Balanced budgets and demagoguery

My father and I self-identify on opposite ends of the political spectrum.  This doesn't preclude reasonable political conversations: "here's how the recent T review was a debacle"; "you clearly aren't a Sanders supporter and Trump is a nut job, so which of the 732 Republican candidates do you support?"  It seems like we agree on the fundamentals of how government should work, just not what the priorities should be.  Fundamentally I feel like mainstream politics comes down on one of three positions as far as finances go:

1. I think government services are important and they need to be paid for, so I'll concede paying higher taxes for them, even if they serve others.


2. I think low taxes are important, even if they come at the cost of government services, some of which may benefit me.


3. If we cut taxes, the magic growth fairies will make there still be revenue so that government services can still happen.

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