I'm OK with paying more taxes for:

[DFW]

102. There's a question I ponder a lot

Of course, you people living stateside have state income tax to contend with in all but a few states, so the question of what the feds should take would probably elicit different answers, depending on where you ask.

I would be thrilled to still pay full boat in US taxes. In Germany, I get zero health coverage of any kind, zero pension consideration, and between the Germans and the USA, despite the double taxation treaty, there are parts of my income that both governments want to tax, so until that is resolved (going on four years now!), I pay an effective rate of about 65%--that's total, not marginal. To get health coverage in Germany, due to my pre-existing condition (heart issues) and age (will be 64 this year), I was quoted €2500 a month, or about $33,000 a year, so I don't. I'm stuck with Blue Cross from the States, who did keep me on, but deny all claims from German doctors and hospitals, even though they are far cheaper than the same treatment in the States. If I get seriously ill, I would probably have to charter a private jet to Dallas to be where I was covered, and could probably STILL do it for less than a year of German coverage would cost. As it is, I pay €400 a month for my wife's coverage, since she retired at age 60, and she has no coverage there until she hits age 65. Despite what some optimists might post here, there is no universal heath care coverage in Germany.