> If all my options are pay taxes and live in country A, OR go to hellhole country B where I will get killed but don't pay taxes, then you're not really giving me the option.
Have you considered that maybe the world is trying to tell you something? Do you see a pattern? If every place without taxes is a hellhole where you'll get killed, maybe that means something. Perhaps the place you imagine, one that has no taxes but is not a hellhole, cannot exist in the real world?
> Nor did you ever intend on giving me the choice, because you gave me no avenue for recourse via this system you call democracy.
Sure we do, just vote for politicians who support having no taxes at all. If there aren't any, become such a politician and get elected. Doesn't work? Guess what, most people don't agree with your point of view and democracy works as planned.
> Now that I think about it, what you propose is actually a protection racket. "Live in my neighbourhood and get my protection, give me protection money for it, though."
That is how public services work, yes. What separates them from protection rackets would be that the government actually offers you something useful in return, and you get to affect policy by voting.
> Heck, you don't even allow us to claim a piece of unused land in the middle of nowhere as our own to govern as we wish with like-minded individuals.
Countries don't like to lose territory. Are you truly surprised they don't allow you to just 'claim' a piece of land? Suppose you had your hypothetical tax-free country, how would you feel if another guy just walked in and just claimed it as its own? I imagine the situation would quickly turn the place into something one might refer to as a hellhole.
> You don't even allow us the chance to BUY that land from you. How is that freedom? How are you giving us an option/choice?
Do you think everything should be for sale? Replace 'land' by 'slaves', or 'nuclear bombs', or 'smallpox'. The same whiny 'argument' applies. You have the freedom to attempt to change your country through democratic means. That is the freedom/option/choice you have. Freedom does not mean you can do whatever you want.
> Personally, I think the only real alternative is giving people direct control over government spending.
By all means, vote for someone who will change your country like that.
> Give me a bunch of damn sliders and categories so I can fine-tune the damn budget how I see fit by assigning my tax money to each cause/agency/whatever.
By all means, go ahead. It will be hilarious to observe.
> Give me a bunch of damn sliders and categories so I can fine-tune the damn budget how I see fit by assigning my tax money to each cause/agency/whatever.
I suppose this will leave the unemployed to pay the unemployment benefits?
> People aren't nearly as selfish and greedy as you think, when given the chance and responsibility.
Perhaps most are not, but they are irrational and will act often against their own best interests when given the chance. Many people will refuse to spend any money on things that don't benefit them or their close friends/family directly. A part of me wishes you get what you want, so that in 10 years we'll be able to use you as an example why this doesn't work at all.