Cost of taxes

Taxes in America are used for more than revenue generation for the government. A lot of the tax code is meant to micromanage the population.


A simpler tax code might lose some worthwhile benefits, but those benefits would essentially be replaced. For example, many tax laws have been intended to help the poor, but the complexities make it easier for people with resources to know best how to utilize and exploit these benefits.

One thing that I hate about taxes is that the government is legitimately using the tax code as a means for social engineering. Take a look at college tax credits. We are providing financial incentives for people to allow colleges to control our educations. On top of that, the government gets to decide the qualifications for the tax credit. This means that the government has significant control over our educations.

Keep in mind that attending college can be legitimately harmful to an individual. This creates a situation where independent learners are hit harder financially if they pursue the educations that are right for them. After all, independent educations do not provide the same tax breaks.

The way the American tax code is written, we are clearly losing some of our freedom. We need reform. In the reform process, I feel that there is an important consideration to be made. Not all tax-related costs are financial. We are also paying the government with freedom. Personally, I would be willing to give up a little more money if that's what it would take to restore freedom.