[ham] [Rhodes22-list] Politics: Taxes

[Michael Meltzer]

the problem here vs a bar, is we do not have a closing time or a last call to end these things :-)

MJM
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Effros" <bill@effros.com>
To: "R22 List" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 1:28 PM
Subject: [ham] [Rhodes22-list] Politics: Taxes


Every discussion about taxation boils down to an attempt to convince others to pay more for projects we favor than we will have to
pay for projects they favor. Many of the arguments are specious, and the facts wrong. But, hey, all's fair when fighting over money.
Most people oppose any "welfare" that isn't going to them.

So, the pilot rails against sports stadiums built at public expense, but has no problem with airports built at public expense.

And the truck driver opposes subsidies to railroads and subways, but favors vast highway building programs paid for with tax
dollars.

And the man who opposes "welfare" for others wants to believe that the money he received as "unemployment insurance" is in some
other category, because he personally contributed, at an earlier time, all of the money he subsequently collected.  (As they used to
say "t'aint so, McGhee".)

And many people seem to favor war as a solution to a multitude of problems. But no one seems willing to discuss where the money will
come from to fight these wars. (Invariably we shift these costs to our children, first by forcing them to fight the wars, and
subsequently by forcing them to repay the monetary costs--with interest--which we have borrowed because we are unwilling to pay
these costs ourselves.)

People speak of wanting a "flat tax", but at the same time they say they want to exempt dividend income.  These policies are
mutually exclusive.

Tax policy is complicated, and really quite interesting.  That's why this thread has endured for so long.  By our positions we
reveal our fundamental values, and how carefully we have considered them.

Bill Effros




_________________________________________________
Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list