Donald Trump's implicit admission that he doesn't usually pay any federal taxes is one of the great takeaways from Debate 1. But very little attention has been paid to the follow-up argument by Trump, justifying his non-contributions based on what he sees as wasteful spending by the government. Of course, the argument is preposterous. I wish I could have prevented my federal tax dollars from contributing to the Iraq war. Or, to give a current example, I don't think I would chip in foreign aid to Egypt's dictatorship to help them murder dissidents, or to the government of Israel until it stops settlement activity. But the point I want to make is that Trump's argument opens the door for a devastating counterpunch. Hillary could simply say:
"Well, on this point I must admit that I partially agree with Donald. For example, over the years the government has given Donald $885 million in subsidies, and I think that this money could have been much better spent on schools, roads, and hospitals.”