Comment by shkkmo

If you don't believe that government has any value, then there isn't much to discuss with you as your views on the topic are extremely fringe and we likely won't agree on much.

If you do believe that government can create value, then it easily follows that paying / collecting taxes can create value. There is no need to assume that taxes always provide value or that all parts of government create value (since that would also be a extremely fringe view.)

> it doesn't create value, it retains value for those who created it.

Yes, at the cost of higher taxes on others who created value or a reduced revenue for the government.

If you believe the goverent needs less revenue, then lower taxes. The "bullshit jobs" are created when you have a complex set of rules and loopholes that incentives wasting manpower to find ways to dodge paying taxes. We would be better off just having lower tax rates and less effort wasted dodging taxes.