> they don't owe taxes because there's a standard deduction and various credits (many of which are tools for social policy and aren't really related to expenses, e.g. the EITC or savers credit).

The standard deduction and various tax credits are indeed designed to account for basic living expenses and ensure that those with lower incomes are not burdened with federal income taxes. While these deductions and credits may not cover all living expenses for everyone, they serve as a proxy for the essential costs of living.

The fact that 40-45% of Americans do not owe federal income taxes demonstrates that the tax system does consider the financial situation of individuals and their ability to pay taxes. The standard deduction is set at a level that is deemed sufficient to cover basic living expenses for most people. If an individual's income falls below this threshold, they are not required to pay federal income taxes because their revenue is essentially going towards covering their basic needs.

Furthermore, tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) are specifically designed to provide additional financial support for low-income working individuals and families. These credits are a way for the government to acknowledge that these individuals may struggle to make ends meet even though they have revenue.

> You also have the 0% bracket for capital gains being several times the standard deduction. Do rich people living off investments just automatically have 3x the living expenses of W2 earners?

Regarding the 0% capital gains tax bracket being higher than the standard deduction, this is a separate issue related to how different types of income are taxed. It does not negate the fact that the standard deduction and tax credits are intended to account for living expenses and reduce the tax burden on those with lower incomes.

> On slavery, I'm not familiar with the EU, but of course we have it in the US. I thought it was common knowledge that slavery (i.e. forced labor) is one of the punishments we have for crimes?

While it's true that many US prisoners do work, characterizing it as "slavery" is misleading. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery but allows "involuntary servitude" as punishment for a crime. However, forced labor and slavery are not equivalent. Prisoners who work are paid wages (albeit low), have basic labor protections, and work as part of their rehabilitation and to offset incarceration costs. Solitary confinement, while highly controversial, is not used solely for refusing to work. The comparison to slavery ignores the profound historical differences between the brutal chattel slavery of the past and modern prison labor.

> Arguably, the way we do child support is slavery-adjacent as well;

On child support, you oversimplify how support is calculated. Child support is based on the child's best interests and seeks to maintain their standard of living. Support calculations consider both parents' incomes, time spent with the child, and the costs of the child's needs. While wealthier parents may pay more, the goal is for the child to benefit from the totality of both parents' incomes as they would in an intact household. Characterizing this as "slavery-adjacent" because a parent must work to pay support is hyperbolic - parents have always had to work to provide for their children. Imprisonment for nonpayment is rare and occurs only in cases of willful refusal to pay despite having the means.