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Would you accept a tax raise...

BaseballBoomhauer

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if you got something in return? It seems the biggest complaint from those opposed is that their money is going to lazy people mooching off of the government teat. What if your taxes increased, but you felt like you received a direct government service in return? could be a rise in income (for gov't employees), mandated vacation, health care, infrastructure improvements, etc.
 
I have no problem with raising taxes. I believe America is the greatest country on earth. Taxes are a small price to pay for that privilege.

Most people who oppose tax increases could care less about what they could get for it because they could pay for it themselves and they don't think the government offer a better deal. Unlike them, I'd only approve a tax cut if there was something I wouldn't be getting in return.
 
if you got something in return? It seems the biggest complaint from those opposed is that their money is going to lazy people mooching off of the government teat. What if your taxes increased, but you felt like you received a direct government service in return? could be a rise in income (for gov't employees), mandated vacation, health care, infrastructure improvements, etc.

The only thing I would find acceptable in return is an equal cut in spending.
 
Like Liquid, I want a cut in spending, and not just in areas one party or the other finds acceptable, but across the board.

Our country currently borrows 42 cents out of every dollar spent. Raising taxes alone is not going to fix the mountains of debt we have built up. Just like if you or I want to get out of debt, our government has to raise income and cut spending.
 
I'm with LK and GADeac. Increased taxes must be met by significantly decreased spending.

I could easily accept a tax increase if I could be assured that MY money was going to reduce the debt and would otherwise be wisely used by Congress. To this point, I have felt that any more of MY money that went into the bucket would be more than offset (read: wasted) by the hole in the bottom of the same bucket being made larger through more government largesse.
 
if you got something in return? It seems the biggest complaint from those opposed is that their money is going to lazy people mooching off of the government teat. What if your taxes increased, but you felt like you received a direct government service in return? could be a rise in income (for gov't employees), mandated vacation, health care, infrastructure improvements, etc.

No doubt that there are plenty of people out there who think that, but I think there are even more, like me, who simply believe that the federal government is inefficient and wasteful. I'm a federal employee, so I see and experience that waste first-hand every day. I'm willing to accept a tax hike, and I don't even want any "direct" benefit in return. I just want to see my money being used more intelligently.
 
Totally agree that I'd be willing to accept a reasonable tax cut, but I want something specific in return. I want a guarantee that ANY additional federal revenues generated by the tax hike go to deficit reduction. I do not trust congress to do that unless they are legally bound to do so.
 
There has to be a tax increase and there has to be cuts. It's that simple.

The biggest problem is McConnell would rather try to beat Obama than try to work something out that would help the country. He has said so multiple times.
 
Totally agree that I'd be willing to accept a reasonable tax cut, but I want something specific in return. I want a guarantee that ANY additional federal revenues generated by the tax hike go to deficit reduction. I do not trust congress to do that unless they are legally bound to do so.

This can't happen. For it to happen, there woudl have to be over $1T in cuts. That doesn't exist.

A better thing is that only Medicare and Social Security can go up (there is not way for this not to happen).

What I'd like to see is Al Gore's "lock box". Right now Social Security is actually taking in more than it pays out. Take all this money and put it aside like it's supposed to be.

Then start upping the age and eliminate the cap.
 
I would accept a responsible government with limited power.

Any tax increase would concern me because I have no faith that the government will use the additional revenue in an efficient and beneficial way for the citizens of the country.
 
I want to see the proof of improved government efficiency and fiscal responsibility FIRST.
 
what constitutes "government efficiency?"

is it just the rapid reduction of the deficit, or is it some tangible measure?

i have to be honest, i'm surprised to see that americans don't care to see anything in return, rather they just want to see debt reduction.

what happens then when the debt is paid off? would you prefer to keep the tax level you've become used to (higher than the present) and shift funding to tangible improvements in education and infrastructure (things we all agree on), or a simple tax cut?

i would personally accept an increase in taxes if it means a) simplification of the tax code, b) debt reduction, and c) increased spending in infrastructure, education, and energy policy. i find those to be the 3 most important things for our nation's future, and i don't think they will improve unless the government is able to recruit and/or contract with the best in the business.
 
I vote for SPLOSTs when they come up on the ballot because that is a great example of a tax hike for a purpose you can eventually see in action.

So yes, I'd take a tax hike if I saw something in return.
 
I vote for SPLOSTs when they come up on the ballot because that is a great example of a tax hike for a purpose you can eventually see in action.

So yes, I'd take a tax hike if I saw something in return.

What you'd see in return should be less debt. Each $100B=$25-35B/year less in debt service.
 
I agree with the majority on this thread. Dollar for dollar cut in spending. Also, simplification of the tax system with lower rates and fewer deductions.
 
Lower rates equals larger deficits.

What if we got rid of exemptions though?

Lower rates = greater revenue for the gov't tho...not sure how it causes higher deficits too.
 
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