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I think taxes are good. I don't mind paying taxes at all. I want to support community services and public works and social equality. The only context in which

I think taxes are good. I don't mind paying taxes at all. I want to support community services and public works and social equality. The only context in which I really really hate paying tax is where I feel that the politicians are looting the public money to enrich themselves and give themselves generous employment benefits well beyond that of ordinary citizens.

prostoalex 9y ago
It's more complex than politicians looting for personal enrichment, and it feels like those corruption cases are handled with an occasional FBI arrest here and there. Ever notice how some of the political candidates are supported by some public employee unions, e.g. a candidate supported (and frequently financed) by police, teachers, prison guards, etc.? Well, that same politician, once elected, is frequently in charge of negotiating the public sector compensation and pension benefits. In what might come as a total surprise, they turn out to have very weak negotiating skills when it comes to dealing with unions that invested in their previous rounds. You don't have to look very far - as far as few years ago the city of San Jose had to suspend hiring policemen, and lay off some junior teachers due to funding issues. Meanwhile on the other end of the paycheck spectrum a bunch of public employees were throwing early retirement parties, having locked in a six-figure pension for the rest of their lives http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/30/bay-areas-200k-club-analysis-finds-fat-pensions-belong-to-nonunion-bosses/ http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/30/bay-areas-200k-club-an...
- Clubber 9y ago
  A good example of this is all the union busting the GOP were championing in the 2010s or so. The police and fire unions supported the GOP and the GOP went on to reduce some of the power of the worker's unions. Scott Walker is one of these politicians. The police and fire unions were left unharmed and are still strong. There could be an argument that the strength of the police unions are partially to blame with the issues we are having with police shootings and lack of prosecution, among other things.

prostoalex 9y ago

It's more complex than politicians looting for personal enrichment, and it feels like those corruption cases are handled with an occasional FBI arrest here and there. Ever notice how some of the political candidates are supported by some public employee unions, e.g. a candidate supported (and frequently financed) by police, teachers, prison guards, etc.? Well, that same politician, once elected, is frequently in charge of negotiating the public sector compensation and pension benefits. In what might come as a total surprise, they turn out to have very weak negotiating skills when it comes to dealing with unions that invested in their previous rounds. You don't have to look very far - as far as few years ago the city of San Jose had to suspend hiring policemen, and lay off some junior teachers due to funding issues. Meanwhile on the other end of the paycheck spectrum a bunch of public employees were throwing early retirement parties, having locked in a six-figure pension for the rest of their lives http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/30/bay-areas-200k-club-analysis-finds-fat-pensions-belong-to-nonunion-bosses/ http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/08/30/bay-areas-200k-club-an...

Clubber 9y ago
A good example of this is all the union busting the GOP were championing in the 2010s or so. The police and fire unions supported the GOP and the GOP went on to reduce some of the power of the worker's unions. Scott Walker is one of these politicians. The police and fire unions were left unharmed and are still strong. There could be an argument that the strength of the police unions are partially to blame with the issues we are having with police shootings and lack of prosecution, among other things.