Ship of Fools: For the Americans out there

Thread: For the Americans out there Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :

Would you like to have an itemized Federal Tax Receipt for the taxes you paid last year? You can use this calculator to see how they were dispersed last year.

http://nationalpriorities.org/en/interactive-data/taxday/receipt/2012/taxespaid/0/

Personally, it bothers me that 1/3 of my taxes went to the military. Would that it could be half of that, or less.

Posted by The Riv (# 3553) on :

Are you more or less troubled by how much went to pay the interest on the national debt?

Posted by Bostonman (# 17108) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Riv:
Are you more or less troubled by how much went to pay the interest on the national debt?

The question wasn't directed at me, but much more. At least the debt is helping lift millions of Chinese citizens out of poverty.

Posted by Crœsos (# 238) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Bostonman:
The question wasn't directed at me, but much more. At least the debt is helping lift millions of Chinese citizens out of poverty.

I'd say they're more helped by the U.S. trade deficit, rather than any direct expenditures by the U.S. government (e.g. the federal budget deficit or federal debt). On a more realistic level, it could be argued that the ability to "dump" a portion of its GDP into U.S. government bonds (as opposed to internal re-investment) is a critical component of Chinese currency manipulation, significantly lowering the effective wages (as measured against international competitors) of Chinese workers.

Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :

Reduce the spending on the military and eventually the payouts to the national debt will be reduced.

Then too, raise the taxes on the upper 5% and the payouts can be reduced faster.

Posted by jbohn (# 8753) on :

Or do both, and make some real progress. [Smile]

Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :

US debt payments are entirely reasonable at the moment. If you think the US government should strive to never have debt, then learn how economics work. The United States is not a household, and your folksy financial understandings don't apply.

For pete's sake, interest rates are lower than inflation right now. Investors are literally paying the Fed to hold their money.

[ 16. April 2013, 19:13: Message edited by: Zach82 ]

Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :

Good point, Zach. Not saying we should be out of debt. Fact is our debt servicing is fairly reasonable as you point out.

But what does this say about our priorities when one third of our taxes are spent on the military and very little, relatively speaking, is spent on economic development programs or taking care of the poor or education.

As I look at how my federal tax dollars are spent it seems we are robbing from the poor in order to defend the rich

We have to remember, our national expenditures is a reflection of our national morality.

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :

I remember when in the UK I received my poll tax/council tax bill, it was accompanied by government-mandated information on local council finances, activities and expenditure. I don't pay the rates directly here so I don't see the bill, but I imagine that the NSW government requires something similar of its local councils.

In the UK the introduction was a bit politically motivated, a bit, "Hey people, see how those lefty councils are spending your money on lesbians," but it makes sense that we receive standardised information.

It also follows on that we should be able to receive the same sort of information in relation to national government spending. It's a bit difficult when particular types or rates of taxes are hypothecated; ie they are notionally or actually assigned for a particular purpose, like National Insurance contributions in the UK, or the distribution of GST to the Australian states, but surely something could be done?

Posted by moron (# 206) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gramps49:
We have to remember, our national expenditures is a reflection of our national morality.

Specifically, what are the top three changes you would make to make the US more moral?

It's OK if you limit it to the # 1 priority if you can't be arsed for all three - TIA.

Posted by Hairy Biker (# 12086) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gramps49:

Then too, raise the taxes on the upper 5% and the payouts can be reduced faster.

Ooh, you can't do that or they'll move all their income to a tax haven.

Posted by Justinian (# 5357) on :

quote:
Originally posted by moron:

quote:
Originally posted by Gramps49:
We have to remember, our national expenditures is a reflection of our national morality.
Specifically, what are the top three changes you would make to make the US more moral?

It's OK if you limit it to the # 1 priority if you can't be arsed for all three - TIA.

Off the top of my head, I'd go for actually following the way Jesus says nations shall be judged.

quote:
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

1: Fixing your social safety net - although it's better than anything around in Jesus' day.

quote:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in:

From what I can tell for the stranger as opposed to the homeless America normally does pretty well.

quote:
naked, and ye clothed me not:

See social safety net.

quote:
sick,

Single payer healthcare rather than having the most effective and inefficient healthcare system in the world that lets many, many people fall between the cracks.

quote:
and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Where to start on the American prison-industrial complex?

For Britain, it's much more prosaic. The first thing I'd do is throw the Tories out, protect the NHS and undo as many as possible of the Tory austerity measures targetted at the lowest (and their tax cuts for the rich). I'd jack up inheritance taxes and build more council houses. And I'd get rid of the detention centres for asylum seekers (and cut back the prison system as much as possible beyond that).

Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :

Moron

I think I already answered your challenge, but if you insist:

1. Guarantee every family a minimum income (actually proposed by Richard Nixon almost thirty years ago.)

2. Establish single payer health insurance for all residents of the United States.

3. Forgive all student loan payments and establish a system where people seeking higher education will be able to get one based on ability to pay.

4. Biggen to rebuild our aging infrastucture

the last thing on my list would be the military

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