I wrote/mailed tax checks today...

@ghasley , under a VAT system there are ways to protect those at the bottom of the ladder for food and cloths. 

In this system if you paid more in taxes you made more money so in a sense be happy that your tax bill is higher. Most people have it easy. They are W2ed. Self employed people have to pay quarterly and have much higher exposure to the process not to mention what we spend on accountants. 

One issue I find very irritating is the lay thought that wealthy people dodge taxes. That is BS of the highest order. The vast majority of wealthy people have no idea what is going on. They pay whatever their accountants tell them to pay. Criminals dodge taxes. Wealthy law abiding citizens do not and have no need to. I do not mind paying taxes. I mind what my taxes are spent on. I would love to buy a missile to fly up Putin's a-s. I do not like paying for artists to make offensive art.    

Would like to see more transparency about how tax dollars are used. Probably would be too revealing. Lots must be spent dealing just with red tape and legalities not to mention having to deal with shysters like Trump who spend their whole lives costing other people time and money with their lies and lack of ethics. It’s the taxpayers these days who have to pay just to keep the house in order.  Imagine the time and money wasted. 

@mapman 

Would like to see more transparency about how tax dollars are used

I know right? Here's the rub...its easy to follow the money:

About two-thirds of the tax dollars paid by Americans each year goes to Medicare etc, Social Security payments and unemployment payments. About 20-25% goes to Defense, Interest on the national debt.  Various other programs taking up about 8-10%. Everything else is funded by, you guessed it, debt. I cant imagine how the federal "budget" would look without low interest rates....

Both sides of the aisle should raise our taxes, get spending in check and reduce/eliminate our dependence on deficit spending. As a nation, we haven't taken advantage of the low rates, we've just enjoyed them.

Both sides of the aisle should raise our taxes, get spending in check and reduce/eliminate our dependence on deficit spending

This comment show ones lack of understanding of the real problem... Typical in the audiophile world too... as Ralph has pointed out on many occasions...

Steve

@sc2 

Steve, besides cutting spending and raising revenue, what other ways are there to close a budget gap?