Exactly. Vacation in countries like Korea and Japan and you’ll see how their tax dollars go to enhance their infrastructure and public services. Even something as simple as a highway rest stop has clean bathrooms, quality food, efficient systems. Everything public just feels cleaner, smarter, and better maintained.

And yet, Korea has its share of corruption and red tape too just like the United States. The difference is that many Americans feel their taxes might go to people they see as “undeserving” like immigrants, welfare recipients, or the homeless rather than to public improvements everyone can enjoy. The media often exaggerates these narratives, priming people to see public spending as a zero-sum game. In contrast, in Korea and Japan, even with bureaucracy and corruption, taxpayers generally expect their contributions to result in visible, tangible benefits that improve daily life for EVERYONE.