Where would you like your tax dollars to go?

[pocaracas]

No matter the country in which you live, or your location on the political spectrum, taxes affect you in some way.

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The US is now looking at a proposed budget that cuts many social programs, including Federal Medicaid, after-school aid for low income families with children, Meals-on-Wheels for low income elderly, foreign aid, public broadcasting, the Coast Guard and more, while increasing funding for the military and the southern border wall.  They are also claiming that this budget is "compassionate", saying they won't ask a single mother or coal miner to pay for meals on wheels, but will ask them to pay for the military (all while not actually changing their tax burden one whit, mind you).  Also, many tax cuts for the top 1%.

So, what are your priorities?

I'd like to hear from our local Trump voters, but also other Americans, and foreigners, how would you prioritize your own tax dollars if you could?

Personally, I understand the need for some military and security spending of course, but it would be much lower on my priority list.  We already have the largest military in existence by quite a bit.  We could cut it in half and still have an enormous and over-bloated military.  cutting three quarters of it seems more reasonable to me.  Withdraw from exterior conflicts and invest more of that money in foreign aid.

Basically, my order would reverse that of the current administration.  I would like to see my tax dollars go to:
1. Improve public education.  This would include brick and mortor schools, but also programs such as PBS, and encowments for arts and humanities.
2. Medical aid for those living in poverty.
3. Useful infrastructure (bridges, schools, roads, Wind mills, solar plants, etc)
4. Food and clothing aid for those living in poverty.  Including welfare, meals-on-wheels, WIC, school lunch funding, nutrition education, etc.
5. Research and applications for protecting the environment.
6. Security spending, including military and Coast guard.
7. Increase the tax burden on the wealthy, decrease it on the middle class and poor.

The wall shouldn't even exist, imho, not one penny more should go towards what is already there.

I'm sure I'm missing a few things from my lists.  Please let me know what is important to you?  What would you reduce spending on?  What would you eliminate entirely?

And for Trump voters, do you agree with the proposed budget?  Do you feel it is in the best interest of most/all US citizens to greatly reduce and/or eliminate social programs and increase our military?

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I've been seeing this thread up here, but... I thought it was only for Americans... now that I clicked on it, I see it's open for us foreigners, too!


Well, I think taxes should be used to fund the whole public infrastructure of a country.
- What have the Romans ever done for us?
[...]
-All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

These guys knew something....
Sanitation - is a must. And we need to do it in a sustainable way so as not to compromise the future.
Medicine and public health - I'm from a country with a functioning national Health System, so I take this for granted... though I do know that many people here complain about how things are run in public hospitals and clinics... there's certainly room for improvement!
Education - Again, I take for granted public schools and even Universities. There are private ones, but we have ways to determine if they prepare their students any better than the public system does... and, on average, there's no difference. The main difference is between the schools in urban centers and rural schools.
Wine - okay, Government shouldn't invest in alcoholic beverages, nor in any kind of addictive drugs, unless where medically advisable.
Public order - the police. We need them. Humans misbehave.
Irrigation - let's skip this one
Roads - I'll add rail and subway.... also public transport, like busses... again, that's what I was raised with. There have been some attempts at privatizing public transport in Lisbon, but it hasn't worked out and is now in the City's hands. Transport infrastructure is important for people and goods to move.
Fresh water system - access to drinking water is considered a human right. Some people are now adding access to electricity and, even, internet (broadband).

I'd add public libraries and record keeping.
Also, a public information system (tv, radio, newspaper) is useful - in the hands of a decent government, it's a way to get unbiased..kinda... news. But it can also be a propaganda tool.


Military, yes they are a sad requirement. I don't know what's a reasonable expenditure on these guys... I know they require very reliable equipment which is often custom made. Very reliable and sturdy, not to mention dealing with ammunition, it's proper storage and safety and transport.... and usage.... and maintenance... and training of personnel...


Government itself needs funding. People won't work without some encouragement.
All the bureaucracy needs money money money! Nothing is more frustrating than having to pay for a form, or to change some entry on a database, like a registered car owner...