Because our current social safety nets all work by assuming the next generation pays for the care of the current elderly. Those elderly do need 'stuff' they need doctors and nurses and nursing homes. Thus taxes will have to go up, and if it has to, it may as well be progressive.
replyWe already have giant amounts of tax everywhere, all the time. What makes you think we have no money for this?
replyNo, actually, we have explicit taxes for SS and Medicare, and we've known they were not bringing in enough revenue to fund those programs since the 80s.
replyThe trust funds are almost dry, so we're either going to have to raise those taxes to fund those programs, or cut a critical safety net to the American public. I know where my vote is going.
Or cut something else. The assumption that all government money is spent perfectly on essentials is a huge issue that afflicts tens of millions of voters.
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