OK, now that I have your attention, here's my point. When we say "the government should pay for [whatever]," some don't seem to realize that it's WE who pay for that, not some faceless entity.
Here's my modest proposal: let's match up the donors and the recipients! If part of my taxes go to welfare, Medicaid, etc., give me the names and addresses of the people I'm helping. And give them mine.
And expand it to other areas: for defense, tell me what my money bought, and for whom. If I helped supply soldiers, tell me who. If it bought equipment, tell me what, and from what company. Foreign aid: tell me what country. "Corporate welfare" (although I have yet to see anyone here demonstrate that cash payments, as opposed to tax deductions, are given to corporations): what company? And so on.
Yes, it's crazy. And any breakdown would be time-consuming and arbitrary.
My point is that if we did something like this, maybe the money would be more wisely spent.
Thoughts?
2007-08-05
06:59:31
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9 answers
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asked by
American citizen and taxpayer
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Other - Politics & Government