So it happens everyday, and we don’t even think about it: we get receipts from stuff we buy. We get an invoice for services rendered by a provider.

Why don’t we get the same from government?

Here’s what I want: after citizens pay their taxes, they get an explicit invoice of not only how much they paid, but for what exactly they paid. It shows how much of your money goes to which agency and program and when, by percentage. Moreover, we’d be able to track how that changed from YTY and the overall budget of that program or agency.

Imagine how government would change. We’d be able to say “I paid x amount for y program, and I can’t stand it!” We’d be able to make educated guesses. And we’d see firsthand the magnitude of government waste.

Just a thought.