Taxes - Are We Getting Back What We Put In?

[KevinWestern]

Every year, the Federal Gov’t takes roughly 17-18% of my wife and I’s private and hard earned income. My employer also pays a portion of my payroll tax, which arguably is also money that I missed out on. Obviously, this $20k or so could be going to paying off student loans, investing in my local economy, or used to jump start a business, ect (creating value).

I just wanted to ask the question; do you feel like your tax dollars are going to good use?

Are we as a society getting in return something of equal value to the dollars that we’re pouring into the Federal gov’t, or is value being lost somewhere along the way?

Personally, I'm one who has some doubts...



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[Desperado]

I just wanted to ask the question; do you feel like your tax dollars are going to good use?.

Without a doubt absolutely not

Are we as a society getting in return something of equal value to the dollars that we’re pouring into the Federal gov’t, or is value being lost somewhere along the way? .

Lost is not the correct word for it. We as citizens are getting a minimum return on our investment at best. A lot of that tax money is not even spent within the borders of the United States.

 

[DiamondDave]

Well.. some are and some are even getting MORE than what they put in... unfortunately, a growing number are not getting out what they put in... they are those of us that are paying the higher rates and paying for the services of others

 

[KevinWestern]

Well.. some are and some are even getting MORE than what they put in... unfortunately, a growing number are not getting out what they put in... they are those of us that are paying the higher rates and paying for the services of others

I don't mind social safety nets. In fact, I think they're a great thing (and 100% necessary). But I don't doubt the fact that many of our social welfare programs are poorly engineered and create many perverse incentives.

One of my main concerns, however, are agencies like the DHS, or the fact that we spend billions developing drones and billions starting wars in countries that really haven't posed a threat to the United States (Iraq is estimated to eventually cost up to $6 trillion!).

When it comes to the DHS, personally I'd rather keep my money than pay the government to hire someone to spy on me.

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[healthmyths]

Every year, the Federal Gov’t takes roughly 17-18% of my wife and I’s private and hard earned income. My employer also pays a portion of my payroll tax, which arguably is also money that I missed out on. Obviously, this $20k or so could be going to paying off student loans, investing in my local economy, or used to jump start a business, ect (creating value).

I just wanted to ask the question; do you feel like your tax dollars are going to good use?

Are we as a society getting in return something of equal value to the dollars that we’re pouring into the Federal gov’t, or is value being lost somewhere along the way?

Personally, I'm one who has some doubts...



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I am answering as a liberal progressive, hysterical hyperbolic person would.
The Federal Govt. blows TAX DOLLARS ALL the TIME!
And unlike the above hysterical, hyperbolic person here are examples that are just so glaringly stupid waste of TAX MONEY!!!

• - $2.6 million to make sure prostitutes in China drink less on the job.
  
• - $1.44 million in federal funds estimating the size of the population and examining the “social milieu” of male prostitutes in Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City,
• - Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties
  
• - Studying pig poop. The EPA awarded a $141,450 grant under the Clean Air Act to fund a Chinese study on swine manure
  
• - a $1.2 million grant to the United Nations for clean fuel promotion.
  
• - Conferences for government employees. In 2008 & 2009 alone, the Department of Justice spent $121 million to host or participate in 1,832 conferences.
• - U.S. government has spent $1.5 million to preserve some artifacts left during the hostile Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island more than four decades go.
• While the State Department saved money on security in Libya, it somehow managed to find $5.6 million in 2011 to support “pressing cultural preservation needs”
  in dozens of foreign countries.
• $750,000 to restore a 16th-century tomb complex in India,
• $700,000 to conserve ruins in Tanzania,
• $600,000 for the “temple of the winged lions” in Jordan and
• $450,000 for the conservation of a 10th century temple in Cambodia. Those were just the big ticket projects.
• Hundreds of thousands more went to smaller causes throughout the world.
  
• I mean do you REALLY think spending $2.6 million IN CHINA studying drinking habits of Chinese prostitutes is essential??

As Obama says "ALL THE TIME"... these wasteful expenditures of OUR tax dollars happen ALL THE TIME!!

 

[Desperado]

As Obama says "ALL THE TIME"... these wasteful expenditures of OUR tax dollars happen ALL THE TIME!!

Obama has been in charge for over 4 years now and if anything he has made it worse not better.

 

[KissMy]

Every year, the Federal Gov’t takes roughly 17-18% of my wife and I’s private and hard earned income. My employer also pays a portion of my payroll tax, which arguably is also money that I missed out on. Obviously, this $20k or so could be going to paying off student loans, investing in my local economy, or used to jump start a business, ect (creating value).

I just wanted to ask the question; do you feel like your tax dollars are going to good use?

Are we as a society getting in return something of equal value to the dollars that we’re pouring into the Federal gov’t, or is value being lost somewhere along the way?

Personally, I'm one who has some doubts....

The rich like Romney only pay 13% tax. Us in the middle class are stuck paying the higher 18% - 26% rates. We are being forced to subsidize the rich.

 

[BreezeWood]

Taxes - Are We Getting Back What We Put In?

The banker who's compensation is $35 Million with minimal tax exposure is the problem - hundreds of employees of the same bank would be a better investment in the economy earning more with even "lower" taxes - the politicians have skewed the tax code to benefit high earners and for such compensations to be unjustly rewarded.

earning over $?3 Million or so should be taxed at a rate where the median income is increased for others by a prohibited resistance to excessive compensation - lowering taxes for those below the standard new median income.

 

[Leweman]

Taxes should work backwards. More money should go to the local communities then states then the fed. Not the other way around.

 

[KevinWestern]

Every year, the Federal Gov’t takes roughly 17-18% of my wife and I’s private and hard earned income. My employer also pays a portion of my payroll tax, which arguably is also money that I missed out on. Obviously, this $20k or so could be going to paying off student loans, investing in my local economy, or used to jump start a business, ect (creating value).

I just wanted to ask the question; do you feel like your tax dollars are going to good use?

Are we as a society getting in return something of equal value to the dollars that we’re pouring into the Federal gov’t, or is value being lost somewhere along the way?

Personally, I'm one who has some doubts....

The rich like Romney only pay 13% tax. Us in the middle class are stuck paying the higher 18% - 26% rates. We are being forced to subsidize the rich.

Well that's not very surprising given that the wealthy basically have free reign on Washington. If you want to free yourself from this mess, I suggest you start arguing for a reduction in size to our Federal Gov't.

Too many people want to grow the size of the Federal Gov't in a genuine but misplaced attempt to improve social welfare. Unfortunately, growing the size of the Federal Gov't does nothing but give the most powerful entities in the United States more power over us all. This is why we end up with a situation where commoners pay 20% and GE pays 0%. That is why we end up with a situation where war companies pulled in $3 trillion in revenue while we 'fought' a country that posed no threat to us.


We must get logical.


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[Mad Scientist]

What's the point of Taxation if the Gov't is just gonna' give it all back to you?

HINT: You're not supposed to get it back.