So what government services would you cut to alleviate this problem of higher taxes? Education? Infrastructure? Military? Healthcare? Drug awareness programs? Regulatory agencies like the FDA or OSHA? What? It easy to grumble about higher taxes, but much harder to articulate precisely what you’d get rid of so you could have more money in your pocket.
Would you trade the safety of your water supply for more money in your wallet? Would you curtail the education of our young? Would you sacrifice safety in the workplace? Would you forego the ability to walk safely around our nation’s streets without much fear of being hurt by muggers? Would you enjoy seeing every third person high on drugs? Wouldn’t you care what chemicals an unregulated food industry woulld put into the food you buy? Boy, you must want that money that you’d save from lower taxes REAL bad.
I believe there’s no correct answer to the question of exactly how much tax we should pay. Indeed, the amount to hand over is always (should always) be up for debate. But I think people should fully understand what they’re getting for their tax dollars before summarily dismissing all the good that comes from them when they blindly railly for reduced taxes.
On the defense budget and the tax savings we might reap there: Let’s not forget that just nine years ago, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center; killing three thousand American citizens et al. All indications are that our enemies still at it; scheming, planning, and orchestrating other attacks. Al-Qaeda and other radical groups are relentless, and so, we must counter with equal vigilance; and preferably more, so we might gain the upper hand on them. We risk losing the freedoms we now enjoy if we spend too little on keeping the homeland free and safe.
As evidence of the perennial lust to kill Americans: Then came the shoe bomber, the American Taliban, the Madrid and London attacks, the legions of middle eastern men and women sworn to kill Americans if ever they get the opportunity, and most recently, the foiled car bomb attack in Time Square. Times are hard for America and its interests and ideology these days. Indeed the US coexists in a veritable sea of nations that would love to see us fall and who are gunning for us. Thus, these hard times demand (given this climate of global hostility) that we buy more guns and less butter I’m afraid. If we don’t, then we’ll be overrun. IMHO.
Assuming that the US spends much more than China, Russia, and others, I’d suggest that they do this because of our unique position in the global totem pole; we’re the strongest nation in the free world and are thus the most capable of defending our way of life (representative democracy). Nonetheless however, we need the support of other free but less prosperous nations, to help nip radical elements in the bud while they’re still abroad; before they get here, such as what’s going on in Afghanistan, Israel, and some places in Eastern Europe.
Thus, protecting our ideology is not just about ensuring that we can live it safely inside our borders. But it also involves protecting those countries abroad that espouse our ideals. If we allow them to fall, then our own demise will surely not be too far behind. That’s why we spend so much, IMHO, and also IMHO, this is money that’s very well spent.
No one ever said that every American military campaign is successful. We do fail sometimes. Does that mean that we should not even try? Indeed, we may have lost the Vietnam war on the battlefield. But our presence there forced the soviets to divert resources to THAT region; guns that had we not even challenged them, could have (and probably WOULD have) been used to invade lands much closer to our own borders. As it happened, we kept the soviets busy in Louse long enough for world opinion to unite against their tyrannical government. Vietnam was admittedly a tactical loss. But it was strategic win for the Americans.
Unfortunately, we could not liberate all of Korea. But had we not fought the Korean war, I think there would be neither a north or south Korea as we know them today; but just one big NORTH Korea. So again, these wars do have laudable purposes.
I don’t know. I’d say that most of our historical campaigns abroad turned out pretty good for us. True there was life lost. But that misfortune bought the freedom of generations of millions.
I’ve read history for much more than just a few years; for the past three decades in fact. I’ve spent hours each day during that time, following short wave radio broadcasts, talking to foreign countrymen via ham radio, and I routinely monitor the news outlets in this country. It’s hard to fathom that every one of those sources is just spouting propaganda. Actually, I believe I have a pretty balanced and informed view of what’s taken place in our history. But I’m always open to learning more.