So much of "our tax dollars" are talked about with government spending, that you'd swear we were a far more populous nation.

When push comes to shove, I think these points should be taken into account:

1) Most of the Federal Budget does not come from personal income tax (or even direct taxation).

2) Travel expenses are expected to be paid for. This isn't always a bad thing since these days you'd have to be independently wealthy to hold the office and travel at the secure level that is required. That would eliminate quite a lot of qualified people.

3) Huge portions of the money the Federal Government has spent in the past 30 years or so don't even come from American sources.

4) The amount of money we are talking about (on a national scale) here is chump change.

Why worry about a hangnail when your head is on the chopping block?

[edit on 20-10-2009 by KrazyJethro]