Please tell me you don't claim any deductions on your taxes or use any tax advantaged retirement accounts, since you're so enthusiastic to pay taxes. If you think the money the government takes from you, then takes 30%+ off the top for overhead and waste and make-work jobs which add nothing to the economy, then passes the rest on to whoever lobbied hardest (more wasted money); you should logically be all for eliminating compulsory income tax so individuals like yourself will have more money to donate to charities and the same amount will go a lot farther to help a given cause since private entities which rely on voluntary transactions for funding are far more efficient than the government at accomplishing their mission statement.
Not the person you're responding to, but since I agree with them, I'll chime in.
This is a misnomer, that one should just write a check or something to the IRS if they want higher taxes. One can be for higher taxes for everyone (including themselves) without voluntarily paying more.
I'd be in favor of loopholes and deductions closed/eliminated (even if I currently benefit). I'm not going to voluntarily pay more, but I'll be happy to contribute more if everyone else is, as well.
That is, it's a team effort. And I'm glad to do my part.
I definitely contribute to charity, too. They're two separate ideas. The government covers things charities don't and/or can't. Things for society at large.
Charities help the downtrodden, disenfranchised, or otherwise unfortunate (among other things). The government can do this, at times, but often don't do it in targeted ways. Further, some charities I support actively work against the government, because the government does some things I don't care for (violation of civil rights, for example).
That doesn't mean I want to throw the baby out with the bathwater--on the whole, the government does more good than harm (even counting waste). The ROI I get on my taxes in return for a stable society with many benefits (fire, police, roads, economy/trade, etc. etc.) is HUGE. The ROI I get on my charity funds (someone else learning to read, not dying of malaria, getting clean drinking water, etc. etc.) is likewise great.
They're both good things, and I'm in favor of both of them.
:)