BM - it's not static and you are basing your claim off the assumption that it is. It changes about every 8 years. It's driven by politics, not math (see my above many points). Also don't confuse the competition vs. forced taxation (captured market) debate with the actual money on hand. How it was earned is irrelevant to what the books say. I.e. the books don't care how you got the money, just that the money is there and more of it is coming (government or business - doesn't matter). Finance and math are amoral. Stats don't lie, statisticians do.

The core foundation of our government is that American people are the customers and not the other way around. "We the people" make up the government and it serves at our pleasure. We have the documentation to prove it.

Conversely, see Venezuela as an example of a system where the people are "employees" of the state. We are paying (taxes) for services rendered (benefits returned aka product). If we don't like it, we can elect someone who is more inline with our beliefs and visions. That's your competition in government right there. Elections. IT IS a business and WE ARE the customers.

Some Americans happen to work for government, but that is a side bar topic.

It's who's in office that drives the policies that sets your effective tax rate.

In the global business world, if you were Microsoft, would you rather pay 20% in Ireland or 35% in the USA? What if the USA offered you 15%? Would you take it?

Of course you would.

Except Steelheadman, who would gladly pay his fair share @ 35% because that's the right thing to do.