Where would you like your tax dollars to go?

[Mister Agenda]

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.

What did sarcasm ever do to you?

[Catholic_Lady]

Basic needs and health care for single moms and poor people who are unable to work.

[Mister Agenda]

Cut military spending until it's only equal to the next four countries combined. Use half the savings to pay down debt. Use the other half for sensible results-based programs. A fiscal conservative should consider that a win-win.

[Jackalope]

Where would you like your tax dollars to go?

Actually I'd like them to stay in my pocket as much as possible.

If you're being honest the question should really be, Where would you like other people's tax dollars to go?

Not really; you're projecting here I think. Taxes are a consequence of, and the price for, living in a civilized society. As such, I don't mind paying my share. I like many of the things my taxes buy, some not so much.

I'd like to see defense spending shrink substantially, and increased spending on programs to help those who are less fortunate. We do a pretty shitty job of that compared to what we could do.

[The Valkyrie]

More into medicine and scientific research.

Also to space exploration.

[Amarok]

Education because knowledge is freedom

Healthcare because a healthy populous is a productive one

Addiction clinics what was a problem is now a crisis

Reforming our broken adoption system .So kids don't wind up being abused by the people we entrust them with. And native communities don't end up losing all there youths.

Reforming the senate

Reforming the RCMP (Mounties)

More Investigations into Neo Nazi and White nationalist groups. Quebec was a wake up call

Reforming military procurement so next time we send out troops to a desert they aren't in freaking jungle cameo

[Mister Agenda]

In my experience, troops don't much care what they wear to dessert. ;-)

[Amarok]

Where would you like your tax dollars to go?

Actually I'd like them to stay in my pocket as much as possible.

If you're being honest the question should really be, Where would you like other people's tax dollars to go?

Nope I mean MY TAX DOLLARS because taxes run society always have always will. And unlike some people (you) I love my country and willing to pay to keep it strong.

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In my experience, troops don't much care what they wear to dessert. ;-)

Fixed

[popeyespappy]

Cut military spending until it's only equal to the next four countries combined. Use half the savings to pay down debt. Use the other half for sensible results-based programs. A fiscal conservative should consider that a win-win.

In round numbers that would be about a 50% cut in defense spending. 50% of the defense budget wouldn't make the annual interest payments on the federal debt much less start paying it down.

[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...