[tathougies]

> This is a massive oversimplification -- if everyone voted purely to protect their financial interests, "voter-approved tax increases" wouldn't exist.

Yes, it would! People always vote to raise taxes on the minority (the 'rich') to give money to the majority (the 'poor'). This is rule by tyranny, a common issue with democratic governments. It is one of the main reasons democracy is not the ultimate value of the United States governmental system.