Voluntary Taxes, Categorized.

So what would this country (or any others) look like if all taxes were voluntary, more or less, except the public could choose exactly WHAT their taxes were spent on?

Let's say for example that you had to contribute like 10%, as a minimum, but you get to choose what fund it goes to.

Public roads. I am all for paying to help keep up the roads.

National parks. No problem there. I enjoy very much national parks, and have no problem contributing to help keep them up.

Help the needy. I am not an elitist, and have no problem giving to help the less fortunate. If I had it to give, that is.

I think you guys get the idea. But it would be very curious to see just how those various account funds would stack up.

I would not be surprised to see the "Bank Bailout Fund" contain $0.00.

And the military defense budget fund? Well considering we already have the most powerful military, not 0, but a much more modest sum, used generally for maintenance on existing equipment and salaries. Due to the likely military cuts this system would impose, the military would be forced to reduce way down. But hey, with Ron Paul as President, we won't need much of a military, except to protect our borders.

I just think it would be very cool to let the public, not military or other political interests decide where the public's money is spent.

There could be Research Funds that are categorized out. I mean this would be so cool.

And I believe it would prove that the public itself, given the chance, would spend the money MUCH more wisely than politicians.

I think if it were left to the American public to determine where tax monies were spent, it would end up being divided into 295,000,000 different uses with 90% of them being self-centered causes.

reply to post by micmerci


Even if that ridiculous notion were true, which I don't believe that would be the case, then great. At least it would be in the public's interest, not the politicians.

We cant risk losing all those "treadmill shrimp" studies.

The problem with permitting the public to pay for what they approve of is the politicians will lose the oligopoly partnerships they have and subsequently lose power.

So it wont ever happen.

The government is based on violent extortion. Giving even an inch will collapse the whole thing. So they wont.

I think the biggest problem is we have no idea where our money is going and even if something like this was ever put to use, we still wouldn't have any idea if our money was going to what we wanted it to go to, I mean we all know that some of our money is going to black-ops and research and development for planes, bombs, drones, and many others i think the problem lies in the fact that people want every penny accounted for and thats just not possible their never going to come out and say "yeah we spent 120million on secret black ops for CIA, or 140billion on secret research and development for new drone bomber" and they shouldn't we need to understand that their always going to have secret programs no matter how transparent they claim to be we don't need to know what their building out in area 51, in order to let the public know they would in turn be letting the world know and thats simply not going to happen. because that would be a matter of national security i do think however that they should atleast lump it all together and say "we spent 190whatever on secret squirrel # that we could tell you about but then we'd have to kill you" bottom line is no system is perfect and no matter how you try to reshape it or reorganize it people are going to find away to take advantage sad but true

You don't see it any more but there was a section in the standard 1040 worksheet several years ago that clearly stated taxes are voluntary.
Unless you are in any way involved in Alcohol, Tobacco or Firearms, taxes are voluntary.
Of course this isn't posted or printed anywhere but that's because you aren't supposed to know.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Ridiculous? I beg to differ. You stated what your money would go to based on your interest and use of each of the categories. As noble as the efforts of each of them are, they are still based on your personal preference. I would probably give mine to different causes as I have different preferences. Do you see a pattern developing? 300 million people with different likes/dislikes, causes, beliefs, etc...

reply to post by micmerci


Well my choices were just examples of what would be a vastly more intricate and categorized system, to include just about anything there is. Some main categories might be more like this:

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Military/Police
Black Budgets
Foreign Aid
Judicial System
Executive Branch
Political Campaign Donations
Educational Programs
Charities
Sports Programs
Sports, Parks, and Recreation Programs
Arts Related Programs
Roads and Highway Maintenance
ETC.

STATE GOVERNMENT
Military/Police
Black Budgets
Foreign Aid
Judicial System
Executive Branch
Political Campaign Donations
Educational Programs
Charities
Sports, Parks, and Recreation Programs
Science, Space, and Related Programs
Arts Related Programs
Roads and Highway Maintenance
ETC.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Military/Police
Black Budgets
Foreign Aid
Judicial System
Executive Branch
Political Campaign Donations
Educational Programs
Charities
Sports, Parks, and Recreation Programs
Science, Space, and Related Programs
Arts Related Programs
Roads and Highway Maintenance
ETC.

In fact, computer programs could be written to allow the user to specify what percentage of their tax dollars go to each category.

I'll bet the need for Federal Government would diminish, as people contributed much more to local and state governments. If this was managed right, 90% or better of funds would at least go to the places defined by the will of the people. How to spend such funds in each category could also be put up to some sort of quarterly public vote or something, as issues and needs arise.

Each category could have a management team, tasked with identifying needs, advertising their funding needs, and being responsible to spend those funds according to the will of the majority. If they don't know what the majority is on an issue, then they would need to find out through direct public polling and/or other means.

There could even be excess funding rollovers to another specified category- as in, if funding needs are met in any category, any excess would immediately go to X category, specified by the taxpayer. And if that were the case for every category, it would be a very cool thing.

"Hi, I am your elected funding manager for the New Hope for Food Program of the Charities Category. I'd like to talk to you today about some of the good things we do to help people in the world, and why I believe we merit your considerations for your tax selections this year."

"Hi, I am your elected funding manager for your Local Highways and Roads Dept. I'd like to talk to you today about some of the needs and projects we have this year, and why I believe we merit your considerations for your tax selections this year."

Anyway, I just think it would be cool. Surprised more people are not down with this...