If I make enough money to support my family and am a good samaritan, should I be required to reinvest in my community again? (Note: I'm not saying if I'm for taxes or against them, I just want to know what people think)
2007-12-27 07:42:08 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
You have the opportunity to make use of numerous government services. You should be required to pay something into those services, or they will become unavailable to everyone due to lack of funding.
2007-12-27 07:46:24 · answer #1 · answered by Citicop 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
We all should pay so we can live in a civilized community. It costs money for public education, emergency service (police, fire, ambulance), roads, national security and intelligence, etc. This is really a basic question. It has nothing to do with wealth redistribution. In fact, if people paid their fair share then we wouldn't be having the problems we have. (Think of all the environmental damage done by businesses.) People always try to get out of paying their fair share. People that have more should help others. It's a benefit to them. It's the right thing to do. It's payment for being able to do so. It also comes down to what kind of world do you want to live in? It's not black and white. It is complicated. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is costing the U.S. $15 billion a month.
What are we getting for that kind of money? Nothing as far as I can tell but some U.S. based companies are making a killing I'm sure. We aren't safer. It's false. I notice that some Republicans are really good at attacking Democrats for seeing the bigger picture. We aren't so narrow minded and so dollar foolish as they are. We see the forest through the trees.
2007-12-27 07:50:57 · answer #2 · answered by Unsub29 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Taxes will go to pay for items that would be prohibitively expensive for you to pay for as an individual. Items like:
Road maintenance and repair
Fire and police services
National and local transportation infrastructure (airports and air traffic control, railroads, etc...)
If you want food to be available at the supermarket, you need to make sure the roads and railways are in good order. That takes taxes.
If you want to secure your personal property, and have an assurance that you will avoid being a victim of a crime every time you leave the house, you need to have a police department, and that takes taxes.
If you want someone to help you put out a fire, or rescue your kitty from a tree, you need a fire department, and that takes taxes.
If you want to be able to drive down the road without destroying your car's suspension, you need a municipal road maintenance department, and that takes taxes.
Taxes are not just for fighting wars, and supporting the needy. They are used to support the provision of the goods and services that you rely on every day. And, that is why you should pay them.
2007-12-27 07:54:42 · answer #3 · answered by cbmttek 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, it depends on what taxes you are talking about. I'm going to assume it's the federal income tax.
"Why" is a good question if the money is treated as an easily renewable resource. Spending is out of control (Not a fault of either party, but both), not long ago we spent nearly a million to send TWO SCREWS overseas to Iraq. It begs to question, if they are going to take money I could use to buy myself food, clothe my children, and maintain my property, why should I allow them to use my money irresponsiblly?
So now let's assume that the Income Tax was abolished. Contrary to popular belief, this won't spell certain doom for modern day society. We would have the same budget we had ten years ago, which is still very, very good. BUT... the budget needs to be used and distributed responsiblly.
I am 100% for abolishing the income tax, but we need to rethink on how we are going to allow government to waste our money and what programs, departments, and policies are actually necessary.
2007-12-27 07:57:33 · answer #4 · answered by Hellion 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To help maintain a civilized society in which you can peacefully and successfully support your family and be a good Samaritan. For me personally, there is also a debt to society that I willingly accept and expect others to accept as well. Now, why you should have to deal with a monstrous tax code and irresponsible government spending is a whole other question.
2007-12-27 07:49:18 · answer #5 · answered by zero 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
you seem to look at this issue in a very short sighted way. if you were living a hundred plus years ago, out in the wilderness, you might have a case. today we are all dependent on each other, (similar to the pooling of resources provided by insurance). just because you and your immediate family are healthy does not mean you should be unfamiliar with the needs of others around you. your parents in their old age? your neighbor who has a catastrophic medical event? these are just two examples; but, they make the point.
2007-12-27 07:57:30 · answer #6 · answered by bilez1 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course you should if you enjoy the infrastructure that government provides. Even if you don't think you benefit you still need to be a "good Samaritan" and help with the services that benefit others.
2007-12-27 07:47:32 · answer #7 · answered by Othniel 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think you should pay about 1/300,000,000th of the annual budget for running the country each year, since that's "your share", that seems reasonable, doesn't it?
The estimated budget for 2008 is $2,590,258,000,000
If you divide that by the US population (roughly 300,000,000), that comes out to $8,634 per resident, so I think you should pay that amount each for each person living at your address.
Is there ANY good reason you shouldn't?
2007-12-27 07:58:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you benefit from social services you have to pay taxes. so if you use garbage pick up, expect the police to keep you safe, drive on community roads, use the commercial ventures in your community or use the local churchesor schools you should pay taxes.
2007-12-27 07:48:10 · answer #9 · answered by Jerry M 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mostly because if you don't you get to go to jail.
But also you do get the benefit of national defense and roads and the like. While the government may take on more functions than it needs to some of those things you require you should bare part of the burden on supplying.
2007-12-27 07:46:16 · answer #10 · answered by G-gal 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
You depend on the police to protect you from criminals. You depend on the Federal, State and Local government to protect your claim to the land you bought. You depend on the government to monitor the health of the conditions you life in and food you eat.
For all these things, you should pay your taxes.
Now, should the government be allowed to give money to people through programs when that money was taken by force (you go to jail if you don't pay your taxes) from other people? I think..NO. Should the government be allowed to give money that was taken by force to other countries? I think...NO.
2007-12-27 07:50:08 · answer #11 · answered by Junk 3 · 7⤊ 0⤋