(no subject)
Anyone seen this, From the Tax Reseach blog?
Please Don't Argue That We're Overtaxed.
I don't mind paying more than the average; I earn more than the average. I do mind that people earning more pay less.
I mind, and rather more than 'mind', that a great many things I used to get for free in my taxes must now be paid for; and, worse, that these services were sold (or given away, with decidedly dubious motives) as a 'rent' over me. As are many of the things that I do still get for my taxes, at a much-reduced quality of service; and all of it at a profit to people who appear to pay no tax at all.
Richard Murphy and the Tax Justice Network are part of the solution to that, in the long term.
Here and now, if I enjoyed the public services they get in Sweden, I'd pay the taxes that are imposed in Sweden.
I like the idea of Social Security and an effective state, and I'm willing to pay for it.
But that's not what I'm getting, here and now, and there's a question here: what's the worth of an imperfect social compact? And what's a fair payment for a badly degraded one?
I do not see why I shouldn't keep 50p in every extra pound I earn; add up NI and VAT and charges for Local services - and lets forget about nondiscretionary payments for services that used to be funded by taxes - and keeping half of what I earn is rather difficult.
Here and now, I'm not getting what I'm paying for, and this is getting worse. So, too, is the galling inequality of obligation, whereby the even-better-paid pay less, and the profiteering parasites at the very top pay nothing. So, too, is the risk that we'll see a rerun of 1978, where the middle classes were squeezed in a panic-stricken struggle to 'balance' a deficit that was largely caused by a collapse in tax compliance among large companies and the wealthy.
The moral case for taxes has been degraded, and the economic case for avoidance or evasion has become increasingly compelling.
That is, of course, an effective 'emigration' out of the social compact, without actually going anywhere. It would be better to take up German or a Nordic language and leave.
I totally get the Libertarian strand of thinking that says all tax is parasitic and a net destruction of value. In a corrupt and ineffective state that is almost incapable of delivering services for the common good, there is some basis for your beliefs, and some of the things you say are useful.
But I live in Northern Europe.
Meanwhile, I have no time at all for the 'Libertard' objectivists who deny the concept of the common good. Bang the rocks together guys, you'll eventually get to Economics 101, the invention of Fire, and a compelling case study of The Fire Brigade as an example of effective taxpayer-funded services for the common good.
.
This is a copy of my post here, on Dreamwidth, which has
comments. OpenID will allow you to comment there from your LiveJournal session: contact me if you have problems.
Please Don't Argue That We're Overtaxed.
I don't mind paying more than the average; I earn more than the average. I do mind that people earning more pay less.
I mind, and rather more than 'mind', that a great many things I used to get for free in my taxes must now be paid for; and, worse, that these services were sold (or given away, with decidedly dubious motives) as a 'rent' over me. As are many of the things that I do still get for my taxes, at a much-reduced quality of service; and all of it at a profit to people who appear to pay no tax at all.
Richard Murphy and the Tax Justice Network are part of the solution to that, in the long term.
Here and now, if I enjoyed the public services they get in Sweden, I'd pay the taxes that are imposed in Sweden.
I like the idea of Social Security and an effective state, and I'm willing to pay for it.
But that's not what I'm getting, here and now, and there's a question here: what's the worth of an imperfect social compact? And what's a fair payment for a badly degraded one?
I do not see why I shouldn't keep 50p in every extra pound I earn; add up NI and VAT and charges for Local services - and lets forget about nondiscretionary payments for services that used to be funded by taxes - and keeping half of what I earn is rather difficult.
Here and now, I'm not getting what I'm paying for, and this is getting worse. So, too, is the galling inequality of obligation, whereby the even-better-paid pay less, and the profiteering parasites at the very top pay nothing. So, too, is the risk that we'll see a rerun of 1978, where the middle classes were squeezed in a panic-stricken struggle to 'balance' a deficit that was largely caused by a collapse in tax compliance among large companies and the wealthy.
The moral case for taxes has been degraded, and the economic case for avoidance or evasion has become increasingly compelling.
That is, of course, an effective 'emigration' out of the social compact, without actually going anywhere. It would be better to take up German or a Nordic language and leave.
I totally get the Libertarian strand of thinking that says all tax is parasitic and a net destruction of value. In a corrupt and ineffective state that is almost incapable of delivering services for the common good, there is some basis for your beliefs, and some of the things you say are useful.
But I live in Northern Europe.
Meanwhile, I have no time at all for the 'Libertard' objectivists who deny the concept of the common good. Bang the rocks together guys, you'll eventually get to Economics 101, the invention of Fire, and a compelling case study of The Fire Brigade as an example of effective taxpayer-funded services for the common good.
.
This is a copy of my post here, on Dreamwidth, which has
comments. OpenID will allow you to comment there from your LiveJournal session: contact me if you have problems.