxes" crowd
We are talking about income taxes here....this is big boy topic. If you don't get it, you are not a big boy. Not all taxes are collected the same way and used the same. Read a book on the income tax scheme.
The GOP front runner has made a lo of promises. As it relates to healthcare, the promise is to " take care of everybody and the government is going to pay for it".
No more handouts to the states. Let the states increase their taxes/fees to make up for the massive shortfalls while cutting services to the bone.
Next natural disaster, the state is on the hook, 100%.
Out of curiosity, where do you believe the federal government gets "their" money?
Obviously, the amount of money states will have per capita will vary quite a bit causing many states to have funding issues; however, it would also allow states to invest more into the areas that may increase that states potential wealth.
The main point is that the feds get the money from the citizens of the states.
Why aren't more average Americans outraged at seeing 1/4-1/3 of their income disappear into a black hole?
We get a lot in return for our taxes. Great roadways, law enforcement, national security, taking care of our poor and impoverished, providing health care for our elderly, providing education for our children, being a world leader in space travel, exploration......I could go on.
Comparatively, we're not heavily taxed either, imo (see European nations).
Here's the thing: taxes in a society are necessary for common good issues like national defense, interstate highways, Food and drug, education, law enforcement etc and while we may grouse about the taxes we all understand we need to contribute. What many of us (myself included) are unhappy about is wasteful government and corruption -- not to mention gross stupidity by elected officials. Every year it seems to get worse and the tax code harder to navigate.
"Let me explain why I like to pay taxes for schools even though I personally don't have a kid in school. It's because I don't like living in a country with a bunch of stupid people." - John Green
Sorry, John Green. Public schools are the SOURCE of stupid people...
U.S. public schools educate only 26% of all public school students to even basic grade-level proficiency in math, 38% in reading, by 12th grade.
That in and of itself is bad enough, but pay very careful attention to the much lower basic proficiency percentages for Black students.
Black students' basic math proficiency percentage by 12th grade: 7%
Basic reading proficiency percentage by 12th grade: 16%
And specifically regarding the capabilities of Millennials...
Quote:
"This exam, given in 23 countries, assessed the thinking abilities and workplace skills of adults. It focused on literacy, math and technological problem-solving. The goal was to figure out how prepared people are to work in a complex, modern society.
And U.S. millennials performed horribly.
...But surely America’s brightest were on top?
Nope. U.S. millennials with master’s degrees and doctorates did better than their peers in only three countries, Ireland, Poland and Spain.
...The ETS study noted that a decade ago the skill level of American adults was judged mediocre. “Now it is below even that.” So Millennials are falling even further behind."
We get a lot in return for our taxes. Great roadways, law enforcement, national security, taking care of our poor and impoverished, providing health care for our elderly, providing education for our children, being a world leader in space travel, exploration......I could go on.
Comparatively, we're not heavily taxed either, imo (see European nations).
I'd say the vast majority of people want taxes in place to pay for such services, but the problem is the method and the waste.
We need our tax system completely overhauled from the ground up.
Personally, I'd prefer to have a consumption based tax system.
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