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Comment by jtbigwoo | Hacker News Reader

> We all almost do through taxes. He goes further and donates 50% more from the remaining money.

This is an odd argument. Are you saying that paying taxes is some form of altruism? The story is about a guy who donates money with no tangible benefit to himself. We all get benefits and services from the government. It debatable whether the value we receive is equal to the amount we pay in taxes, but the value is certainly not zero.

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US entitlement spending is about 66% of the federal budget. Unless you're on disability, medicare, social security, or some other entitlement program that's money you're receiving no direct benefits from.

I dunno, I think the government employees (federal and, because much of the federal entitlement spending is joint state/federal programs like Medicaid) and contractors paid to work directly in the administration of those programs (or, in the case of companies running Medicare Advantage plans, working in for-profit businesses directly subsidized by the entitlement spending) are receiving at least as direct a benefit from those programs as the program recipients are, and often, per person, a much larger benefit, as well.

Government employees and administration are overhead.

> Government employees and administration are overhead.

The only way you get close to the claimed 66% number is if you are including all spending, including overhead, of the programs identified.

Exactly what I meant. I'm not saying there isn't any nobleness in his actions. Merely pointing out that we are all giving half or close to half the money we are producing and most of which we receive no benefit from.

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