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Comment by drost | Hacker News Reader

It's worth nothing. The government isn't supposed to generate revenue

If you don't want roads, defense, (some) healthcare, education, research, or any of the myriad other forms of infrastructure that makes civilization work, then sure, you don't need revenue.

If you do, then I would prefer that everyone pay what we've (collectively) decided that they owe. In that sense, a revenue-positive measure is good two ways: spend a buck, get $4 AND it enhances the rule of law by making everyone pay what they owe.

My state can handle all of that, I don't need a federal body that's 24tn in debt to steal even more of my money.

The thing is, the government already has enough income to do all that if they stop doing stupid shit like wasting the GDP equivalent of Mexico on invading desert shitholes or mass producing super-advanced fighter jets when our next closest peer can still be fought off with our cold war surplus

But please, tell me more how giving my money to an entity who routinely invests money in "local" corporations only for them to immediately do buybacks and disappear the money into the haze of wall street economics improves my quality of life

I'd argue that running the IRS like this is one of those dumb things.

There's a massive army of people manually transcribing forms in 2022. One old-timer (and his ability to turn new parts of a lathe!) is all that keeps a massive, country-wide system running.

It's like the definition of penny-wise and pound-foolish.

How much do you think roads, defense, health care, education really cost?

We've given Ukraine 55 billion dollars. We clearly have cash to spare. Why do we need to raise more?

I know the answer to this one: because we are taxed without actual representation. All the good buzzwords apply here- cash grab, wealth transfer, class warfare.

Do you cheat on your taxes?

I don't, so the net result of better enforcement for me is either a) I pay the same, and the government has more money or b) I pay less--and the treasury has the same amount.

Reasonable people can disagree about whether `a` or `b` is better, but I don't see how "we need this inefficient, broken system to create ad hoc tax breaks for people willing to press their luck" is anywhere close to either of them.

c) due to crippling interest rates and surging debt, the government increases the tax rate on the middle class by 15%. with its now 160k auditors, you better comply :)

You do realize that you are the one that pays the cost of an audit right? You're looking at potentially tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to effectively prove your innocence.

Most of what we have given Ukraine is weapons that were already paid for.

The ONLY thing in your list that is the purview of the federal government is defense.

Seriously people, read the freaking constitution. It really isn't that many pages (purposefully!)

Infrastructure is clearly in there too.

- "for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings"; - "fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;" - "To establish Post Offices and post Roads"

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