[noxer]

Have you asked the people who pay in the end (the taxpayer) if they want that? The very last thing I want my taxes to go to is anything that has "no strings attached". Its by definition a gift and gifting taxes should be a crime.

[Sayrus]

Then taxes could be used to pay government employees whose job is to contribute on a specific project. That could apply to Linux, a browser, maybe AOSP. Sure it'd require funding, but spent on employees within said countries you get it back and it does give Europe as a whole the ability to contribute its vision, both positive and negative.

[noxer]

Whether the people are employed by the government directly or a different entity isn't relevant at all, the relevant part is taxes being used for something that has an undefined benefit for the people who are forced to pay for it. (And in case of "no string attacked" even has an undefined goal.)

>give Europe as a whole the ability to contribute its vision

Who's vision? The peoples vision? Or the vision of bureaucrats, politicians, lobbyists etc.

[DrillShopper]

In the US, at least, all funding goes through Congress, so get in your rep's ear if you don't like this (or get in their ear if you do)

[notpushkin]

I wholeheartedly agree, though how to utilize the tax money isn’t the problematic part in the taxation IMO.

[tonyhart7]

if its come with string attached then another agency (ehm ehm intelligence) would try to get their hands on them

[rat9988]

Agencies seem to get involved even in private "independant" companies. It has nothing to do with the official string attachments.