Taxation with the barest minimum of representation.

Taxes are filed. Taxes were paid all year long from wages. Taxes represent a steady, if not the steadiest, income flow for the government. What is the government? Is the government for my benefit? How do taxes flow from wages to government coffers without my ongoing consent? Why do I have so little power over how those taxes are subsequently spent. Not just me. You also have no power. They take your money and spend it in ways that you would not. Yet we can justify this spending on the basis of the provision of service. Roads, Schools, Hospitals. Organized commerce. Prisons. Tanks. Bombs. Subsidized businesses.

Are there too many of us to gain anything from broader meaningful input. Who ultimately decides? Do they want our input? Do they simply provide the things we want with our tax dollars in exchange for getting the things we want? We will fix this road if we can also support this friendly, vulnerable business? If we can also buy this tear gas and staff these jails and terrorize you with the weapons we paid for with your money.