You watch to much Rambo movies. To me quality of live has nothing to do with being a macho. So i don't need drinking lots of beers, being muscled as Schwarzenegger or running around as 1 big tattoo. I served in the army. I saw many fat beer drinking "real and professional" soldiers. Where i live you join the army if you are not able to do anything else. As i understand in the US a lot of poor guys joined the army because of financial reasons. They were the first to start crying when they were send to the war in Iraq. They joined the army to survive ( financially), not to be a soldier, but ironically (and sadly) enough for many signing to survive was signing for their death. In Iraq we already passed the 2000 death US soldiers. That's why i don't like military stuff or people posting in a military style like you do. The last years they did more harm than good. And most of it thanks to misleading the people in the street. EDIT: I didn't join the army for financial reasons. We are obliged to serve in the army after graduating.
Style has nothing to do with the question at hand. Should one pay their fair share of taxes, or find a way to evade or avoid taxes and live on the ocean (check the title of the thread)? As has been pointed out this world is not black and white. And my point is as before. Once can choose to accept the protection of their country, but if you do, also be prepared to offer some service (doesn't have to be military) AND be prepared to pay your share so that the government that protects you can offer its citizens social services that are needed to maintain a viable society. In my view those of you who wish to "opt out" don't have what it takes to make it on your own. Steve and why not live in some isolated area like the Amazon jungle, the outback of Australia, or the Deserts of the Southwest US or Mexico? Surely no one would travel out there to collect taxes.
I doubt that you have the guts to live on the ocean. You are the kind of person who will be crying like a bitch on the radio asking the coast guard to rescue you every time the weather got rough. When it comes down to it, I will bet that 90% of you folks wouldnt last 6 months on the water. Guy who wrote this is pure crap.I have 20years experience with sailboats.Anyone who has practical questions about living on a sailboat I am willing to help.
Scenario 1: Pay 25% taxes, money will be used for infrastructure and healthcare. Scenario 2: Pay 50% taxes, money will be used for infrastructure, healthcare and national defence. Scenario 3: Pay 75% taxes, money will be used for infrastructure, healthcare, national defence and paying huge salaries for politicians. Also cost of invading other countries, overpaying certain companies for âservices delivered to the nationâ. Question: do you have to accept all three of the scenarios or otherwise leave the country? Or do you have the right to say that certain expenses are unacceptable? What you say is you have to accept it all without protest. What many others say is that the government should have the moral obligation to spent the money carefully. But the distance between the voters and the politicians grows constantly. Once elected the politicians donât care anymore about the voters, tillâ¦â¦.the next elections. The voters are used and thrown away as garbage. Politicians only care about their own wealth. Nobody is against paying fare taxes. If the rate is acceptable and the money isnât wasted. But today rates are NOT acceptable and money IS wasted.
You are ignorant like most Europeans and many Americans. Move to Europe and you'll find out in a hurry. Brainless Europe screwed itself up into a state never imagined in their heydays by the Soviet cronies. In fact, Russia is moving slowly but steadily towards a better society - they probably learned something from the past. America? It's up to the Americans but the European rot is spreading quickly and thoroughly.
Kind of Spike. I'm not too sure though where to put the exact percentages for politicians remuneration and 'fringe benefits'. A good answer comes perhaps from the 17-th century political philosopher: Hobbes. People should understand that a government can only be like a cow. Therefore, people should at all time watch to keep it lean. [paraphrased]
there are many countries in the world who get by with low taxes Slowakia, flat 19% etc. etc. and cutting back on defense doesn't have everything to do with it. afterall even in the US the defense budget is not a very high % of government expenditures.
If you have any questions about why all those tax dollars are REQUIRED, this might give some clues http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdint.htm Don't know about you, but I hate paying interest on debt, especially when most of the debt was run up by a recently deceased president. There is something very wrong and immoral with spending more than you earn and leaving the debts for your children (and their children) to pay back.
Well said skunk. When I hear all of BS about it's a new world, a new economy, and globalization, you have to look at this and that before just considering trade and budget deficits I grab for my boots because it is getting thick. It's simple economics, are you spending more than you bring in? Are you exchanging more traded goods then you are purchasing? Running a deficit should be against the law except for critical social services and infrastructure, that's it.