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AIBU?

AIBU to loathe people who seem to think that their personal tax contribution pays for absolutely everything and everyone

73 replies

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 18:59

Sorry thread about a thread the care home one!

When I hear people getting angry because their taxes are paying for parts of the social system they don't agree with would I be unreasonable to ask them in more detail how much they actually pay in tax. Then argue that they in all likelihood don't actually cover their own social benefits of education and medical care etc?

Why do people think they personally pay for the entire public workforce and feel the need to tell individuals that "I pay your wages mate" or "I don't want to pay for someone else's sick aunt" You know the type I mean.

OP posts:

Report

bigkidsdidit · 07/01/2013 19:02

I know

In the last 3 years I've had two pregnancies and stomach surgery. I have had I would guess 50 doctor's appts and been in hospital for 8 days combined

Guaranteed all my taxes up to now won't touch the cost of that added onto all the normal stuff (police, schools etc)

HecatePropolos · 07/01/2013 19:07

info on what we put in and what we get out

and some sort of survey here

TidyDancer · 07/01/2013 19:09

As someone who has in the past worked for the local council, I can't abide people saying "I pay your wages". The minute you tell them something they don't want to hear, that's the line that comes out.

It's so incredibly rude and massively incorrect that it makes me seethe.

mrsjay · 07/01/2013 19:09

I think every tax payer pays something like 60 odd pence each towards every thing they moan about

MammaTJ · 07/01/2013 19:11

YANBU!!

Some people will contribute more, some will take out more. Those who take more initially will be those who have children, but in years to come those children will hopefully be paying in to the system while those who did not have children will just be taking in retirement through various means.

It is just a society that takes care of everyone as well as we can will be swings and roundabouts like that.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 07/01/2013 19:11

YANBU!

Don't you have to earn something like £26k before you 'break even' ?

TandB · 07/01/2013 19:11

YABU

My tax pays for your foot-related healthcare. No-one else's. Just yours.

And only feet.

I filled in a special form asking for that to happen.you

And now I am going to take up residence on this thread until are properly grateful.

TandB · 07/01/2013 19:12

Not sure how that "you" escaped from the last sentence and landed in the one before.

mrsjay · 07/01/2013 19:12

It is just a society that takes care of everyone as well as we can will be swings and roundabouts like that.

just this really

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:14

It's the whole idea that they work on a zero sum basis, like I pay your wages to civil servants. If that were true the civil servant who is paying tax is actually paying their own wage.
It's the fact that most people who say such shite probably don't pay enough to cover their own kids education!

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TidyDancer · 07/01/2013 19:14

Oh, and we do put in more than we get out, but I still would never treat someone the way I was treated when I worked for the council or moan about so-and-so having such-and-such treatment.

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:16

Kung fu

Well I probably pay enough tax to pay for an bucket to clean the floor of an NHS hospital at the moment so I will next visit demand that the bucket be red!

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MrsLyman · 07/01/2013 19:17

Whilst I do get your point and can't abide the attitude you're talking about I think overall YABU the moment we stop caring about what our taxes are spent on democracy dies. I'd rather people were bothered than totally passive about such things. Would you be quite as annoyed if they were moaning about taxes being spent on something you also thought was a waste of money?

bigkidsdidit · 07/01/2013 19:19

Well I sort of agree - I am furious my taxes are spent on trident and I have let the gov know

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:23

But it's not their personal tax MrsLyman, I think that's what annoys me. It's the use of language.

A classic I heard recently facebook (an angry Daily Mail reader I would think) "I am sick of my taxes being given as handouts to illegal immigrants who can't be arsed to work"
Really? Illegal immigrants who are on benefits...really? And they can't be arsed to work? Really?

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DadOnIce · 07/01/2013 19:24

I used to meet some vewwy vewwy earnest people as students who would declare that, when they became taxpayers, they'd withhold the proportion of their tax which went on defence spending. They didn't seem to see the problems behind doing this.

JustFabulous · 07/01/2013 19:24

YANBU

Even if there was no need for you would still have to pay tax!

coldcupoftea · 07/01/2013 19:28

YANBU- since having kids I have become more and more grateful for what our taxes go towards- two hassle-free births on the NHS, fab post-natal care, vaccinations, doctors appointments for the kids, museums, parks, playgrounds, and most recently a wonderful local primary school! I am pretty sure I have taken out far more than I put in...

I still reserve the right to have an opinion on what the money is spent on but I do not begrudge paying taxes.

RedTinsel · 07/01/2013 19:30

My dad pays for all single mothers to get taxis everywhere and wear designer clothes. I'll PM you his address if you want to thank him personally!

I hate the 'I pay your wages' brigade. I heard some thick arse shouting it to a woman in the job centre. How she didn't laugh in his face I don't know.

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:31

RedTinsel

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rumbelina · 07/01/2013 19:35

Yanbu! See also 'i pay your pension' re the recent public sector pension saga.

IneedAsockamnesty · 07/01/2013 19:39

Tidy,

Next time it happens just start asking random questions about utter shite

" I have to report a health and safety risk boss"
" I haven't had my holiday entitlement this year boss"
" the loos blocked boss"
" could you phone xyz the light bulb needs changing boss"
"I need the day off tomorrow I'm due to have woman's troubles boss"

And then sit back and laugh then say " can I have my disciplinanary now please,why don't you piss off and write my written warning"

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sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:43

Love it socketturningpixie

Do it tidydancer

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jamdonut · 07/01/2013 19:44

I used to get the " I pay your wages" thing when I worked as the Appointments Officer for a hospital, just because people couldn't have exactly the date/time they felt they deserved, or I couldn't guarantee they would be in and out within 15 mins,etc,etc. I used to tell people who said that, that I also pay my own wages and they would look at me incredulously...

sockmuppet · 07/01/2013 19:46

Unfortunately jamdonut it's not the brightest of society that say this sort of crap. Maybe you should have retorted "and I paid for your education and that was a waste of money"

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