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Taxes, Taxes: What Type of Society Do We Want
TAXES, TAXES
The United States is a country founded on the discontent that the fathers had towards taxes without representation. It is no surprise that taxes actually is where politics really become interesting; hence the power of Charles Rangle, Ways and Means Chairman Committee. Taxes Taxes!! What then is a more equitable distribution of taxes and should people who do not see themselves as owing anything to the nation be taxed?! Because taxes is theoretically what we pay to live in a society; it is our rental payment to the landlord (UNCLE SAM!).
Obviously, the way people view taxes is ideologically oriented with Republicans favoring tax cuts while Democrats generally want to increase taxes: which then is economically feasible and beneficial to people. Taxing people based on the income they earn is wrong!!! Obviously a 20 percent tax on 300 and that of 200 million is very different in terms of the the economic implications that might have on the person making 300 dollars. What then is a more equitable distribution of taxes? it is impossible to have all people feel the need to pay taxesas a proxy of helping people; so a tax code that appeals to people's immediate interest is better. We will never have an "equitable" tax code; but a one that appeals to people's interests is better.
In one case, those who give money to charity, and this is done already, can deduct those payments off their taxes. The same thing should go for others; they should be allowed to see that the payment of taxes is a societal as well economic benefit; otherwise people will always feel the burden of taxes.
It is imperative that anger over taxes and the payment of unrealistic taxes does not deter people from working or engaging on activities that would have economic benefits if not for taxes. What is the incentive of me working a job where I get paid 150dollars a week and get taxed 20 percent and sitting down and get that money in welfare payments which then allows me to get 150 not -taxed and I didn't work for it? Obviously, any rational human being would go for the latter!!!
As a consequence, the tax should not just be "tax the rich" it should reflect what we want society to be like. In other words it needs to reflect that we want people to work, control their retirement accounts, and allow them to create wealth that would prevent them from eternal slavery. We need to create policy that accentuates economic freedom; from Uncle SAM!!! This is what candidates should focus on rather than trying to appeal to people's less instincts of hatred by suggesting that taxing a specific group of people is better than actually implementing a tax policy that allows people to see the value of work as well as economic independence. The way we approach taxes is imperative to the way society will end up!!!
Policy reflects what we want society to be; and the tax code is very important; and we should watch the legendary Congressman from Harlem Charles Rangle and make sure that the tax code he implements makes economic as well as societal sense!!!
- George Mtonga's blog
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Taxation
Hmmm, taxation without representation, yes, then and now. Excellent and interesting analysis! You might be interested in subscribing to Citizens for Tax Justice, for info, see democracyinaction.org or email at ctj@ctj.org - subscription address is:
www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/CTJ/signUp.jsp
Thanks
We certainly do not want a revolution---well maybe not now... Thanks
No, actually, my
No, actually, my "revolutionary" was generally making the constitution real and in practice - a pretty radical view at times like this. FYI - even when there are strong similarities, there are differences. Here's a good (&recent) article on the previous and current Gilded Ages:
www.alternet/workplace/88131/
You have noticed the tax game, yes? Take away from those who can least afford it to give to those who least need it, and of course the fellow on the bottom won't vote for more taxes, while the one on top will be sure his gated community has amenities. That's the current def. of "freedom."
Hey
The latter comment was trying to put some humor... guess wasn't that good. In my case, i find the mere idea of a constitution, regardless of the extent to which the stipulations are followed to be revolutionary. I'm not a fun of usurpation, despite its structural impossibility. For me teh American constitution as well as Declaration of independence are revolutionary. I guess on a serious note that is what I would consider revolutionary. Thanks for the article.
GNM
George, I saw something
George, I saw something early this morning on PBS on a man who collects flags and hopes to open a museum for their display. They described him as the one and only full-time flag expert in the world, and he has a huge collection of current and antique flags. He referred to the constitution as a revolutionary document for a people who shared no history, language, ethnicity or king, and how they needed a tangible symbol - the flag.
Don't know if you ever saw Thunderheart (film about the modern Wounded Knee - Incident at Oglala is the nonfiction version). In that an Indian being pursued is vilified for inappropriately flying the flag. (He's a veteran and flies it upside down, which is the distress signal.) The film has its smiles and laughter, too, like life.
I miss Tim Russert, of Meet the Press. Today's show will be available on internet from 1pm on (timezone?), I guess at msnbc.com, I googled it before but didn't write the address down.
To Serve, or to Tax? A Senator's Dilemma
I recently came across an interesting article written by Greg Bell, a Utah senator which juxtaposed the question of serving the public with the question of taxing the public.
It's interesting to see the issue addressed from somebody who's currently in the Senate. I agree with you that it's very important that discussion about taxes not trump discussion about the benefit of one's work and one's activity in society (whether it is taxed or not)
Serve and Tax
Greg cetaibly offers great insight to the whole thing. You want to serve the public but they als pay you salary!!!
Taxes are very tricky. But government is always in a position to make sure taht they use them to their advantage. They taxe corporations and tax individuals. The government can easily play a game where they do it the right which is taxing as an incentive to do a great work by either corporations( is legally an indivisdual) or indiviudals. I think taxes should be there, but they should serve two things; those who pay for them and also be an incentive to them working. None of us would be pleased if the Landlord, after paying him/her rent actually never fixes any of the problems that we have!! It is just wrong!!! Same thing with Gov't.... i'm not advocating that people shout "I pay taxes...." but rather use the FACT that they pay taxes to leverage the need for better social services.
.. but would also be interested to see how Charles Rangele, the current ways and Means commitee would be able to write about serve and tax. Interesting article, though.
GNM
George, I'm responging to
George, I'm responging to your last comment and your'e gettinga dose of yuoure owh medicaine. It's almost 1123 and I'm so rirew I havent' yet finihsed this weelsk reading for the odcout class. Now -
Normally, I don't make as many typos as above: if I'm tired, I slow down - corrections really slow you down. But, please, George, do me a great huge personal favor - slow down just a tad or use spellcheck. (Yes, we have it even here. Each word I just typed with a spelling error is underlined in red. You just have to make the corrections yourself.)
The reason I am asking is that I DO enjoy reading your entries, but an excess of errors makes it very difficult to understand what you meant.
I can't see anything now but your original article, and I can't remember what you wrote tonight - that's another problem with typos, it breaks your concentration - and, well, mine's just about gone. I'm not going to be able to finish the assignment tonight, I'm ust too tired.