Government may be big and scary, but it sure is useful. I may have my own ideas about how I'd like to spend my money, but no matter how smart I may be, I can't think my way into paving I-80. If I want to be able to get to New York City, I'm going to have to depend on other people, and even cough up some dough.
(Then I have to start worrying about whether I should be spending that money on more efficient transportation, and environmental research... and I've got a federal government.)
To think that the best way to ensure the long-term happiness of the people of the United States is to give them all a block of cash (more if you make more money, less if you make less) is just throwing money at the problem.
The government is no smarter than its people. We're making up our minds right now about how we're spending that money. If you vote, you've got your say in how that money gets spent. (And if you don't like the deal, move to Russia and just stay one step ahead of the tax police.)
To quote Montgomery Ward (back in the good old days of the 1950s, when the top tax rate was over 50%): "I don't mind giving half of my money back to the American people, because I get all of it from them."
Slashdot Mirror
2001-03-17 00:00:30 Why not a random guess? Cheaper than playing the Lotto.
Government may be big and scary, but it sure is useful. I may have my own ideas about how I'd like to spend my money, but no matter how smart I may be, I can't think my way into paving I-80. If I want to be able to get to New York City, I'm going to have to depend on other people, and even cough up some dough. (Then I have to start worrying about whether I should be spending that money on more efficient transportation, and environmental research ... and I've got a federal government.)
To think that the best way to ensure the long-term happiness of the people of the United States is to give them all a block of cash (more if you make more money, less if you make less) is just throwing money at the problem.
The government is no smarter than its people. We're making up our minds right now about how we're spending that money. If you vote, you've got your say in how that money gets spent. (And if you don't like the deal, move to Russia and just stay one step ahead of the tax police.)
To quote Montgomery Ward (back in the good old days of the 1950s, when the top tax rate was over 50%): "I don't mind giving half of my money back to the American people, because I get all of it from them."