On Wed, Jun 05, 2002 at 10:41:27AM -0500, Dale Botkin wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, rad0 wrote:
>
> > rich people should pay more for everything they buy too,
> > there should be a rich-persons' price, and a normal price
>
> Absolutely.  All prices, fines, fees, etc. should be scaled to be a
> percentage of a person's income, thus making everyone totally equal.  That
> way if I choose to pour coffee or mow lawns for a living, society will
> recognize that my contribution is just as valuable as, say, a doctor or an
> engineer.

I know that you're being facetious Dale, but actually up to a point I actually
agree with the above point. And not a percentages, because any flat taxation
is regressive, but an increasingly progressive percentage that's somewhat
less than a 45 degree angle. Finally it should only be on what you spend,
not what you make. So if one makes, saves, and invests a billion bucks, none
of the billion bucks gets taxes. If only $100000 of the billion bucks is
spent, then only a percentage of the $100000 is taxed. However if $350 million
of it gets spent... Then don't you think there should be a hefty slice taken
out?

>
> Next we'll just have to see about redistributing all that property the
> rich have unjustly accumulated.

Nope. However I think it's fair that they'll have to pay more to spend it.
Not keep it. Not invest it (in fact I'd drop all capital gains taxes). Just
spending it.


>  We'll just scrap those big fancy cars and
> partition up the larger houses so everyone has the same amount...

Nope. Buy the houses and the cars. Just a larger tax on the higher priced
items. Explain to me why someone who's buying a $150,000 vehicle, and who
clearly has that much disposable income should be able to pay the same tax
as someone buying a $15,000 car? All flat taxes, including sales taxes are
regressive and favor those with more money.

> I'm sure all will continue to work as hard as they can for the common good,
> right?

Sure they will. Rich folks are progressively taxed on their income now. Does
that stop those who want more from attempting to step up into the next tax
bracket? Of course not.


>  If not we'll just re-educate them in a remote area somewhere until
> they see things the right way.
>
> > those damn rich people...
>
> Yep.  We need to just shoot them all, let the real workers rule the
> country.

No. We just have to realize that when the top 10 percent of the population
owns 90 percent of the wealth, that there's an obligation for them to
contribute more to the common good. Saving and investing essentially puts
the wealth back into circulation for others to use and improve, while outright
spending benefits the spender more than anyone else. So spending should have
a cost associated with it. Not making money as is done now.

So to summarize:

1) Lose all income and capital gains taxes. Making money is free.
2) Spending should be progressively taxed. Only spending costs. Only tax
   what it spent regardless of income.
3) Control inflation and growth by manipulating the progressive cost of
   spending. Lower the rate to stimulate spending, raise the rate to slow
   spending.

That's it.

BAJ

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