Noam Chomsky explains taxes in 40 seconds

[Cheese Sandwich]

[SoLeftIAmRight]

1. hillary supporters do not like him

...

[zentrum]

6. That's shocking really.

He's a national treasure.

[Enthusiast]

13. It isn't shocking to me in the least. He might be a national treasure to some of us.

But some would rather stick their heads in the sand and pretend things are on the up and up with our party and the nation.

[passiveporcupine]

2. It's not just that we aren't getting the programs we want

so we are unhappy with where our money goes. Too much of it goes to things we don't want and who knows if that can be stopped (MIC).

But, if we were getting programs to improve our lives in exchange for our taxes, it would help. In some countries, people don't mind paying taxes, or that they are higher than here, because they get so much back in return. And the cool part is, that even poor and needy people in those countries are taken care of. So why is it, again, that we can't have nice things?

I still have a really hard time understanding why it's so hard for Americans to see how other country's social programs could work for us here too, but even here on DU there is so much resistance. It's sad.

[appalachiablue]

4. Two large oceans & TV/Internet passifiers contribute to ignorance of other cultures.

Along with declining education, neoliberalism and other factors.

[passiveporcupine]

7. Is education declining everywhere, or just in poor communities? n/t

[Enthusiast]

14. Nailed it.

[smiley]

3. I agree.

But when and where in human history has the common population ever been happy about having to pay taxes?

[passiveporcupine]

8. watch this

[smiley]

9. If only the U.S. could embrace that mindset.

The differences are staggering.

[passiveporcupine]

11. There is only one way to achieve change in this country

Education. We need to educate Americans about what this country could be.

[smiley]

17. agreed.

But when we're fighting against the media, who will continually be a mouthpiece for the anti-tax crowd, it will definitely be a struggle.

[appalachiablue]

10. After major abuse, exploitation and strife at the peak of 19th c. industrialization when social

policies funded by state progressive taxation were developed to stave off widespread labor strikes, violence, anarchy and revolution I'd say. Workers, esp. advanced in skill were needed in that thriving economy. Laborers probably disliked taxes but certainly didn't bear much given their wages.

In 1889, German Chancellor Bismarck the authoritarian adopted the first Social Security program, preventatively, and then other major worker benefits like illness insurance, workmen's comp. and more were implemented in Germany by 1929, esp. considering their Bolshevik neighbor Russia next door.

Those kind of protections and standards to the pre Industrial Revolution serfs in France and Europe, and the slaves in the RE, Africa and Asia could never be conceived of I don't think. And tax for them must have been oppressive since there were few common services except roads, administrative functions and the like, and revenue collected mainly applied to wars and military expenses similar to the US today, JMO.

Personally, in the three generations of family I've known, there was never a complaint about the govt. or taxes, ever. It was unthinkable. What we have now, rabid anti govt. fervor derives from the Reagan Counter Revolution and conservative ideology and propaganda for 35 years. ~ In the last 10 years I've had heated arguments with friends who complain about taxes and the cost of Obamacare. When I ask if they like clean water, food and air, police and fire, streetlights and good roads they have little to say.

[smiley]

16. American culture is especially anti-tax

I suppose this is due to the "no taxation, w/o representation" myth that has been drilled into our brains since the moment we walked into school. I grew up in the 80's and 90's in a middle class household where I remember constantly hearing my father complain about taxes going up. It wasn't until my 20's that I realized my father was very conservative. He never voiced his political opinions too much in front of me, always saying he wanted me to form my own opinions.

Thanks for the valuable insight.

[Warpy]

5. Well, it would never be a day of celebration, there would always be a bit of grumbling,

especially among the people who had to pay a little more that year. However, people wouldn't be as outraged by it as they are now if we got something besides a bloated military and neverending war. If we the people got health care, our kids could be educated to the best of their abilities, if we didn't have to fear retirement, if women could choose whether to stay home with the kids or leave them to go out and work, and if we ever managed to distribute the wealth this country has always created, tax day grumbling would be a lot more good natured because we would all see what those taxes were for.

For now, if you work, you're getting robbed and you know it. This is the season to be pissed off.

[senz]

12. Anti-taxation is part of the rightwing "starve the beast" effort.

For them, government is the enemy, taxation is theft, and private enterprise represents freedom and efficiency. It's been drilled into their heads so often and so well since the 1980s that they think it's normal and patriotic. It has been very effective brainwashing.

[Enthusiast]

15. In a thread of good posts I like your's best of all.

[senz]

18. Thanks, Enthusiast.

It's something I assume every politically aware person knows, but maybe some weren't paying attention as it got started, and some are simply too young.

I've seen comments by Hill supporters that suggest either complete ignorance or active endorsement of the rightwing mindset. On a Democratic site, that's surprising.