I know I'm preaching (in a sonorous voice) to the choir when I point out that we have that US budget deficit problem because Mitch McConnell and his boyz decided to give the rich a humongous tax cut. And then, a few minutes after that:
(Bloomberg) -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the U.S. budget deficit is "disturbing" and spending on entitlement programs must be addressed by both Republicans and Democrats.— Brian Chappatta (@BChappatta) October 16, 2018
This combination is naturally Republican politics as usual, because the goal is to drown the government in a bathtub (except for the military to protect the money of the rich and the legal system for the same protection). But it's seldom happening so very quickly. First Mitch tries to put all the dollars in the wallets of the billionaires, then he takes one breath and follows that with the worry that the budget won't balance so let's put the old and the poor on cat food diets.
All that is obvious. But it's worth wondering what kind of a society Mitch&Friends want to build. Somalia? Something from ancient history? There are some really good reasons for taxes*: That's how we pay for a somewhat safer, fairer and more affluent society.
---------
* In the sense that everyone should pay their fair taxes, to cover our common expenses. This doesn't mean not keeping an eye on government spending and its efficiency. But there's something a little bit wrong if Echidne pays more federal income tax than Jared Kushner.