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Non-Tech : Who Really Pays Taxes? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: kvkkc1 who wrote (343)	8/16/2000 5:26:21 PM
From: ztect	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 666

kvkkc1.... You wrote, Most of us receive little to nothing from the Gov't except the Defense(thank goodness) and interstate highways. Well, who then pays for your police and fire protection? Your trash pick-up? Your Federal, State and Local criminal justice systems including prisons? Who pays for your Municipal buildings including conventions centers that spur local tourist, and hospitality economies? Certainly your safety is of benefit to you? Certainly if you're in a business that benefits from the economic impact of being adjacent to a new transit station, highway exit, or convention center you receive the business generated by such Federal, State , and local largess? If your local school gets federal money to build a new school, certainly that is of benefit to you if you live in that school district. If the Federal government helps to pay for more police on your local streets, that of some benefit to you. If a local or federal employee patronizes your business, your tax dollars that pay the salaries of cops, teachers, construction workers, secretaries, and even politicians, you benefit....don't you when they use their salaries to purchase something from you? If you've received low interest loans to go to school or start a business, hasn't it benefitted you? Plus what about the GI bill? This is just a glib list, without much thought given in which local, state and federal tax dollars directly and indirectly may benefit you. So. I'd strongly disagree with your reductionist point of view, since the "government" impacts and benefits in many ways we don't realize. Now as for national defense. Yes, this is essential, but in the name of national defense has been some of the biggest pork barrel projects like the B-1 bomber, the Osprey helicopter, "star wars", and numerous other projects. While at the same time that these huge government work projects were awarded, some men and women in the service have been using food stamps. Since Vietnam, if you really look at the numbers, more Americans have killed each other than have been killed defending our national interests. Seem like we need defnse from ourselves more so than from foriegn countries. Now as for all this money flushed down the toilet in the "name" of defense to provide jobs to the districts of Congressman with seniority like the late former Senator Alan Cranston in whose district the B-1 was largely built at somewhere near $500 mill a piece, did this really strengthen the collective security of the nation? Or, did this spending provide a job for someone on the production like at Boeing or McDonald Douglas? What was the tangible consequence of these systems that were pork barrel spending? Old bridges and school buildings crumbling? Or, massive decifits that accumulated to create an enormous national debt? For all the rhetoric, the two greatest expenses in the general funds are defense, and paying interest on the accumulated debt. Social Secuity is another large expense but in theory it is suppose to be separate from the general funds. In practise money from SS has funded the general budget programs. Now what is this accumulated debt despite the recent and projected annual surpluses? $$5,679,371,484,367.22 (per 8/15/00) publicdebt.treas.gov (This seems too have three too many digits can some one confirm this number?) What is the interest payment on this accumulated debt? 1999 Fiscal Year- $353,511,471,722.87 publicdebt.treas.gov (This seems too have three too many digits can some one confirm this number?) What does the general public get for paying taxes to pay this interest? Not very much. More of a wealth transfer from the poor tax payers to the rich bond holders. Seems like we should pay down the accumulated debt from years and years of deficits, rather than pay all our tax dollars on interest. Seems like this would be fiscally prudent and conservative. One or two years of surpluses, doesn't necessarily warrant a return to the policies that created the deficits that created this accumulated debt. People seem to not be able to distinguish between deficits, surpluses and debt. Big George, once referred to the policies that exacerbated this debt as "voo doo" economics. Seems like he forgot to tell his son. Anyway.... Found this page.... fms.treas.gov Haven't had a chance to look through it. Looks like it would be very germane to this dialogue. z (Spelling not checked)