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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 hamburger  did
kind of piss me off). 

	geoff sherwood