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Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by selimnairb on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @06:55PM (#27682829)
Well, any Federal funds are categorically not tax payer funds. The Federal government spends money into existence as it is a currency issuer (through the Federal Reserve).
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by nl on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @02:39AM (#27685631)
This is (mostly) untrue.

US Federal Taxes go to the Treasury[1][2], which then spends it on Federal government programs. If spending is more than receipts, the US Federal Reserve issues securities (ie, sells bonds) to raise money[3].

Quantitative Easing by the Federal Reserve does cause money to "appear", but this is different to the general process for funding federal government programs[4] (Note that the money can disappear if/when the Reserve chooses to resell those assets).

[1] https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/monthly-treasury-st...

[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-taxes-revenue-e... ("Of the $3.46 trillion in receipts taken in by the U.S. Treasury during fiscal 2019")

[3] https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2019/november/where-fe...

[4] https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/quantitative-easing...

Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by starik36 on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @07:14PM (#27682986)
Wonderful. Than I suggest that we cancel all taxes and just use the printed money to fund everything.
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by treis on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @08:17PM (#27683483)
Then what the hell are they doing with all the money I send them?
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by triceratops on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @11:43PM (#27684620)
Taxing your money away is a means of fighting inflation. Taxes and tax breaks also shape behavior. Sugary beverage taxes, tobacco taxes, mortgage interest deductions.
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by selimnairb on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @06:49AM (#27687045)
Federal taxes also legitimize the currency by providing stable demand for the currency.
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by irrational on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @12:18AM (#27684805)
Hopefully helping our poor and needy.
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by bawana on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @07:14AM (#27687179)
Lining their pockets.
Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by NovemberWhiskey on Tuesday June 29, 2021 @07:11PM (#27682952)
Wait, what? No; that's not how that works at all. Where did you read that?

The shortfall between Federal government spending and tax receipts is the deficit. The government has to borrow that money, which it does by having the Treasury issue debt securities.

Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by nl on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @02:40AM (#27685636)
This is correct. I attempt to provide references here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27685631

Not sure where these claims come from either.

Re:Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after pr... by selimnairb on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @06:52AM (#27687055)
Federal government deficit=private sector surplus. The money is conserved. Federal surplus=private sector surplus. People who want to balance the federal budget either don’t know what they are talking about, or are cynically trying to redistribute money to the wealthy.