There are folks out there who see how much they're paying in taxes and wonder why they're paying so much if they aren't getting free college, free birth control, free food, free housing, free... the list goes on.
Very good that they recognize a problem.
There's a problem, and it has to do with the fact that, as Marylanders in America, we more or less pay about 30% of our income to taxes (between state, federal, county, property, sales, and others).
Very good that they recognize a problem.
There's a problem, and it has to do with the fact that, as Marylanders in America, we more or less pay about 30% of our income to taxes (between state, federal, county, property, sales, and others).
One example of why taxes are so high is the fact that the USA spends more than the next twenty-something sovereign nations COMBINED on militia, under the partial guise of "defense."
That's certainly not to say that all tax spending is illegitimate. A militia for national defense of our citizens, for example, is legitimate.
Other legitimate government spending includes legislative services to uphold contracts and order, and basic necessary services (like a police force and firefighters and very general public services to maintain order and preserve life, liberty, and property) - those are often legitimate on federal and state levels. And make sense naturally in a society our size.
It seems to me like the statement from so many progressives who say "give me free ___" is, "We pay this much, why not give us more for what we're paying in taxes, instead of just lining the pockets of politicians?" And I get what they're saying - but what they might consider is that adding federal/state funding of birth control, college, cell phones, food, and housing... doesn't mean the government will incorporate any or all of those things into the current 30% you pay up in tax... it just makes that percentage grow from where it is now.
In America, we don't pay 50 or 75% of our income to the state to have them regulate (and provide) everything in our lives, like some nations do.
My goal is to promote DECREASES in federal/state spending, which means decreases in federally-funded (and therefore regulated, and provided) and state-funded (again, regulated & provided) services to the least common denominator in all arenas. A free market works better. When you hand out freebies, you deprive people of their dignity.
I'm all for private entities that provide charity (the Freemasons are an example). There are many various fraternal orders that are private entities that take care of their members.
My aim is decreased spending and decreased taxation, but people are inclined not to think that way - they don't see cutting spending as an option. They'd sooner say, "I pay so much already, give me my money's worth!"
The reality is, it's a pipe dream.
Yours in Liberty,
Joseph Sandy
That's certainly not to say that all tax spending is illegitimate. A militia for national defense of our citizens, for example, is legitimate.
Other legitimate government spending includes legislative services to uphold contracts and order, and basic necessary services (like a police force and firefighters and very general public services to maintain order and preserve life, liberty, and property) - those are often legitimate on federal and state levels. And make sense naturally in a society our size.
It seems to me like the statement from so many progressives who say "give me free ___" is, "We pay this much, why not give us more for what we're paying in taxes, instead of just lining the pockets of politicians?" And I get what they're saying - but what they might consider is that adding federal/state funding of birth control, college, cell phones, food, and housing... doesn't mean the government will incorporate any or all of those things into the current 30% you pay up in tax... it just makes that percentage grow from where it is now.
In America, we don't pay 50 or 75% of our income to the state to have them regulate (and provide) everything in our lives, like some nations do.
My goal is to promote DECREASES in federal/state spending, which means decreases in federally-funded (and therefore regulated, and provided) and state-funded (again, regulated & provided) services to the least common denominator in all arenas. A free market works better. When you hand out freebies, you deprive people of their dignity.
I'm all for private entities that provide charity (the Freemasons are an example). There are many various fraternal orders that are private entities that take care of their members.
My aim is decreased spending and decreased taxation, but people are inclined not to think that way - they don't see cutting spending as an option. They'd sooner say, "I pay so much already, give me my money's worth!"
The reality is, it's a pipe dream.
Yours in Liberty,
Joseph Sandy
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