Volunteer Taxes?

I get annoyed with people who think the answer to all social problems is spending more money. It's an oversimplified position to say, "I believe education, welfare, social security, etc ought to have more money." Well, duh! Of course they should...everything SHOULD have more money. The whole point of money is that it is a tool to relativize value.

The analogy I use from my field is the budget on a film project. In student films, I've noticed no correlation between the cost of a film and the value of the product. In fact, if anything, I've noticed a negative correlation. When the costs of films are high, it puts enormous pressure on the director to succeed. Furthermore, it gives the film a professional look, which oftentimes serves to highlight the deficiencies of the project - inexperienced directing, writing, and acting. Sometimes, spending more is actually a hinderance. Robert Rodiguez says the same in his intro to filmmaking book....he argues that when money is no object, any problem that arises is solved by throwing money at it. Not the right sun today? Lets bring in HMIs. Not the right weather? Let's wait two weeks until the "right" weather hits. Not the right performance? We'll add music in post-production from a big pop star. These kind of solutions are possible with money. Without money, you need to be creative. Necessity is the mother of creation. Not the right weather? Shoot anyway - and perhaps you get the end of McCabe and Mrs. Miller, the snow storm, one of the most amazing sequences I've ever seen. Not the "right" performance. Maybe you get Klaus Kinski in Aguirre, Wrath of God. What a nut.

Anyhoo - why don't we implement a little additional element to our tax system where one can voluntarily pay more taxes? Then, instead of complaining about lower taxes, anyone can voluntarily pay more taxes to help fund the programs the government deems vital. People can stop being generous with other people's money and can affect change on their own. Just a thought.