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Audioholic Samurai
Not only don't subscribe, but don't understand. Exactly how much is your fair share of something somebody else worked for?I don't subscribe to the "fair share" mentality
Not only don't subscribe, but don't understand. Exactly how much is your fair share of something somebody else worked for?I don't subscribe to the "fair share" mentality
Bingo, you nailed it. The answer is exactly zero. There is no such thing as a fair share. A fair share is what thieves talk about.Not only don't subscribe, but don't understand. Exactly how much is your fair share of something somebody else worked for?
Makes me think of that line from Independence Day: "You don't actually think they spend $20,000 on a hammer, $30,000 on a toilet seat, do you?"The Pentagon recently spent $998,798 shipping two 19-cent washers from South Carolina to Texas and $293,451 sending an 89-cent washer from South Carolina to Florida.
The thing is, the government has set up the possibility of you making the money. Tell us please, did you use roads when making your money? Did you pay for them, or were they already there for you (or anyone who uses your goods or services) to use? The government has also set things up to get drinkable water to people, and electricity to them. Did you use those things, or did you build them yourself before making whatever you worked for? There are countless other things, like police who have protected your property from others simply taking it from you; what was that worth? Would you have been able to get the stuff you have if you had not had an education, which the government provides? (Even if you did not attend a federally funded school, others have who have built the infrastructure that you use.) The list goes on and on. Fire departments, public health initiatives (what do you think your polio vaccination was worth?), etc., etc.Not only don't subscribe, but don't understand. Exactly how much is your fair share of something somebody else worked for?
You're correct, only an idiot would deny benefitting from public infrastructure and the rule of law, but IMO it has absolutely nothing to do with one's "fair share". The entire notion of a "fair share" is an in-vogue excuse for making someone else pay for the cost of government and to support those who cannot or choose not to support themselves. Funny how the someone else is always a voting minority.The thing is, the government has set up the possibility of you making the money. Tell us please, did you use roads when making your money? Did you pay for them, or were they already there for you (or anyone who uses your goods or services) to use? The government has also set things up to get drinkable water to people, and electricity to them. Did you use those things, or did you build them yourself before making whatever you worked for? There are countless other things, like police who have protected your property from others simply taking it from you; what was that worth? Would you have been able to get the stuff you have if you had not had an education, which the government provides? (Even if you did not attend a federally funded school, others have who have built the infrastructure that you use.) The list goes on and on. Fire departments, public health initiatives (what do you think your polio vaccination was worth?), etc., etc.
The simple fact is, NO ONE has earned what they have without help from others. And that help from others has been essential for them getting what they have; they would not have what they have were it not for outside help. So, the question is, how much was that extra help worth?
Anyone who imagines that they made everything they have from nothing, with no help from others, is a delusional idiot.
Wasn't Polia vaccine handled by the NIPF which was driven by the march of dimes {which is private donation founded}? and I am not sure if I am remembering correctly but didn't the government screw it all up, they were to charge $6 for each {back then $6 wasn't just enough for 2 coffees like today}... Anyway its been years since I read about it and Im not sure if I remember it correctly but I know it was some how the governments fault and some big conspiracy... So through out history its private companies, building rail roads, streets, ect. They take our money and pay these companies to do the work and if you watch the news you see they don't do it for "free" political action committee money, never mind all the illegal payoffs and favors for friends... Where there is power there is corruption, and its not a great system, but it gets us by, I guess..The thing is, the government has set up the possibility of you making the money. Tell us please, did you use roads when making your money? Did you pay for them, or were they already there for you (or anyone who uses your goods or services) to use? The government has also set things up to get drinkable water to people, and electricity to them. Did you use those things, or did you build them yourself before making whatever you worked for? There are countless other things, like police who have protected your property from others simply taking it from you; what was that worth? Would you have been able to get the stuff you have if you had not had an education, which the government provides? (Even if you did not attend a federally funded school, others have who have built the infrastructure that you use.) The list goes on and on. Fire departments, public health initiatives (what do you think your polio vaccination was worth?), etc., etc.
The simple fact is, NO ONE has earned what they have without help from others. And that help from others has been essential for them getting what they have; they would not have what they have were it not for outside help. So, the question is, how much was that extra help worth?
Anyone who imagines that they made everything they have from nothing, with no help from others, is a delusional idiot.
A safety net is one thing. A hammock to lounge in for generations is another thing entirely.Nonetheless, we need government and safety nets, and someone needs to pay for all of that.
Yes my friend, you are right. I use(ed) and benefit from all these things. And I pay taxes every year to help fund them. The more I make, the higher % I pay....roads...water...electricity...police...education...fire departments...polio vaccination...
the problem arises in that there are quite a few in this country who avail themselves of these services and have never contributed a dime towards them, and some have been taught how to do this from their parents, usually the mothers.The thing is, the government has set up the possibility of you making the money. Tell us please, did you use roads when making your money? Did you pay for them, or were they already there for you (or anyone who uses your goods or services) to use? The government has also set things up to get drinkable water to people, and electricity to them. Did you use those things, or did you build them yourself before making whatever you worked for? There are countless other things, like police who have protected your property from others simply taking it from you; what was that worth? Would you have been able to get the stuff you have if you had not had an education, which the government provides? (Even if you did not attend a federally funded school, others have who have built the infrastructure that you use.) The list goes on and on. Fire departments, public health initiatives (what do you think your polio vaccination was worth?), etc., etc.
The simple fact is, NO ONE has earned what they have without help from others. And that help from others has been essential for them getting what they have; they would not have what they have were it not for outside help. So, the question is, how much was that extra help worth?
Anyone who imagines that they made everything they have from nothing, with no help from others, is a delusional idiot.
The vast majority of people who get such benefits only do so temporarily. And you are right, it is generally a good investment, as you went on to pay much more in taxes than that cheese was worth.I'm not quite sure how to fit this in, but it's along the lines of government helping out those who are in a challenging situation but who aren't free loaders. Growing up, my parents worked hard to give us a good home with a roof over our head and food on the table. But, it wasn't always easy for them. I still vividly remember the year when Santa brought me a ruler and a couple of magnets. That was probably the same year that we qualified for free government cheese. I think that we only got it once (I think it was a big block of cheese), and it wasn't very good...but it was nice that it was available. And we were thankful for it. Granted, we wouldn't have starved if it wasn't for that block of cheese, but there might have been other services that my parents used that I wasn't aware of. Tax breaks, for example.
From an economic rather than humanitarian standpoint, it makes compete sense to help out people who are temporarily in economic trouble. After all, those same people have future earning potential and are likely to contribute to the economic health of the country in the future. My family wasn't a tax-paying power house back in the 70's, but my parents, brothers and I have gone on to pay a good chunk of cash into the system, so the government got a return on its investment with us.
EDIT: So that this doesn't come across as a sob story , I had a good childhood. We didn't have a lot of possessions (which is likely why I became such a pack rat), but I don't think that I ever felt in need. My parents did an outstanding job of making a house a home. Oh, and we did have some really nice Christmases, too.