For all of you who decry government and taxes, I have some questions.

Have you ever known anyone to decline Medicare or Social Security?
Do you want a military?
Who should take care of wounded veterans?
Do you want public education? How about state colleges and universities?
Do you use the library?
Should there be a system of laws, courts, jails?
Who should try to prevent terrorism?
Do you want roads, airports, a transportation system?
Do you want them to be safe?
Do you want drivers to be licensed, and cars to be inspected for safety?
Should there be manufacturing standards for cars and trucks?
Should we be free to pollute?
Do you want to be able to call 911 in an emergency?
Do you want police, fire fighters, emergency medical service?
Where will the ambulance take you?
Who will do research to find the causes and cures of disease?
How will you dispose of your garbage and sewage?
Would you mind if your neighbors decided to use their property as a dump?
Does it matter to you how hazardous waste is disposed of?
Should we dump our waste into our rivers and oceans?
Are you prepared to drill a well?
Do you want electricity, heat, air conditioning?
Do you like to know that your food is inspected for safety?
Will you be growing your own food, because there won't be a transportation system to get it from someone else's farm to you.
Do you enjoy radio and television? Who should assign frequencies, or should it be a free-for-all?
Is predatory lending good, because there won't be any regulations against it.
Should the world of finance be given free reign to profit? Think Bernie Madoff.
Do you want mail delivery?
Do you want public parks, bike paths, national parks?
Do you want a State Department to represent your country in the world at large?
Do you want to elect people to represent you and do you want a government, or do you prefer anarchy?

I personally am sick of hearing people complain about the government and taxes.

What would you like to give up?

Well first let's consider that 40% of households DON'T pay any taxes and THEN let's add these OTHER gems to your list of questions:

 

The federal government cannot account for $24.5 billion spent in 2003.

 
A White House review of just a sample of the federal budget identified $90 billion spent on programs deemed that were either ineffective, marginally adequate, or operating under a flawed purpose or design.

 
The Congressional Budget Office published a “Budget Options” book identifying $140 billion in potential spending cuts.

 
The federal government spends $23 billion annually on special interest pork projects such as grants to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or funds to combat teenage “goth” culture in Blue Springs, Missouri.

 
Washington spends tens of billions of dollars on failed and outdated programs such as the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Geological Survey and Economic Development Association.

The federal government made $20 billion in overpayments in 2001.

 
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s $3.3 billion in overpayments in 2001 accounted for over 10 percent of the department’s total budget.

 
Over one recent 18-month period, Air Force and Navy personnel used government-funded credit cards to charge at least $102,400 for admission to entertainment events, $48,250 for gambling, $69,300 for cruises, and $73,950 for exotic dance clubs and prostitutes.

 
Examples of wasteful duplication include: 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 federal programs dedicated to assuring safe water.

 
The Advanced Technology Program spends $150 million annually subsidizing private businesses, and 40% of this goes to Fortune 500 companies.

 
The Defense Department wasted $100 million on unused flight tickets, and never bothered to collect refunds even though the tickets were reimbursable.

 
The Conservation Reserve program pays farmers $2 billion annually to not farm their land.

 
Washington spends $60 billion annually on corporate welfare, versus $43 billion on homeland security.

 
The Department of Agriculture spends $12 billion to $30 billion annually on farm subsidies, the vast majority of which go to agribusinesses and farmers averaging $135,000 in annual income.

 
Massive farm subsidies also go to several members of Congress, and celebrity “hobby farmers” such as David Rockefeller, Ted Turner, Scottie Pippen, and former Enron CEO Ken Lay.

 
The Medicare program pays as much as eight times the cost that other federal agencies pay for the same drugs and medical supplies.

 
Congressional investigators were able to receive $55,000 in federal student loan funding for a fictional college they created to test the Department of Education.

 
The Army Corps of Engineers has been accused of illegally manipulating data to justify expensive but unnecessary public works projects.

 
Food stamp overpayments cost $600 million annually.

 
School lunch program abuse costs $120 million annually.

 
Veterans’ program overpayments cost $800 million annually.

 
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) overpayments cost $9 billion annually.

 
Better tracking of student loan recipients would save $1 billion annually.

 
Preventing states from using accounting tricks to secure additional Medicaid funds would save several billion dollars annually.

 
Medicare contractors owe the federal government $7 billion.

gnsmason, your post is right on, asking all the right and basic questions.  I shall save your post.  It's brilliant and common sense.

Apparently, Taxed2death is still alive and has time to post, with all the wrong info - that is, the rumored causes of how government  is bad.  He did not answer any of your questions - not one.

People who are burping and belching up loud protests and propaganda want good government services without paying for it!