Q-and-A Club: Tax-and-Spend Game -- Funding for environmental protection

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Q-and-A Club Questions

Community of the Curious and Courageous

dangerous waste bag being dumped in trash can Environmental Protection

Tax-and-Spend Game Category 9

How do you evaluate the importance of these programs that are possible because of the taxes we pay?

NOTE #1: There are no explanations or definitions for the programs I've listed because I want to keep this simple enough that you will actually play the game. Use your experience or the Internet to help you evaluate a program's importance if you don't know much about it.

NOTE #2: SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR CHANCE TO ENTER A DRAWING

Not much needs to be said in this introduction. You already know the score. The environment and global warming are topics at the forefront of many efforts to make a change in the world.

The question is, how much will you be willing to spend of your hard-earned money to clean up the environment, protect wildlife, set aside open spaces that keep some of the land out of commercial development, and take other actions that will leave a smaller footprint on the earth by our generation?

Will taking a day to clean the beaches and not using plastic bags be enough to prevent an acceleration of global warming? If scientists are right about the need to react strongly and quickly in order to reduce, at least somewhat, wide-spread disasters from climate change, the efforts will not come cheaply. Are you willing to part with more of your tax money to make this happen?

And once again, the question is whether we want to continue with "business as usual" in the way we live and leave the clean-up to our children and grandchildren.

If you are aware of other programs funded by local, state, and/or national taxes that help protect the environment that are not included in this list, please let me know. Use the Contact Us form.

How do you want your taxes to be spent in order to protect the environment?

________	Wildlife research and protection of habitat
________	Purchase and maintenance of national parks for recreation and protection of environment
________	Enforcement of clean air act
________	Regulation of pesticide use
________	Research ways to mitigate effects of global climate change
________	Protection and set-asides of land for buffers between cities and rural areas
________	Ensure clean water supply
________	Clean up oil spills and other contamination by industries
________	Enforcement of environmental protection laws
________	Well-run zoos for both enjoyment of wildlife and awareness of the fraility of the environment in which endangered animals life

HOW TO PLAY

1. Read How Will the Election Change Our Taxes? for an introduction to the game.

2. Read Rules for the Tax-and-Spend Game in order to understand the assumptions under which the rules have been written — and to learn what you have to do to win the game.

3. Use the line in front of each item to write how you would like funding to continue, to be reduced, to be increased, or to be eliminated.

4. Complete all eleven categories in order to win the game.

Remember, while eliminating government waste should be pursued if for no other reason than that it will reduce taxes to some extent, that action alone will not eliminate the national debt.

Ask yourself the following questions to help you consider the importance of each item on the left. Pay particular attention to "why" and/or "how" you answer the question the way you do.

Have I or my friends benefited from this government program? How?

In what way does this service benefit society as a whole even if I, or my family and friends, are not personally affected by the program?

Do I believe government should fund this program? Why?

If I am currently participating or benefiting from this program, would I be willing to have it eliminated in order to balance the budget?

How would I suggest the services provided by this program be funded? Why? See How Does the Government Get Our Money?

Could the services of this program be easily provided by the private sector? If so, how?

In the line to the left of each item, write one of the following:

Maintain . . .

. . . indicates you are satisfied in having your taxes support that particular environmental protection program in local, state, and national budgets at the same rate your taxes fund it today

Decrease . . .

. . . indicates you want to spend fewer of your tax dollars on that item

Increase . . .

. . . means you believe the government needs to do more than it is currently doing and you are willing to be taxed accordingly

Eliminate . . .

. . . means you do not want the government to provide this service and you know a way in which it can be supported effectively without taxes (see How We Pay for Government Services)

Use the Contact Us form to send comments and questions concerning the Tax-and-Spend Game.

ENTER A DRAWING ONCE A WEEK FOR ELEVEN WEEKS (MARCH 2 TO MAY 17, 2008) FOR A SPECIAL PRIZE

The prize is my latest book, Ask Yourself Questions and Change Your Life: Stop wishing your life were different and make it happen

NOTE #1: All fields are required.

NOTE #2: I will not share your name with anyone and I won't put you on my newsletter list unless you subscribe yourself. This is just information I need for this one drawing, but if you don't give me your correct email address I won't be able to contact you if you win.

NOTE #3: You can enter as often as you like, but each entry must be for another Tax-and-Spend category

Name:

Email Address:

Verify Email Address:

Name of the tax-and-spend category to which your answer below applies:

What government services and programs you now use are you willing to give up in order to help balance the budget? Why?

May I share your answer on the Support4Change blog or website? I will not give your name or email address.
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