How dare I combat your ridiculous views with humor?! I must be a monster that wants the government to run my life and yours!
That was humor? LOL :D
(I'm not laughing at the humor. I'm laughing at the idea was humor. I guess it's in the eye of the beholder though.)
Anyway, I find it strange that you call my views ridiculous. I guess it's ridiculous to you that I want the poor to be taken care of out of the goodness of our hearts. Perhaps you have a deep-seated hatred for the poor? LOL
Here's the problem though. Taxes are EXTREMELY low. They're almost at the lowest levels EVER. We pay by far the lowest rates in the first world. It's my opinion that anyone that still thinks taxes are too high has no sense of perspective and is really just a huge complainypants. Feel free to keep complaining though. I'll feel free to keep mocking the lack of reality.
I couldn't care less what other countries tax. It's completely irrelevant to me. That's like saying other countries have more crime, so I guess we should just be happy with the amount of crime we have here.
(No, I'm not saying taxation is crime. It's just an analogy. Crime and taxation are not identical. I shouldn't have to say that, but I get the feeling that I had to anyway.)
I would have no problem with taxes being higher IF:
1.) Taxation were more evenly distributed, where just about everybody had some skin in the game. People wouldn't be able to easily avoid paying taxes illegally, and no more loopholes for the rich. A national sales tax would ensure that EVERYBODY is paying something, except for limited exemptions for staples like basic foods, utilities, and up to a certain amount for housing. That is, whatever it takes to simply survive wouldn't be taxed, and everything else would be. If you're poor, and you buy only what you need, you don't pay taxes. The minute you purchase anything you can reasonably do without, you're in the game.
2.) Waste must be essentially eliminated. Every expenditure must be justified. We should never have any government program designed to make people feel good that "something is being done," and no government job should exist for the primary purpose of employing somebody.
3.) Federal government expenditures must be constitutional and far more easy to handle on a federal level than a state/local level (example: military). All other taxes and programs that people want can be handled on a state/local level so that you have far more choice in how much taxes you pay and how the money is spent.
BTW, my income taxes are fairly low. I am only in the 15% bracket. But those who pay income taxes have every right to complain about whatever they want as long as a single penny is wasted.