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But it's ok for taxes to pay for roads and garbage collection?

It's OK for taxes to pay for anything, you just have to remember that just because you don't swipe your credit card or get a bill it doesn't mean that something is "free".

I would like to differ and make the claim that most of it actually is indeed "free", since we are all living very comfortably off a huge inheritance and network effects:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16912315

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16889577

This is just disingenuous. And perhaps the wrong way to think about it.

Sure, it's not 'free'. But when you pay taxes, everyone doesn't pay equal amounts. Those who are able to earn more money, pay more taxes. Those who can't pay less. But no one is left to fend for themselves. Even the poor can get treatment. We're also not paying anything like the insane prices you pay in America.

I did not say it's a bad idea.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com