This rare headline (below) shows how your tax $$ really work. **EDIT: I have confirmed that the Headline is bogus. It does, however, illustrate the point below very well, so consider this a parable**

Tax $$:
1) bought Ukranian Generals
2) funded their LA mansions
3) funded the enviro laws that led to fires
4) incentived the mgmt decisions that made the fire unstoppable
5) will pay for rebuilding those mansions

This rare headline shows a hermetically sealed vampiric system, siphoning up your wealth  (bought with the sweat of your brow and minutes of your life) and swirling it around for the benefit of others.