"entitlement payments" is what, a euphemism for social security et al? There is no doubt in my mind that the quality of the social safety net plays into everyon

"entitlement payments" is what, a euphemism for social security et al? There is no doubt in my mind that the quality of the social safety net plays into everyone's ability to make money and take risks. But you've already ceded the point that taxes make sense - we're just arguing about how much and how to spend them.