This a million times. The reality here is that its politically easier to simply raise taxes and feed the spending beast instead of trying to reform it and make

This a million times. The reality here is that its politically easier to simply raise taxes and feed the spending beast instead of trying to reform it and make it more efficient. This is a major problem in representational democracy where the voters are easily swayed to vote against their own interests. Look at how Chicago continues to vote itself bankrupt. They just dont have any leadership options who could trim down the budget and put bloaty public sector unions and their wasteful shenanigans in their place. These types of leaders never make it to the primaries as their corrupt counterparts simply outspend/outfavor them. Taxes become a more delicate subject as you get older and realize that the salary you're making now is pretty much it for life. You'll get cost of living raises but its not like being young where there's nothing but upwards growth AND the tax refund system is very generous with you. Every tax raise then becomes a decrease in your lifestyle, quality of life, retirement, etc. The recent Chicago property tax means one less vacation for my family. We're expected to get 5-10 of these sized tax raises by the time I retire simply to catch up to pension spending deals signed decades ago. This is something to have legitimate outrage over. Meanwhile Chicago is losing population, so yes maybe the ultra-rich don't move, but regular lower/middle class people certainly do due to taxes and cost of living increases: Chicago area has greatest population decline of any U.S. city in 2015 http://wgntv.com/2016/03/25/chicago-area-has-greatest-population-decline-of-any-u-s-city-in-2015/ http://wgntv.com/2016/03/25/chicago-area-has-greatest-popula...