I debated with myself for quite some time before posting this topic because of the potential for flaming. However, I fully believe that if we can be mature about this subject, someone may learn something from someone else. Let’s hope we can be mature about this. I’ll try not to tread on anyone at least starting out. I am approaching this from the point of view of someone living in the United States so I’m going to be Americentric here. I apologize to non-Americans.
So, there’s this common belief in the United States (not sure how it is in other parts of the world) that “taxes” are “evil” and a barrier to economic growth. This notion leads to people believing that being taxed is somehow punishment and if someone on the higher end of the income spectrum is taxed at a higher rate, they are being “punished for success”.
I don’t believe that at all. They aren’t being punished for anything.
They will claim that, through “hard work” and “perseverance”, that they became successful by themselves with “no help” from anyone-- especially not those in government.
To me, everyone that is a “success”, at least in the United States, did it not only through their hard work, but through the hard work of others. Bill Gates would not be the “success” that he is without the hard work of all the people employed at Microsoft (I use him only as an example). I submit that NO ONE becomes a “success” all by themselves. They heavily rely on government.
Because of this, I fully believe that, if you rely so much on a government system and benefit substantially, you should pay for it.
This leads me to the “involuntary” claim that many make: That government is “taking your money” at the “point of a gun”. What they mean by this is, if you don’t pay your taxes, the government will send people to your house with guns to force the money out of your pocket. Not only do I find this extremely inane, its implications are sorely lacking in reality. Yes, if you refuse to pay taxes, there will be law enforcement at your door. That much is true. What isn’t true, however, is that they’re there to ‘steal’ your money (as many claim).
I use a grocery store as an analogy. If you go into a grocery store and begin eating the produce…and refuse to pay for what you’re consuming, law enforcement will be there to “force the money out of your pocket”. I can already hear the response: “I don’t have to go into that store” and this is absolutely true. But if you ARE in the store and consume things, you must pay.
Simply living in the United States (or any other civilized nation) consumes government resources. From Bill Gates down to the homeless vagrant on the street; they all consume government resources just for simply existing in the United States.
And there are those that don’t want to pay for what they consume by continuing to benefit from a civilized society. I never begrudge a single penny that leaves my pocket in the form of taxes. I will, however, begrudge what that money is used for.
I’d love to hear other people’s take on taxes.
Thanks! 
