[eloisant]

In democracies money going to governments isn't sucked to some kind of vacuum. It's reinvested in infrastructure, social programs, investment programs, etc.

The US would be better off if it had more money to invest in healthcare and education, and Gabe would still be fine living in a house worth a few millions instead of on a half billion yacht.

[AnthonyMouse]

> In democracies money going to governments isn't sucked to some kind of vacuum. It's reinvested in infrastructure, social programs, investment programs, etc.

In practice it mostly goes to other rich people/corporations and affluent retirees.

Around half of federal revenues go to retirees (and disproportionately to the affluent ones), another trillion+ dollars goes to defense/VA contractors, another trillion dollars goes to interest (i.e. other rich people/corporations), and then all the rest of it combined is less than any one of those things individually.

[Hikikomori]

That the American system is broken doesn't mean we shouldn't have a government.

[preisschild]

I live in a democracy (central Europe) and too much is spent on subsidizing farmers and useless social programs.

[account42]

You don't think food security is something a country should invest in? Sure, let's have everything we need to live be produced in China, what could possibly go wrong.

[wolvoleo]

Where do you think your food comes from?

Why do you think we don't have to worry about someone shooting us for 20€?

These things are not wasted money. They could be spent more efficiently, but I don't think they are a waste at all.