Having said that, I think every economic problem in America is primarilly due to taxation.
In my opinion, taxes should be levied and used for basic social needs; police, fireman, needed politicians, and the infrastructure(s) that are necesarry for the aforementioned services.
Franklin's library has seen it's day, so IT can go (as an example and an etc.)
I wish I was patient enough to try and collect the data to break down what is taken in taxes and what is needed to operate society and compare/contrast the two.
I honestly think (with no real data to support my thought) we can operate from a very small tax burden.
The problems started when the Federal gubmint deviated from their role of promoting domestic tranquility to trying to provide domestic tranquility. The failure has been epic.....for everyone except the politicians, who continue to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense.....
We lived fine with out police. You got a lot of stuff? Hire a kid to guard it. Why should I subsides protecting your property, or you me?
Worried about assault, rape? Get a gun. Again, why should I subsidize the protection of people that won’t protect themselves? ( And, ladies, wimps, elderly, too f’n bad. Marry, move in, take care of old dad. Move into a building, gated community where YOU pay to be protected. )
Police are welfare security. They are the welfare of security. They are to security what public housing is to shelter.
Ditto Firemen.