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antisthenes 17 hours ago

Roughly speaking, 2 years of community service should be worth some % of local & federal taxes.

In a developed society, I'm not sure what kind of labor an 18-year old can perform (what I mean is that it would be mostly unskilled labor), that would be better than taxing this same individual later in life, without delaying their education by 2 years.

I suppose there would have to be exemptions for college students as there typically are in such schemes in other countries?

quantified 16 hours ago | parent [-]

Shouldn't be. Just have a more-level playing field, make everyone (college-track or not) participate.

You seem to assume that tax dollars are equivalent to labor. A pile of quarters never did anything sitting there, it takes a human to do something for the most part. Money is a tool sitting there, not actual work.

antisthenes 15 hours ago | parent [-]

> A pile of quarters never did anything sitting there

Luckily, we don't have a pile of quarters sitting there doing anything, because the US operates at a deficit. So dollars are being borrowed then spent on projects.

quantified 13 hours ago | parent [-]

Sorry, I'm not sure what you're trying to say there. Borrowing money somehow does useful work without being spent?