That's because you're nice, and probably not earning as much as people who left uni and went straight to KPMG/PWC etc.

I know loads of people who went to uni with me who are tubthumping tories, mainly because it suits them financially.

I am not one of these people <_< (taking the test in another tab right now)

Economic Left/Right: -5.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.67

Economic Left/Right: -7.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.00

Is said wealth actually being redistributed properly, in your mind? For me, I believe that 100% of my tax dollars are being wastefully spent on personal projects given to the lobbyists of Congress and blowing people up. Is it going to change? No. We're still blowing up people despite this administration's campaign goals. So, I want to keep as much as my $$ as I can.

You all can call me a selfish *******, now.

That's my main concern with my State and city taxes. It would be one thing if they were doing something about education, poverty, etc.

Seriously? What about education, disability allowance, healthcare? (Ok, the last one has less meaning for you guys)

I can't believe you honestly think 100% of your tax goes to waste... obviously it could be used better, especially with the random warmongering. But the mark of civilisation should be how we treat our most disadvantaged, and without taxing the better off, we can't support others.

With the US specifically we could make a huge difference just by ending war and defense funding. Everything else we need to fund that's actually important (health care, education) is tiny by comparison.

Uh, defense funding is one of the very few things the feds SHOULD be doing. Just not as much as they are. Most other things I think they need to keep their hands out of and let the states handle..not as some kind of "states' rights" stand, but just on a practical level.

Sorry, that's what I meant. The budget is unreasonably high.

1000% this. I'm going to assume that Dalf meant the money being spent on personal projects is 100% wasted, instead of 100% of his tax dollars are wasted.
I don't think my brain could accept the idea that someone believes every single tax dollar is completely wasted.

Economic Left/Right: -1.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.95

Almost exactly where I was before.. though I seem to have drifted to the left a bit economically... I find that hard to believe.

Realize that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not 'defense' spending. They are offense. Defense spending means paying the army to be here. Defending.

Does it really bother you to think your opinions could change over time?

The only thing that doesn't change over time is my hatred of change.

So, where's Wookie in all of this?

Not at all. I just didn't expect them to have done so.

I am still amazed so many people can't grasp this.

Trust me, I know.

Economic Left/Right: -5.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.28

Well, maybe under the House Republicans' new budget.

Well the United States only covers ~67% of its expenditures with tax revenue, which easily allows for my particular contribution to be entirely wasted on war/subsidies/earmarks.

That's not how it works, though. Since money is fungible, you can't say that all of your money goes to one specific program, you must assume that your contribution is spread over all programs in the same proportion as their budget. If a program is 50% of the federal budget, it receives 50% of your tax payment.

Just to clarify, what I meant about my city and State wasting the tax dollars wasn't about me feeling that no one deserves my money. I just think that if it were being spent productively, the Bronx and other areas wouldn't be bombed out, and the education system wouldn't have entirely failed the poorer areas of the city the way it has.

If the money were actually going toward solving a problem, I wouldn't have a problem with being taxed more. I'll grant that the State and city have to operate on a balanced budget, so maybe that makes it harder to hide their ineptitude.

Ok yes, not every single tax dollar is pissed away. But when I go down certain roads in San Diego that put a significant strain on my suspension or the seemingly unending widening of Interstate 15 project which has still not relieved one shred of traffic congestion, or the City of Escondido spending $50,000,000 on a MINOR league baseball team. I mean I love baseball to death but c'mon, really? We need this NOW??? So yeah, if you want to raise my taxes, Rancho Bernardo Rd better be ****in' silver plated from end to end and smooth. A housemate who is a teacher should be making as much as me for all **** she has to do. And yet, $50,000,000 is going towards a stadium and lining some developer's pockets.

Interesting. I really didn't have a clue where I was before. I figured I would be down in the green somewhere.
Oh well.

Expanding roads to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening belts to deal with obesity

I realize that it is a patch not a solution, it'll get congested more and more as people flood into the San Diego area. A 2nd route isn't feasible as it will cut through affluent areas.

But anyway, I'm derailing thread.

Don't worry. Once we run out of oil, you'll have to deal with dangerous decaying and useless infrastructure instead of congestion!