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Maybe I would be more on board if I felt the government could properly manage the additional funds this would generate. It's not like they have a great track re

by Pigo 7y ago

Maybe I would be more on board if I felt the government could properly manage the additional funds this would generate. It's not like they have a great track record with what they already have. DC has something like half of the 10 wealthiest counties in the whole country. Why is that?

ne0flex 7y ago
>Maybe I would be more on board if I felt the government could properly manage the additional funds this would generate. It's not like they have a great track record with what they already have. Whenever I hear someone saying we need to increase taxes, I always refute their point with something along these lines. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that simply throwing money at a problem may solve it. A few weeks ago there was another story posted on HN that related to multinationals shifting profits to tax havens. Someone commented about how they don't mind paying their taxes as they got public services in return, and that if someone doesn't like paying taxes they should stop and forgo the use of said services. I responded saying that most people probably don't mind paying taxes however they are getting angry that they aren't getting the bang for their buck. The person's response was that we should give fund the IRS to collect MORE tax revenue. I'm willing to bet that the government is receiving enough in taxes already. Unless we solve the root problems of gross misspending, unaccountability, etc. giving them more money won't solve anything and instead anger more people, and leave many others with mediocre public services and claim they can't function properly because they're 'underfunded'.
- Pigo 7y ago
  I couldn't agree with you more. People seem to forget that the power to tax someone comes from the barrel of a gun or the threat of prison. Maybe everyone should work for some part of the government for a short time in their life, so they can see how horribly inefficient they are. It would be much more courageous to propose legislation that held their feet to the fire financially, than just finding more places to take money from.

by Pigo 7y ago

ne0flex 7y ago

>Maybe I would be more on board if I felt the government could properly manage the additional funds this would generate. It's not like they have a great track record with what they already have. Whenever I hear someone saying we need to increase taxes, I always refute their point with something along these lines. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that simply throwing money at a problem may solve it. A few weeks ago there was another story posted on HN that related to multinationals shifting profits to tax havens. Someone commented about how they don't mind paying their taxes as they got public services in return, and that if someone doesn't like paying taxes they should stop and forgo the use of said services. I responded saying that most people probably don't mind paying taxes however they are getting angry that they aren't getting the bang for their buck. The person's response was that we should give fund the IRS to collect MORE tax revenue. I'm willing to bet that the government is receiving enough in taxes already. Unless we solve the root problems of gross misspending, unaccountability, etc. giving them more money won't solve anything and instead anger more people, and leave many others with mediocre public services and claim they can't function properly because they're 'underfunded'.

Pigo 7y ago
I couldn't agree with you more. People seem to forget that the power to tax someone comes from the barrel of a gun or the threat of prison. Maybe everyone should work for some part of the government for a short time in their life, so they can see how horribly inefficient they are. It would be much more courageous to propose legislation that held their feet to the fire financially, than just finding more places to take money from.