How the Government Wastes Our Time
What do we lose in the hours spent filling out paperwork?
The government wastes our time through "time taxes," which are bureaucratic obstacles that require extra effort, delay, and aggravation. Time taxes manifest in various forms, such as extra identification requirements for voting or lengthy paperwork for programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and Social Security. These taxes are particularly burdensome for programs aimed at assisting people with lower social status, such as immigrants, individuals with a history of criminal involvement, certain racial groups, and high-income Americans.
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