(I'm not a fiscal conservative, but) Do more taxes pay for more and better civilization? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. The question should usually

(I'm not a fiscal conservative, but) Do more taxes pay for more and better civilization? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. The question should usually be about the right level of taxes. The problem is that the feedback cycle is often really long. So we are still coasting off of the large investments and projects of the past like the interstate system, dams and waterways, electric grids, etc. In the short term, we could ignore them (and mostly have), and lower expenditures, and everyone wins! Until it all starts falling apart (which is starting to happen) and we must make huge and costly investments all at once to fix them. Charlatans are selling short term snake-oil and leaving out the last bit. Eventually it would be nice for everyone to realize there is a cost to the level of civilization we enjoy. We do however need to be sure we are getting our tax dollars' worth. The big question is whether our electoral system/voting population can be convinced to elect realists.