~$60 billion/year of federal funds goes to transportation.
~$1,000 billion/year goes to health care.
~100 billion/year goes to education.
Regardless of any specific programs I did or didn't list above, the money we pay in federal taxes doesn't just vanish into the ether, it comes back via various government programs.
True, it is does not vanish. However, the stewardship is out of the hands of the labor that begot it. There’s a reason We have the military industrial complex, cushy public-sector union jobs, and DC/East Virginia as one of the wealthiest regions of the country. It isn’t because these people are sweating blood and tears trying to find good opportunities where they can carefully deploy the taxes taken out of the tip jar.
> Roads and schools is always a cop out because that’s typically funded through property taxes
A significant share of road and school funding comes from the federal government, which doesn’t levy property taxes. Another significant chunk usually comes from the State, which in many states does not rely on property taxes.
Regardless of any specific programs I did or didn't list above, the money we pay in federal taxes doesn't just vanish into the ether, it comes back via various government programs.