Can citizens donate to the government?

[wildflower]

Maybe this is a crazy question, but please bear with me.

I got to thinking, I've heard several liberals in the top 1% say they don't need or want the tax cuts they got. And there was a poll a while back that showed taxes are not the top concern for most Americans compared to other issues.

So as people become increasingly worried about the national debt, the fall of the dollar, and/or collapse of the economy, could citizens start sending the government money?

For example, could people pay more taxes than they owe? Make donations to the government?

Then there is the war. People who support the war - to which much of this money has gone - but worry about deficits, could help monetarily.

I can see why people wouldn't want to send money to this particular government. I'm just wondering if it is theoretically possible in order to save the economy.

Or even if possible, would such donations, even from billionaires, not even be a drop in the bucket?

-wildflower

[MichiganVote]

1. Yes.

[blogbear]

2. Yes Indeed..and Everybit Counts and Courts Our Intents..

[wildflower]

6. I had no idea. Thanks! n/t

[Dookus]

3. Yes

http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdgift.htm

[wildflower]

5. Thanks for the link! Well that turns me to the ethical question, then.

Should you donate to the government if you don't support the war(s)?

-wildflower

[mcscajun]

10. Your contribution can go towards the public debt, instead.

Gift Contributions to Reduce Debt Held by the Public
http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdgift.htm

[0007]

4. I got a good care package from an Armenian the other day.

Anything is possible.

[wildflower]

8. Are you in the service?

[0007]

13. I have one foot in the grave....I was being sarcastic

[madeline_con]

7. Reason it's so bad...

I just read a blog today about one of the reasons the economy is so bad. Outsourcing jobs has caused a lot of people to lose their income. There has been job growth, if you want to count all the Wal-Mart jobs and that type of employment that has opened up.

The kind of job where you work 39 hrs and 45 min a week, so they don't have to pay any benefits.

I have an ad supported forum, and found out the other day I can have my very own Indian, dedicated only to my business, for $450/mo. I have no idea how much of that goes to the particular person in India, but that illustrates exactly what's wrong with our economy.

Oh, right, my point. Your time would be better spent getting in touch with your Congressmen to stop the exportation of jobs. :scared:

[wildflower]

11. You're right, of course. I was just thinking about the debt & the dollar,

and had visions of a great grassroots effort to bring down the debt and save the economy. For example, a movement among the liberal top 1% to return their taxes.

Or for another example, on the Majority Report they were just talking about the budget cuts to air traffic controllers. I thought, what if citizens could mobilize to donate to a fund that would restore the air traffic controllers' funding?

-wildflower

[madeline_con]

12. Nosedive!

Geeez! What a morale booster. I'll add that to my reasons for thinking twice before I fly!

[bluestateguy]

9. Yes, it's been done before

I remember hearing about one man who, after 9/11, donated his $600 tax rebate check to the CIA. What procedure one goes through to donate money to the government is beyond me.

[lonestarnot]

14. Oh sure, please donate...bushitler will think of a good way to spend it

I'm sure...