gross national hapiness index

[Jester]

The average person earning a living isn't asking the government for relief (ostensibly for food, clothing, shelter, medicine). But, I would bet that if the IRS found this stuff as deductions in an audit you'd be in a little hot water.

Remember that, in your tax plan (as you've described it) this is not relief. This is a fundamental feature of the tax system for anyone not earning over a certain threshold.

It's more that the money is "The People's" money, before they give it away. So Congress feels those attached strings are appropriate.

Obviously, the political system's decisions reflect the will of the congress. But that would be true no matter how smart or stupid the decisions.

The government gives away loads of free money, for all sorts of things. When the government tried putting strings on the free money they showered on the banking system, there was a great wailing and gnashing of teeth: Socialism! How dare the government dictate how we use their free money!

There are all sorts of redistributive channels. Almost everyone benefits from at least a handful of them. But some people have to jump through humiliating hoops, and other people get buckets of cash dumped on their doorstep, no questions asked.

-Jester