Unfortunately my brother is incredibly ignorant. He did not bother to go to college to study these topics that he has very strong opinions about.. not even bothering to read up on these topics independently outside an academic setting..
I hate calling him ignorant because he's my brother but I have no other word to describe someone who not only doesn't know anything about the topics he's discussing but also rejects any information that disproves his crackpot theories he made up because he thinks anything taught in an academic setting are lies. He also believes there is actually a different secret system in place behind the scenes we'r not aware of.
Regarding tax collection/spending:
He eagerly nods his head in agreement to libertarian ideology and how taxation is theft.
When I bring up that it would wipe out all the social programs he depends on when he is in a financial slump, I ask him "that doesn't bother you?"
His response: "Our money does not get used to fund these programs! And if they actually are using our money to fund them, they can still eliminate all taxes and instead the fed can print more money to pay for the public services and government programs we depend on!"
My dad and I are both tell him:
"that's not the way the government works, as tax payers we finance all public services and public programs we take for granted everyday. If you look at neighboring cities where no taxes are collected due to poverty, the city is a total dump as a result of no tax revenue. Also printing more money on that scale would cause inflation skyrocket."
This did not budge him at all.
He thinks ending wars abroad would allow us to redirect that money to restore towns and subsidize public services and programs that we depend on.
I tell him that defense money is also our tax dollars, so eradicating taxes would eliminate all that defense spending and there would not even be any defense spending to redirect.
I told him a better idea is to continue collecting taxes but to implement closer oversight to eliminate wasteful spending and shift money away from war, but DO NOT eliminate that tax revenue we depend on.
His response to implementing oversight on government spending?
"The government is corrupt! So I don't trust any oversight to be effective!! You're naive to think oversight will work. Just eliminate all the tax collection and all of this gets solved! The government can pay for all these things themselves!"
What would you tell my brother? I want to present him with undeniable information that would absolutely destroy all his little conspiracy theories.
Ultimately he trusts his gut and conspiracy theories more than anything. When you have a lot of gaps in your education and understanding of how civilization works you just fill them in with your own fabrications.