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The cost of running that passport service? Isn't this a federal agency? Why wouldn't this be covered by federal taxes? Likely import/export taxes.

by blhack 14y ago

freyr 14y ago
Seriously? So when it's something you personally want, everyone's supposed to chip in and pay for you. But when it's something you don't personally want, the government is spending your tax dollars wastefully. Got it.
- blhack 14y ago
  In case you don't understand the American tax system: In the US we pay income tax. That is, a percentage (a large percentage) of my income goes directly to the federal government. In addition to this, when goods I buy that are manufactured in other countries are imported, there is a tax levied against them. I was using the passport thing as an example of "poor marketing" on behalf of the US Federal government because my perception is that I already did pay for it.
- clarky07 14y ago
  As opposed to your theory of he should pay for the thing he wants and also be happy about paying for what everyone else wants?
  - freyr 14y ago
    As opposed to my theory that he's going to end up paying for some things in addition to taxes, and his taxes are going towards some things he doesn't personally use, so he might as well get over it. What are the alternatives? 1) Everyone only pays only for what they personally use. Services utilized by a relatively small subset of the population become prohibitively expensive, such that only the wealthy can afford them, or they are discontinued entirely. 2) Everyone pays completely for every government expenditure and every transaction between the government and the public. Taxes go up because now everybody's paying more for a larger number of expenses they'll never use. 3) Taxes pay for the things almost everyone uses, plus they subsidize the essential things that many people use to the point where they're not cost-prohibitive to only the wealthy. Additional required operating costs for these select services can be paid for through fees to the people utilizing them. Yes, my theory is that the third option is the best.

The cost of running that passport service? Isn't this a federal agency? Why wouldn't this be covered by federal taxes? Likely import/export taxes.

by blhack 14y ago

The cost of running that passport service? Isn't this a federal agency? Why wouldn't this be covered by federal taxes? Likely import/export taxes.

freyr 14y ago

Seriously? So when it's something you personally want, everyone's supposed to chip in and pay for you. But when it's something you don't personally want, the government is spending your tax dollars wastefully. Got it.

blhack 14y ago
In case you don't understand the American tax system: In the US we pay income tax. That is, a percentage (a large percentage) of my income goes directly to the federal government. In addition to this, when goods I buy that are manufactured in other countries are imported, there is a tax levied against them. I was using the passport thing as an example of "poor marketing" on behalf of the US Federal government because my perception is that I already did pay for it.
clarky07 14y ago
As opposed to your theory of he should pay for the thing he wants and also be happy about paying for what everyone else wants?
- freyr 14y ago
  As opposed to my theory that he's going to end up paying for some things in addition to taxes, and his taxes are going towards some things he doesn't personally use, so he might as well get over it. What are the alternatives? 1) Everyone only pays only for what they personally use. Services utilized by a relatively small subset of the population become prohibitively expensive, such that only the wealthy can afford them, or they are discontinued entirely. 2) Everyone pays completely for every government expenditure and every transaction between the government and the public. Taxes go up because now everybody's paying more for a larger number of expenses they'll never use. 3) Taxes pay for the things almost everyone uses, plus they subsidize the essential things that many people use to the point where they're not cost-prohibitive to only the wealthy. Additional required operating costs for these select services can be paid for through fees to the people utilizing them. Yes, my theory is that the third option is the best.