Except you get things in exchange for taxes, so this isn’t accurate.
Discussion
I get nothing positive in exchange for the extortion. So, it is accurate for me and most of the people I know.
Yes you do. I’m sure you’ve gotten mail from USPS before. You definitely benefit from military protection internationally and at the border. You use roads which are mostly state funded. You get police protection, firefighters, most electric grid infrastructure, most judicial services, international affair management, tons of public transportation. Even if you don’t use public transportation it still benefits you that it exists. Not sure if you went to public school, but most people do. You get that too.
No. The USPS only exists because of the unfair monopoly granted to it.
I was in the army. I did not benefit at all. In fact, I am much worse off now. We are not supposed to have standing armies. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. We don't need them. We can't afford them. They do nothing to protect us. A navy? Sure. We can talk about that.
All federal transportation fails. I do not want the TSA. I don't need the DHS, CIA, NSA, etc. I do not want to pay for them. I don't need diplomats in other countries. I don't need the fedgov to broker trade deals. I need literally nothing from them. At all. You are a statist and your insistence on the state is gross, unthoughtful, immature, unwise, and antithetical to being an American. Please wake up.
Thank you for your service! I love you, and I respect you and your opinions! If I may…
1) Your bad experience in the army is valid, but is not an argument against the benefit that an army gives a nation. Without a military, your nation and its borders are not safe.
2) All federal transportation does not fail. Also, the fact that it currently is being run poorly is not an argument against it existing in general. Even if you never use it, you benefit from it.
3) you do need diplomats in other countries. Countries do not exist in a vacuum, and they need ways to communicate between themselves. We call the people that do this diplomats.
I suppose I am a bit of a minarchist, so if that’s a statist, then cool I guess. My thoughts are thoughtful and in good faith though. I don’t see how or why they are gross. Definitely not anti-American as the first thing the founding fathers did was build a government, a “state” if you will.
I’m open to having my mind changed though! Let’s drop the name calling though, it’s really not necessary. Why can’t we just drop the egos and be open minded? I’m willing to change my mind if you can convince me!
We do not need a military, unless that's only to keep our southern border secure. But even that could, and in my opinion SHOULD be handled by the states on the boarder. There's no reason for any other country to invade. A small navy can provide enough protection without wasting money. That's easily funded by a small tariff in imported goods.
Roads existed for over a century in the US without income taxes. Railroads were mostly private investments, but were crammed through via imminent domain, which, it's another form of extortion.
In the digital age, we don't need embassies everywhere. We just don't. It's valid to have diplomats, but not full time.
Being a minarchist is fine, but, you're not quite there yet.
Any state, especially national gubments, is a boot on the neck of the people, and I will not tolerate it.
I think you just made arguments for why taxes should exist for me. I think my work here is done.
I don't agree, but that's fine.
How? You just argued for things that we should have taxes for? A military to protect the border, a small navy, part time dimplomats. Also you mentioned roads were built without income tax, but that’s not without taxes in general. You can argue against income tax without arguing against taxes in general. Are you sure you really disagree?
No. We should not have taxes for ANY OF THAT. My point was and is that you don't need to tax anyone to have those things, at the very least not at the national level, and not at a third of your income.
All of those things existed without income taxes. Taxes are only necessary to strip citizens of value. Taxation is theft. Period.
Our borders are not safe because the US has been destabilizing foreign countries for decades & purposely importing criminals in order to manipulate people & justify further controls.
Violently funded monopolies (govts & the quangos they support) are unaccountable & in the long run cannot be anything but corrupt, wasteful, & destructive. The way you hold any organization accountable is to withdraw financial support. How would your local grocery store be different if they got your money whether they offered anything you wanted or not? Govt is not some some sort of magic that is above basic human incentives. People will do whatever they can get away with. And if they get your money no matter what you actually want then they can ultimately get away with basically anything.
If I steal 50% of your income & threaten to kill you or throw you in a cage if you object, but then I mow your yard does that make it okay? Consent & voluntary exchange are critical to civilized life, anything outside of that is criminal.