Where would you like your tax dollars to go?

[Aroura]

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

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?

[Jesster]

They're cutting funding for the coast guard? That's amusing, considering that the coast guard tends to guard our coasts. I hear that's quite the concern these days.

[Whateverist]

I'm in favor of bigger government in general. So I'm in favor of single payer healthcare. I'd regulate the shit out banks, businesses and the environment. I'd make income taxes as progressive as they were under Eisenhower. Oh and I'd fund hella social services for the poor, take over all drug research federally, fund the arts and get a lot of big infra structure going.

---

If we ran out of money I'd just print some more. Oh and lets get some control over guns in this country, shall we?

[Anomalocaris]

Higher immediate spending priority - safely decommission and scrap enough military weapons, bases and asset to reduce long term military spending by 2/3.

[PETE_ROSE]

We could closed down the military and trust in the good of our fellow man. Open our borders, we don't need a wall. Alllow Canada to annex us and get "free" healthcare. Increase taxes on the wealthy and stop all taxes on the poor and middle class. Redistribute the wealth to those of us less fortunate. Erase all student loans. Implement free tuition. Seize all guns, no one needs them anymore. Sell them for scrap metal and build more Planned Parenthood facilities.

Do away with elected government, save on those salaries and expenses. NASA, the IRS, the EPA and the entire DOD is gone as well.

Legalize all drugs. Ban capital punishment and prison sentences over 5 years in length. Focus on rehabilitation.

Just a few ideas. Not necessarily in that order.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Significant expansion of the social safety net and greatly expanded scientific research. That should cover it.

Boru

[brewer]

To the "Save the Clock Tower" fund. Poor little Marty.

[vorlon13]

The country desperately needs a Total Perspective Vortex

[Aroura]

We could closed down the military and trust in the good of our fellow man.  Open our borders, we don't need a wall.  Alllow Canada to annex us and get "free" healthcare.  Increase taxes on the wealthy and stop all taxes on the poor and middle class.  Redistribute the wealth to those of us less fortunate.  Erase all student loans.  Implement free tuition.  Seize all guns, no one needs them anymore.  Sell them for scrap metal and build more Planned Parenthood facilities.

Do away with elected government, save on those salaries and expenses.  NASA, the IRS, the EPA and the entire DOD is gone as well.  

Legalize all drugs.  Ban capital punishment and prison sentences over 5 years in length.  Focus on rehabilitation.

Just a few ideas.  Not necessarily in that order.

So, you are unwilling to give a serious answer.  
Can I then safely assume you are in favor of defunding programs for the elderly in poverty, just afraid to say so?

Noted.

[PETE_ROSE]

Of course not.

Serious answer? If it is possible to get out from under the enourmous national debt we have, that window is probably about to close.

I would advocate that addressing the national debt is a priority. This can most likely only be accomplished by spending less or making more through increased taxes or more revenue from a higher GDP.

I would advocate to pare down the military and streamline our defenses, massively reduce foreign aid, and fit the expenditures of government to fit our tax revenue with a goal and commitment to get out of debt. Social programs, Medicare, Medicaid, and the like would be the last places to reduce spending. However, since they account for such a large share of our budget they would be analyzed for places to save money, increase efficiency, and prevent fraud.

As far as taxes go I see some merit in a progressive tax where the wealthy pay a larger percentage. But I would also like to see more of a tax at the point of sale. Where people are taxed when they spend their money. This would help eliminate hiding income, and working for cash and so on. I'm unsure how much income goes unreported but I am sure it is substantial. So says me.