1 Question Fiscal Ideology Poll

[JRP1994]

Vote

[ElectionsGuy]

Guess

[AggregateDemand]

Lower/Smaller/Fewer though value-for-money is the best. At some point, smaller government can't even enforce market rules or address market failures.

[Deus Naturae]

1st Option without a doubt.

Do you mean this to be in relation to the United States' current situation, or purely in theory?


If it's in relation to the U.S. of today, I would vote for a "same" option.
If it's the 2nd, I'd vote less/smaller/fewer.

Why?

[Deus Naturae]

I think that in terms of spending and taxes, we don't need any major tax/spending increases/decreases.

Why not? What's good about our current levels of taxation/spending?

[courts]

option 2 (sane)

[H. Ross Peron]

option 2 (sane)

[Hifly]

option 2 (sane)

[Antonio the Sixth]

option 2 (sane)

[Franzl]

Generally Option 2, but it does depend what services are being provided and whether it's being done in a good way.

[Cassius]

Depends really. I mean, I'd be perfectly happy to pay higher taxes if it meant that things like potholes in roads could be fixed with greater alacrity; however, I'm generally of the view that option one is the safer option, so option 1.

[TNF]

I would rather the state and it's bureaucracies be abolished in favor of a free association of producers, which would decide collectively how best to expend their labor to better enhance the quality of life for all.

i.e. this debate is silly and what we should really be talking about is who benefits from the current taxation regime and where do our taxes go and who do they benefit? I mean I would pay higher taxes if it meant improving schools, but I obviously wouldn't want to do that if it meant that "improving schools" would result in us getting Common Core shoved down our throats, public schools replaced with charter schools or voucher programs, teachers losing tenure, and testing amplified beyond all reason.

[Never]

Seeing people say that option 2 is sane, somehow implying the option 1 is not, explains a great deal about the decline of respectful dialogue.

[Deus Naturae]

I think that in terms of spending and taxes, we don't need any major tax/spending increases/decreases.

Why not? What's good about our current levels of taxation/spending?

I'm not going to go in-depth because this would be the wrong place as we'd get off topic, but I think that the general framework of our tax code and levels of spending in relation to our GDP is about right as is. I feel that the government's (all levels) level of services provided is sufficient.

Why? What evidence is there to suggest that our current levels of taxation and spending are working well?

[Del Tachi]

Higher/Larger/More

The brunt of the tax burden is unlikely to fall onto someone like me, so I would of course take more for less if I could get it. 

[Mr. Illini]

option 2 (sane)

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Clark must literally be the only person in America who's actually pleased with current levels of spending and taxation.

[DC Al Fine]

Really depends on what the levels of taxation and spending in question are.

[Supersonic]

Lower/Smaller/Fewer as a general guideline, although of course, it depends on the services in question. Basically compulsory blue avatar answer.

[dmmidmi]

There isn't a correct answer to this, and the results of this poll don't really tell us anything. We spend way too much on some non-essential items, too little on certain essentials, etc. The correct answer is very clearly "It Depends."

However, I went for Option 2 for this reason: I'd be willing to pay more in taxes and government fees, if it meant fixing Michigan's roads. At one of his State of the State speeches, when Gov. Snyder proposed increasing the license plate registration fees to do exactly that, I was totally with him.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Depends which level of government we're talking about. I really like the services that my municipality provides, but I think sometimes the federal government puts its hands in too many cookie jars.

[Frodo]

When push comes to shove, I prefer to pay higher taxes in exchange for more and better services.  Even if they don't directly benefit me.

Though if the Republican Party ever decides to begin advocating for a government that better delivers the services it already promises before taking on additional responsibilities (as opposed to advocating a government shrunk so small that it can be 'drowned in a bath-tub'), I'll be more than happy to lend an ear.