Many – most – Americans don’t want their government programs and benefits cut. In fact, many of us want more – child care, Social Security benefits, expanded health benefits at lower cost, education – all coming from what we laughingly call “the government.”
Of course we all know everything we get comes from taxes or debt to be paid by future generations, but that rarely seems to matter. To make it more absurd we are told more money to spend can easily be taken from the “wealthy” and many people believe that.
Guess what? It doesn’t work that way.
Just look at the total tax and fee structure in any country with extensive social programs you admire.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
How on hell did we get here. As a kid, I remember paying $.25 for bread and gas at $.35 for gas. Those of us who worked for wages looked forward to an annual raise. Before Nixon froze raises for a year, raises were 8 to 10% a year.
Now we pay $2.50 for bread and $3.50 a gal. for gas so you can’t just blame our government for all the woes of today.
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There is genuine need by government and charities to support dependent people who can not support themselves.
There is also a segment of people who watch on TV or read on social medias about how people enjoy all kinds of luxuries and lifestyles and they want their”fair” share” from government. Most jobs do not support that style of living. SO they feel entitled to more and more riches.
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Some (millions) people work very hard and want luxuries like food, rent, and healthcare. Without having to choose one over the other.
The system has become very unbalanced. Don’t blame the guy at the bottom.
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Reasonably, you have to spend money to make money. Education, infrastructure, health, housing, etc.
I don’t think we should aspire to be more like Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Turkey.
May be OK for a totally rural or agrarian country, but the more urban we become, the more we need to spend on “government”. Increase the taxes and everyone will be better off. Even the “wealthy”. That’s the way it works.
https://www.compareyourcountry.org/tax-revenues
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In one of these places, you need very little tax. You could drown government in a bathtub.
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“Tax the rich,
Feed the poor,
Till there are no
Rich no more”
-Alvin Lee
This was from a 1971 war protest song but goes to show that expecting the well-off to pay for everyone else is nothing new.
The “poor” never consider where the money will come from once there are no rich no more…
Who’s next in line to bear the burden? Look in the mirror. The ever-shrinking middle class. Guess what, you’re now the rich!
America has definitely become the Land of the Entitlement. And you don’t even need to be a citizen to be entitled.
Babys scream when you try and take their candy away. America is full of screaming babies.
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There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear.
For What It’s Worth
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Agreed, there is a growing imbalance. But what is right and wrong? Is being wealthy evil? If so then everyone on the planet wants to be evil.
Stephan Stills has an estimated net worth of $20-30 million. Not in the top 1% but definitely not middle class. You can bet that even as progressive as his politics are, he has a slew of CPAs that do their best to minimize his tax burden.
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“Everything in Moderation. Nothing in excess.” – Socrates
Being wealthy is not evil (necessarily). And untold millions of us actually never aspire to be wealthy.
“Inequality” is fine, healthy, even. Excessive inequality can be fatal.
My dentist has two Corvettes (one for inclement weather) and a Ferrari. He works very hard, and smart. His receptionist has a used Nissan. If it gives out, her life becomes much more difficult, she may even lose her job. Then the dentist has to train a replacement. Bad for everyone concerned.
Not saying he should double her pay, but he and others like him should recognize that the working poor need either adequate pay, or a social safety net in order to remain productive. It is to everyone’s benefit.
He “and others like him” should recognize their best interest, their responsibility , is to maintain, and repair, if necessary, the health and welfare of the working class they rely on to operate their business.
Enlightened self interest.
It’s like maintaining your car. Shiny on top is not enough. You have to ensure that even the tiniest moving part receives adequate lubrication, and keep the rust of the bottom. Otherwise your shiny car sits useless on the side of the road.
Don’t blame the guy on the bottom.
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I am constantly amazed at how dumb some folks are about money, benefits and the state of our country. It’s like they go through life with a paper bag over their head.
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The same folks you mentioned on yesterday’s post that didn’t listen and went through life without knowing what their situation was in terms of retirement, health benefits, savings opportunities and so on are in greater numbers in the general population. It is no surprise they want benefits when they want them with no thought of who is paying.
For a supposedly educated population, at least in terms of literacy, and a large percentage of college grads or at least some college, the whole bunch is dumber than a sack of hammers.
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