Would you still pay tax if it were optional?

[Helm]

Nothing to add here.

[Deep_Red]

The government wouldn´t get a penny from me given the choice.
But, once the situation is changed, I´d pay taxes again.

[Enemy of the State]

I would give them nothing, because they would simply waste anything I give them.

[Pious Agnost]

Then you would drive your countries into the ground.

I would pay the normal amount

[The Dude]

The government wouldn´t get a penny from me given the choice.
But, once the situation is changed, I´d pay taxes again.
-----------------------

"Every state is founded on violence."
"Stalin is the grave digger of the revolution."
-Leon Trotsky

Some communist you are.

[Deep_Red]

Some communist you are.

Quite suprising, huh?

[chilon]

The government wouldn´t get a penny from me given the choice.

This attitude is quite interesting.

Have you never used the roads that the government has built?

However, I might contribute to certain government programs, if I could send a check to a specific account. As it is now, you have no idea where your tax money goes. Given the choice, I would not pay for a single abortion, and that's a fact.

Allowing people to control where their tax dollars go is an interesting idea.

Although, for a self-identifying conservative, would you be ok if for instance the National Defense budget was instantly cut in half due to people not wanting so much tax dollars to go to War in Iraq?

Iraq war never would have happened if people could have "voted" with their tax dollars on where their tax dollars get spent.

Also, what if the vast majority of US Americans feel it worth it to pay tax dollars for universal health care?

Are you ok with that as long as you have the choice to not opt in to it?

[Deep_Red]

This attitude is quite interesting.

Have you never used the roads that the government has built?

Yes I have. But I too have paid money for wars abroad, for financial support of functioning corporations and for export of modern weaponry to dictators all around the globe.
Roads don´t suffice to make me accept that.

[Oldgamer]

Allowing people to control where their tax dollars go is an interesting idea.

Although, for a self-identifying conservative, would you be ok if for instance the National Defense budget was instantly cut in half due to people not wanting so much tax dollars to go to War in Iraq?

Iraq war never would have happened if people could have "voted" with their tax dollars on where their tax dollars get spent.

Also, what if the vast majority of US Americans feel it worth it to pay tax dollars for universal health care?

Are you ok with that as long as you have the choice to not opt in to it?

I would have contributed to the Iraq War effort.

I would not contribute to Obamacare.

What other people opt for would be their choice. But since America is primarily a Center-Right nation, I'm not worried about the Defense Department or universal health care. Or Cap-and-Tax. ad infinitum ...

[chilon]

I would have contributed to the Iraq War effort.

I would not contribute to Obamacare.

What other people opt for would be their choice. But since America is primarily a Center-Right nation, I'm not worried about the Defense Department or universal health care. Or Cap-and-Tax. ad infinitum ...

Ok so to clarify,


You would support citizens stating what government programs tax dollars go towards.

By accepting that you can control where your tax dollars go, you are ok with the notion that many things might happen that you do not agree with (since you believe the majority of the country would "vote" your way with their tax dollars).

I am ok with this as it seems you are at least being internally consistent with your beliefs.

However, I doubt such a system would ever be considered. Look at how incredibly large the share of tax dollars going to the Department of Defense. Look how much the Iraq war cost compared to NASA budget, NIH budget, how much medicare actually costs per year, etc. Based on public opinion polls (granting that those polls are misleading and not accurate but still give some indication), the vast majority of Americans would not have supported spending as much taxpayer dollars on Iraq as the US government did.

[Oldgamer]

Ok so to clarify,


You would support citizens stating what government programs tax dollars go towards.

By accepting that you can control where your tax dollars go, you are ok with the notion that many things might happen that you do not agree with (since you believe the majority of the country would "vote" your way with their tax dollars).

I am ok with this as it seems you are at least being internally consistent with your beliefs.

However, I doubt such a system would ever be considered. Look at how incredibly large the share of tax dollars going to the Department of Defense. Look how much the Iraq war cost compared to NASA budget, NIH budget, how much medicare actually costs per year, etc. Based on public opinion polls (granting that those polls are misleading and not accurate but still give some indication), the vast majority of Americans would not have supported spending as much taxpayer dollars on Iraq as the US government did.

I agree with you entirely. I know that such a system would never gain passage. I tossed it out to stimulate the conversation in this thread.

Speaking of stimulus, the American people supported the stimulus package, though. It has not stimulated the economy, and cost the people more than the Iraq War.

[Deep_Red]

"Our" countries?

[Pious Agnost]

Yours and his

[Enemy of the State]

This could be a great idea actually. The government would receive much less funding, resulting in smaller government. I might voluntarily pay a small sum if I knew it would go towards protecting my rights instead of trampling on them.

[Desperado †]

I would still pay. I'd much rather a situation where I could choose what my money was used for though.

Should those who do not pay still be allowed representation? Should they be allowed to vote?

[Pious Agnost]

That's an interesting idea.

But plenty of people don't vote as it is, you're virtually paying them not to

[JP226]

If it made my life better, sure.

[shadyrome]

Yes, Without tax. There wouldn't be public order heck there wouldnt be a nation;

[Musthavename]

I'd avoid paying the exact amount of tax that my tuition fees are costing me.

From then on i'd still pay some, but not as much.

[Helm]

It seems like a fair system that the government would recieve it's voluntary donations then decide what they should be spending it on. Rather than deciding what they would like to spend it on then forcing everyone to pay up the exact amount they need. But then why should the 37.5% of people who refuse to pay anything get to freeload?