Average taxes in the US compared as a percentage of average income ($55K):
- Income tax = ~25%
- Sales tax = ~7%
- Property taxes = ~7.5% (and yes, you renters are unknowingly paying these as well, it's built into your rent)
- Vehicle/road taxes = 2%
- Social security taxes = 6.2%
- Gasoline taxes = 1%
Taxes harder to calculate based on average income, but that most people still pay:
- Capital gains taxes
- Excise taxes
- Estate taxes
- Real estate taxes on property purchased
- Taxes built into cell phone bills, airplane tickets, hotels, etc....
- Corporate taxes (if you own a business)
- Import taxes
- "Sin" taxes (alcohol and cigarettes) - Almost the same as the actual cost of the items, so about 100%
- Additional taxes on utilities (above and beyond what you would have already paid for the actual service)
- ...and the list goes on and on and on and on
In your life, about 60% of your hard work will end up going to politicians and their corrupt bureaucrats that blow it in the most inefficient matter ever known to humankind. It goes to victimless "crimes", war, and every other waste of space alphabet soup government program out there. All of this is enforced from the barrel of a gun, with threats of violence on peaceful people who simply disagree.
No, you don't get this much value from government "services" in return. If you tell that to yourself, you are lying to yourself. It's not even close! The violent monopoly of the state is the most inefficient system in the world, it's wasting our resources and some people cheer this on thinking they're helping. The people who support taxation extortion and who threaten to throw people in jail for non-payment are like Ralph Wiggum in the cover image.
You're the problem. You're not smart, you're not pro-peace, you're not "progressive", you're a tyrant, and that's an empirical fact!
Grow up and stop hurting society with more statism. Stop empowering the Rs and the Ds of the world. Stop being a bunch of Ralph Wiggums! Stop utilizing violence on your neighbors.
Taxation is just a different form of imperialism and terrorism. Way worse than just basic extortion.
Wish we had more actual adults in society.... Most adults "logic" like 7-year-olds.
Factual rant over.