[Vision2020] [Bulk] Re: Taxes and Deadbeats

Paul Rumelhart godshatter at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 28 00:05:40 PDT 2006


To me, it comes down to the question of whether or not we should be 
using taxes to change behaviors.  The high price of gas is the only 
impetus I've ever seen that has actually pushed people towards more 
fuel-efficient cars.  Simple awareness of the issues doesn't seem to be 
anywhere near enough.  The engine tax might cause people to stop buying 
cars that are massively inefficient.  This would be beneficial in the 
long run.  I would prefer that the money from this tax go directly 
towards basic research in alternative energy and efforts to clean up 
toxic spills and the like.

Anyway, nobody likes to pay taxes.  Yet everyone likes to drive on the 
roads and have easy access to electricity and water and protection from 
crime via the police, etc.  That takes money.  How else do we get it if 
not through taxes?  How do you wean people off of fossil fuels when Big 
Oil has the government (whatever flavor it is at the moment) in it's pocket?

I do like the idea of a flat-rate tax, but if you eliminated all the 
other taxes I'd imagine that that 20% number would rise by quite a bit.  
Anyway, it will never happen because the people who would be hit the 
hardest are in power and always will be barring an actual revolution.  
They would just redefine things so that the majority of money they make 
cannot legally be called "income", even if it did pass.

Paul

Donovan Arnold wrote:

> Dick,
>
> It is the federal and state government that is taxing the hell out of 
> me. Last time I checked they were both run by Republicans.
>
> You are probably right though that Democrats would be taxing too.
>
> I think the only difference between the two is what they spend the 
> taxes on. Democrats spend them on big government programs and 
> Republicans spend them on big missiles and tanks.
>
> Either way, they are taking way too much.
>
> I think a flat tax of 20% on every dollar made after 24K a year is a 
> fair rate that doesn't inflict poverty on too many people. But no 
> other taxes. That would give the government about 10% of total income 
> of the country. That is plenty.
>
> Best,
>
> _DJA
>
>
>
> */Dick Sherwin <rvrcowboy at clearwire.net>/* wrote:
>
>     DJA writes: "Tell these damn Republicans, to stop taxing the
>     living !@#$% out of me. I should not have to pay 25-33% of my
>     income to the government to give away to people that are probably
>     living better than me. That is just insane!"
>     __________________________________________________
>      
>     That would make sense except the Dems want to tax us even more. 
>     Like Paul, they would probably like to put a tax on our car engines.
>      
>     It is time for this country to get away from the income tax and go
>     to a flat tax on consumption.  No loopholes, no refunds, no
>     payments on April 15.  You pay as you consume.  How simple is that?
>      
>     Dick S.
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         *From:* Donovan Arnold <mailto:donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
>         *To:* Paul Rumelhart <mailto:godshatter at yahoo.com> ;
>         Vision2020 <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com>
>         *Sent:* Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:58 PM
>         *Subject:* [Vision2020] Taxes and Deadbeats
>
>
>         Paul brings up taxes;
>
>         I am sick of taxes. Damn, it seems like the more I make the
>         more just goes to the government. Just three months ago I was
>         paying 10% of my income in taxes, now that I got a raise, I
>         got to pay 20%. Who am I working for? Why does the government
>         punish you for working hard and getting a raise? They tax me
>         on food, income, rent, property, interest on savings (double
>         tax), gas, beer, wine, tires, licensing my car, school books,
>         cleaning supplies, OTC drugs, and about everything else the
>         government can think of.
>
>         Why? Why doesn't the government stop taxing everything to the
>         point we are in poverty again? Why can't we put a limit on the
>         government's growth and expansion? Let some of us spend our
>         money that WE EARNED on our NEEDS instead of spending it on
>         worthless pointless wars, lazy people that won't get a job,
>         and people that won't take responsibility for their own
>         actions and life. It just makes me so mad that I work so hard
>         for the government and lazy people.
>
>         NO MORE TAXES! PLEASE. I cannot stand it anymore. I cannot
>         afford it.
>
>         Here is my idea.
>
>         Eliminate welfare for the non-disabled. Give them loans
>         instead. A single mom that is young, give her loans, when her
>         child turns 17, she can start working and pay them off. Why
>         should I have to pay for her children, they are hers and the
>         father. Make her and the father pay it all back, with
>         interest, and use that money to raise the next batch of
>         teenage pregnancies.
>
>         Prisoners, send them all to the cheapest prison run states,
>         like Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, and Georgia. Then make the
>         prisons pay off the cost of imprisoning them with labor
>         instead of prison and working when they get out. Why should
>         they get free food, housing, and medical because they
>         committed a crime? Give them loans, then when they get out,
>         charge for the loans, plus interest to pay for the next batch
>         of criminals.
>
>         Medical, create free trade with Canada, Mexico, and Europe for
>         medical supplies. This will drive the cost of medical care way
>         down. Couldn't you see it now? $1 for months prescription.
>         That would be fantastic.
>
>         Tell these damn Republicans, to stop taxing the living !@#$%
>         out of me. I should not have to pay 25-33% of my income to the
>         government to give away to people that are probably living
>         better than me. That is just insane!
>
>         Best,
>
>         _DJA
>
>
>
>
>
>         */Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com>/* wrote:
>
>             Fellow vision2020-ites,
>
>             While wandering aimlessly through the internet one day
>             (meaning that I
>             don't remember where I came across it), I found out that
>             Japan has an
>             engine tax. The smaller and more fuel-efficient the
>             engine, the smaller
>             the tax. The tax apparently ranges from about $40 to $800
>             or so
>             annually, iirc. People who own more than one car would
>             presumably be
>             taxed on both. In these days of higher gas prices, global
>             warming, and
>             pollution concerns, it seems to me like it could be a good
>             idea for our
>             country to adopt. We could start with lower numbers and
>             add it in to
>             the registration cost. That's presuming, I guess, that the
>             registration
>             cost doesn't already include it. Does anyone know what
>             that amount is
>             comprised of?
>
>             Any thoughts on this? Is it a good idea?
>
>             Paul
>
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