"When people see the government taking steps to lessen the gap [between rich and poor], it puts more

[pampango]

trust in the government and people are more open to paying taxes..."

The French have one of the largest tax burdens in the entire eurozone (the top marginal rate was 45 per cent in 2013, compared to an EU average of 37.8) and in 2012 cheerfully elected the Socialist President François Hollande on a promise of notching it up even higher — at least for those at the higher end of the income spectrum. France is a country known for both its high individual tax rate and "tax morale" — the phrase economists use for the general level of willingness among taxpayers to play by the rules.

France's "fast trains, first-rate hospitals and public crèches (daycares) do not come for nothing," noted a 2013 piece in the Economist. The French, the weekly magazine said, are "the first to defend a way of life subsidised by the public purse that can often only be bought privately in Britain or America."

Programs like those help make taxes more palatable in Canada, too. In contrast to Americans and taxpayers in some other parts of the world, Canadians are "generally more aware of where tax dollars are going," says Iqbal. "We appreciate that taxes help put out our fires, keep our schools clean and safe, keep our streets safe, keep our level of social standing where it is, and our health care."

Real or perceived inequality and government corruption will drag tax morale down. "When people see the government taking steps to lessen the gap [between rich and poor], it puts more trust in the government and people are more open to paying taxes," said Iqbal.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/taxes/how-tax-attitudes-change-over-time-and-around-the-world-1.2510250

The gap between rich and poor keeps getting wider in the US. On some level this reduces the already low willingness to pay taxes. So much of it does nothing to decrease inequality but pays for the military and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Republicans must be smiling all the way to the bank. Tax cuts for the wealthy breed inequality which causes distrust of taxes, allowing the anti-tax conservatives to push for more cuts which perpetuate the cycle. It's difficult to argue for higher, more progressive taxes when people distrust how the money is being and will be spent.

In those countries where people are "generally more aware of where tax dollars are going" which is to "put out fires, keep schools clean and safe, keep our level of social standing where it is, and our health care", there is much more support for higher levels of taxes.

This article discussed how Canada went from a low-tax country to its current high tax/high benefit status.

[tblue37]

1. Too much of our tax money goes to corporate welfare, black ops, the national

security surveillance state, police militarization, the military industrial complex and the endless wars of aggression that we must wage to keep the MIC's appetite moderately mollified, since it is, of course, insatiable.

If Americans could see Democrats really fighting to direct some of it toward improving their lives, it would help, but too many Dems have sold out to corporate wealth, and even when Dems do direct money toward ordinary people, the M$M either buries the story or allows Republicans to take credit for it.

Remember how Repubs took credit for stimulus projects in their districts even while slamming them and voting against them? And of corse the M$M helped them push their lies.

[EC]

2. That's because those things

are what the Republicans and Libertarians believe government is for. The rest is Socialism to them. But I do think that allowing the government to take over in other areas makes it cheaper for the citizens than paying individual private industry. I can't wait to see our cost of living once repubs privatize everything.

[redqueen]

3. "Tax cuts for the wealthy breed inequality which causes distrust of taxes,..."

I grew up listening to my parents ranting about Reagan's voodoo economics bullshit.

I have a hard time not loathing all republicans.