One of the rallying cries of the Republican party that persuaded so many over the decades has always been fiscal responsibility and tax cuts. They have spent decades persuading voters that paying taxes is a terrible thing. They have claimed that bureaucracy is slow and wasteful. That the taxes people paid have been misappropriated. They have corrupted one of the most important things that a citizen can do for its nation. Pay taxes.

Paying taxes should be seen as a prideful act. This small action provides us with innumerable benefits that every single one of us benefits from.

The voting public has been lied to in an attempt to convince them they don't receive anything from the taxes they pay. This, as most people should recognize, is a falsehood. From the roads we drive on, the water we drink, and the sewage that gets washed away to the security net that allows millions of Americans to retire every year. Taxes are the foundation that has allowed us to become the strong and comfortable nation that we are.

Taxes are the reason we have such a strong military that many Republicans idolize (while many others denounce.) Taxes are the reason we almost every child in this country has at least a cursory education. Taxes are the reason so many can pursue the careers that keep us safe and healthy, like every single doctor, nurse, and everyone else that helps and support them. Taxes are the reason your community has playgrounds for your children. Taxes are the reason so many farmers even have an income at all.

Crazy, but true. No he didnt want anything well funded.

That's what he says... But does he drive on public roads? Does he use bridges? Does his residence have access to clean water and a functioning sewer? Etc. etc.

Conservatives are freeloaders. It's what they don't think social can't work.

They know they wouldn't contribute. They know they would exploit it.

So your friend is constantly lobbying for dismantling the MIC, imperialism, etc.? Or they just don't want to pay for their violent privileges?

There are some peculiar branches of libertarian thinkers (Stephen Molyneux being a prime example) that think nothing should be government/tax funded, up to and including e.g. roads. He reasons private companies should build them, and make them all toll roads, or find some other way to recoup the costs.

“why should I pay for schools if I don’t have any kids”

so that illiterate gangs don't break into your house to steal your shit or kidnap you.

That's a big part of it. There's also a lot of ignorance and stupidity.

They'll be like "I don't want government in health care" but also want Medicare and Medicaid.

also having a propaganda platform that keeps the message going constantly, or else the voters will get bored or start to realize something else.

Yup, standard fascist procedure. All the Nazi parties in Europe want to be elected to the European Parliament with the very publicly expressed goal of breaking it from the inside to prove that European unity and globalism don't work.

Disagree - someone has to deal with emergencies and investigate crimes, and I'd rather it was someone trained to do so.

But I would like to see them split up into different agencies with different responsibilities, so it's not armed meatheads dealing with every social disturbance

I'm not against the existence of a police force, but I am against what we have now. (USA)