So I don't really prescribe to any political party and I don't like to label my political preferences by anything other than "disgusted." Anyway, me and my libertarian friend were talking the other day about taxes and perceived fairness. I know a lot of people are in favor of progressive/graduated income taxes because rich people make a lot, so why should they bitch about paying higher taxes? To be honest, I used to think that way too. But I've come to realize that that's pretty much bullshit. Yes there are the "old money" type of rich folks who were born rich and who will always be rich. And then there are the rich people who have made a name for themselves. But all that doesn't matter. This country is built on private enterprise. The government should be equally "entitled" to everybody's money. Why isn't there a flat tax? And why is it that today, the general consensus is that there should be a graduated income tax? Now, I'm not looking for an explanation of what is economically feasible/favorable for the economy. I'm more interested in why so many people think that taking more money from a certain group of people is fair just because they have more. Go!
democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding whats for lunch- Ben Franklin pretty much sums it up, why not just take from others? its legal theft
Right on. Right on Yes! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.......................... Theft is still theft. The government is not entitled to anyone's money. They take people's money by force and with threats of violence and they enforce their rules with men and women in costume. Well, the easiest answer is that people see themselves getting by on whatever they make and they assume that those rich people could get by on the same, or an amount that is more than their own yet still less than what they see them currently making. However, taking that money from them disrupts free enterprise - It means they spend less which means less people have jobs to earn that money and they invest less which means people have less money to draw on for loans.
This. The majority aren't rich. The politicians cater to the majority. That's all politics is, promising people something for nothing. Why do people go along with it? Because they are stupid/lazy/immoral/etc.
Politicians cater to people who give them money. Who has the most money to give? Multinational corporations and their owners.
taxes pay for military, infrastructure, and public services....no taxes, none of those, UNLESS someone pays for them out of pocket....and we all know wealthy people only spend if they have to, or like a new shiny thing. Now as to fair...sure the wealthy pay more total dollars then the poor, but who has the most to lose if we had no military/leo/infrastructure-repairs-builds...those with the most too lose are also the ones paying the most in total dollars (but the least in total income percentage). If the country goes to shit and all those things break down, the wealthy will be lost, run screaming to some other country for help in protecting their wealth...the poor, sit still, nothing much has changed for them, just a new tyrant... fair?
A good group to add to that list of adjectives is used. There's a considerable amount of people who aren't stupid, lazy or immoral, but have had their beliefs used against them by people in positions of power. Ignorant would be another, ignorance and stupidity aren't interchangeable and some people fail to see that.
I think most people don't know what a percentage is and thinks a flat tax means you pay the same amount regardless of what you make.
False dichotomy. Attacking people or threatening to attack people (see: taxes) because you're unable to understand simple concepts like voluntary exchange, the self-ownership principle, the non-aggression principle, etc. is not fair. Territorial monopolies on the initiation of force (violence, fraud or threats thereof) aren't what I would consider fair.
The highest income groups pay the most nominally AND by percentage. An income tax is never fair, but a flat rate is at least more fair than a progressive tax. Better than an income tax though would be an even across the board sales, tarriff, or excise tax.
Policticians first cater to people who give them votes. They promise whatever they have to, to whoever they have to, in order to get their vote thereby getting/staying in office. They also cater to whoever gives them money but only as long as it doesn't interfer with getting votes. They use the money to get more votes and prefer to keep it secret, as far as possible who gives them money.
Yes it is fair because they have more money... I mean it sucks, yes but that's fair game. There's no discrimination or special treatment... they just have more money so, yes they can get on better in that situation. In my opinion, the object of "fair" should be to let everyone have more or less the same shot and becoming rich/successful. Not having everybody earning the same amount, or requiring more of people who have more.