Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site burl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!geoff From: geoff@burl.UUCP (geoff) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: Taxation is theft? Message-ID: <640@burl.UUCP> Date: Tue, 12-Feb-85 10:28:42 EST Article-I.D.: burl.640 Posted: Tue Feb 12 10:28:42 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 03:01:33 EST References: <333@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Technologies, Burlington NC Lines: 36 > Laura Creighton writes: > >About the ``everybody being better off'' proposition: > > > >I have yet to hear *anybody* say that ``the rich'' would be better > >off if you took money away from them. > > Richard Carnes replies: > But however you explain it, the fact > remains that many rich people think they are better off with less money. > Richard Carnes argues that since the rich often do give away large sums of money to charities (and they do) that they are better off with less money and therefore taxing them to remove some of their surplus cash is in fact beneficial to them. The key here is that VOLUNTARILY giving money away is CHARITY. It makes people feel good that they can do something to help otheres. Taking money away INVOLUNTARILY is very close to THEFT and makes people loath the leeches. Personally, I do not like taxes. I think that they are necessary to run a government and, since I like *some* of the things government provides, I do not oppose it on principle. However, considering the sheer volume of money that is taken I oppose it as it stands. I would hazard a guess that if taxes took a small part of income and were spent *very* frugally (instead of always asking whether the govt can do any given task, asking why the market can't) and so forth, the taxation issue would become a non-issue (a little of my blood from time to time is acceptable, but don't come asking for gallons). I do think that a court system is a good idea (but get rid of most of the petty laws!!). Roads are a good idea, and, um, people shouldn't starve (a little hungry gives incentive though -- seeing people buy steaks in front of me in the grocery store with food stamps while I was in buying hamburgerdid kind of piss me off). geoff sherwood