[RhysU]

If one thinks that more government is the solution to all problems, a painfully common modern view, then the most utility available from $1 one owns is handing that $1 directly to the government.

In practice, no one donates like this with their own money. They just vote for the government to take incremental money from others via ever more taxation.

[austin-cheney]

It doesn't matter where output comes from whether its government or the private sector. People expect some manner of output at a certain acceptable price and quality. But, this completely misses the point.

The bottom line is government income must increase and government spending must decrease. That income can be from taxes, competing with commercial enterprise, donations, or whatever. It really doesn't matter.

The only part of this that has been evidently clear is that massively firing people from the government without a plan has proven extremely expensive. If you really want smaller government you need a plan to reduce the work force over time in a way that does not diminish the quality and quantity of output.

[RhysU]

My point is that for someone who thinks government is the ultimate solution it's completely rational to have ever more government. More debt to finance more government simply follows. Can't have too much of a great thing. Etc.

[amy214]

>In practice, no one donates like this with their own money. They just vote for the government to take incremental money from others via ever more taxation.

In practice they throw piles of money at Trump - knowingly that it will lead to them saving an even larger money pile and thusly a net win.

Trump, who then happily drives up debt. Taxing people more is so uncool, so let's go easy on the whole taxes thing, just have the money printer go brrrrr and let inflationary tax serve its purpose