Paying Higher Taxes is Patriotic

Going right into rebuttals... "Agreed, but some of the stuff the government supports doesn't "benefit society"." Give us an example or two, and we can talk about [argue] their beneficial effect upon society/ negation of the overall benefits of government spending. "We can deal without useless programs that help minimal amounts of people and don't work." Give examples. "Also, where does most of that money go? If it was for the military I would be happy or for other useful programs. " Well then you should be happy, because 68% of all discretionary spending goes toward the military/national security. If you include the Iraq/Afghanistan wars, we're talking another vast increase in the amount of money spent. " Lets say I give $1 to the government and it goes to social security, where my nieghbor gets that dollar, because he's too lazy to work. " First off, the reason why social security has worked for so long is because millions of people each are able to put in a little, which gives a decent bit to people once they retire. Next, in order to get social security, you have to work. So yeah. And you also have to be at least 67. Clearly your neighbor isn't lazy, but rather, he/she is retired! "How am I being patriotic? Or it goes to some senator's huge paycheck? How is that for the good of the country?" Well I would think its patriotic to support those that helped make the country what it is today. I think this next question is a hypothetical as to if it is just to pay legislators. Which I think it is, because these people work to represent the views and opinions of their state, and in comparison to those of success in the Private sector, a Senator's paycheck of $170,000 is chump change. Paying Senators is good for the country because it gives them an incentive to dedicate all of their time towards being a Senator. "Yes, but the basis of the orginal government was to give everyone freedom." A freedom based government would be a living contradiction . The concept of governing is to exert some degree of control upon the populace, for the greater good and protection of the rights of those governed. One of those controls is the control of the amount of wealth one has, also known as taxation. "It wasn't the governments responsibilty to pay for other people's lazyness or health care." Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the Constitution says rather clearly that "The Congress shall have power To... provide for the... general welfare of the United States." " It was all about getting people to work hard so they didn't need the government, so then taxes would be very minimal." If you're insinuating that taxation is simply a way for the government to help the lazy, please do so with more detail and logic in your next post. "So what I'm saying is that how is supporting your neighbor or paying someone else's heating bill or health care showing love or devotion to the country?" Well not supporting your neighbor would make the country a worse place, because he/she would have a more difficult time living. Supporting your neighbor reaps long term economic benefits for the US, as it helps create a stronger workforce/larger GDP. Same idea as before, we're all part of this country, so we all deserve to be helped out when we fall upon hard times. " I could do all that without the government, its just acting as a middle man." Sure you could, but would you? Judging from your previous statements, you wouldn't, and neither would the vast majority of this country. Paying higher taxes is patriotic because it supports this country.