From Island:
Quote:
|
Certainly zero help to the truely needy would cause much further hardship to those already having problems. . . but as it exists right now, TAXATION does not lead to relief. Taxation "for the needy" leads to bureaucrat putzing around until they have used up all the money paying themselves, and their friends, or paying any who will kiss ass whilst chasing funded-bone$.
|
And Paul (pbs, not ettsn who is trying to wind me up
)
Quote:
|
We could probably cut all taxes 75% and have a better society (poor are better cared for) if the government quit wasting tax dollars.
|
I fundamentally agree with you both - the government doesn't do a good job spending tax money. It needs to be less wasteful.
Your solution is to take the money away - I would rather they just spent it better (besides, you have a huge deficit to deal with). I do not, repeat that - DO NOT - want to see an unbridled welfare state. I just don't think the current tax system in the US is way out of kilter. Spending might be, but tax is not too bad. Like it or not, you guys have pretty bad outcomes for lower socio economic people.
You guys continually focus on the extreme cases - the transients who choose that lifestyle. Those deliberately screwing the system.
The system isn't designed to cover these people - welfare is designed to make sure that those who need it get it. That (inevitably) means that certain people screw the system. Certain corporations perpetrate huge fraud, but I don't believe all corporations are seeking to do so. Similarly, not all beneficiaries are bad.
People have the same rights, but they don't have the same opportunities. There is a suprisingly high percentage of NZ school children who go to school without breakfast (and sometime lunch) at least occasionally, because their parents are either too poor or have mismanaged their funds over the week.
These children don't learn well. They get sick. In these circumstances, while not impossible, it becomes significantly more difficult for someone to lift themselves out of poverty through education.
PS, interestingly, Anna (with the total wisdom of her 24 years) considers you guys to be naive