[solutionyogi]

Here's the problem with your argument. How are you going to make sure that government helps those poor people (the one you identified in your post) and not others? How are you going to make sure there is no waste/minimal waste? How are you going to make sure that lobbyists/corporations won't lobby the government to get this additional taxpayer's money and use it for their own instead of helping the poor? Where is the accountability? Show me one government program which has achieved its stated goal without wasting huge amount of taxpayer's money.

Let me give you an example. NY State auditors recovered around 270 million dollars in Medicare fraud/waste between Oct 07 to Mar 08 (6 months). This is only one state, think about the amount of fraud/waste happening in other states. In fact, they plan to spend 90 million dollars to prevent this fraud/waste! Why give government money so that they can waste it and then let them spend more money so that they can prevent the waste?

Link: http://www.nysun.com/new-york/state-recovers-269m-in-medicai...

[mikeryan]

And your solution is to what exactly? Pay less in taxes and hope the parents of underprivileged kids in poor neighborhoods spend the money responsibly on healthcare and schooling? That seems naive at best.

I have a general issue with the waste argument. And perhaps this is a bit naive, but as long as the gov't spends money that stays domestic, then the economy is being helped. Even with waste.

I'm sorry I have less faith that "most" Americans would spend money more responsibly than my gov't.

[solutionyogi]

I have no argument if you believe that your government can spend money better than your fellow citizens. Good luck!