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comment by rob05c

Not for the first time, I wish for an allocation checkbox on IRS forms.

☑ Roads

☑ Schools

☑ Healthcare

☑ Miscellaneous Other Infrastructure

☐ Drone Strikes on Pakistani Children

☐ NSA Virus Development That Definitely Won't Target You, We Promise





OftenBen  ·  3548 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Is there a cogent argument against that kind of thing?

rob05c  ·  3548 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Yeah. Ask any charity that lets donors direct money.

There are things people don't want their money to go to, that simply need doing. One of many reasons pure Democracy doesn't work.

Infrastructure is actually a great example. It's underfunded as it is. Infrastructure isn't 'cool.' Given 'power line maintenance' or 'repair the bridge that's about to fall' versus 'my social security check' or even 'lower taxes,' people won't check those first boxes very much.