Taxes

[gigolohitman]

Prompted by election thought and discussion

Comments

[moussaka_thief]

b. you are taxing his success, but not in a way that makes success undesirable - you still win when you win, but you have to share a little.

[moussaka_thief]

I must add that, while I do believe in proportional taxation, I also believe that introducing certain flat rate taxes would play a massive part in reducing government. Which I support.

[gedhrel]

(If our society requires us to pointlessly employ people, I don't have much of an issue whether it's the government or private enterprise doing so.)

[moussaka_thief]

Wouldn't say that people 'have' to be employed.

And good for you.

[gedhrel]

Listening to the prospective leaders of the country talk, it seems to be an unspoken assumption. "Cutting waste" is all very well but the people who are no longer calculating and chasing taxes have to go somewhere. Obviously, there's always more stuff that the government might be doing. Or dole queues. For private enterprise to employ those people, though, sort of implies that they have some necessary skills that the current unemployed cohort lacks.

I wouldn't say that people 'have' to be employed either, but I'm in a minority.

[moussaka_thief]

I don't think you are really in a minority, but then I do live in Brixton where it's really not uncommon to 'leave the system', so my perception of these things is likely skewed.

I'm not some right winger spouting mindless hyperbole about 'cutting waste' without thinking about the implications. The truth is, if these people have good skills, they will get another job in the private or charitable sector. If they don't, then we shouldn't be paying them.

[gigolohitman]

I'm interested in how you "leave the system" without significant savings? Is my only way of leaving the system to play it to the hilt first (or have rich parents :-), and then leave?

[moussaka_thief]

We call them Trustafarians. Does that clear it up?

Seriously though, there are ways. There are several established squats where they offer a barter system within the local economy with objects they 'freecycle'. They also barter skills and services. Living in a squat, having a skill and being good at growing your own veg. Or being a drug dealer ;)

[moussaka_thief]

We have one at the end of our road where a group of carpenters set up a commune. They teach, make shit, fix shit, grow a lot of stuff and go skip diving for food. I made them a batch of muffins in exchange for a basket full of fruit they got the M&S threw out.

[gigolohitman]

That's kind of hardcore :-) If I cut myself off from the system, I would die fairly slowly, as I went into a coma because I didn't have thyroid meds.