4 ms·

> I find it hard to hold a grudge against wealthy individuals who minimize tax liability. It's perfectly legal ... What if it was made legal because they bough

> I find it hard to hold a grudge against wealthy individuals who minimize tax liability. It's perfectly legal ... What if it was made legal because they bought politicians who made the laws in their favor? Also, the law isn't moral. Lots of things are legal but completely immoral. Slavery comes to mind as an historical example.

taylorwc 11y ago
I agree that the law isn't moral, and I don't think that 'buying politicians' is acceptable or moral. I'm not asserting that wealthy people have no moral obligations--they do--but how much tax they should pay as a percentage of wealth and how that number was derived isn't one of them.
- hackuser 11y ago
  Hmmm ... I think everyone has a obligation to pull their weight. If you don't pay your fair share of taxes, other people have to cover it for you.
  - taylorwc 11y ago
    Sure. What is the fair share? Is it defined in absolute dollars? Is it a percentage of income? A percentage of wealth? Who determines what is the fair share? Are they elected? Is it a direct ballot measure? It's easy to agree to broad concepts when it comes to this sort of thing and horrifyingly difficult to enact practical measures.
    - hackuser 11y ago
      > horrifyingly difficult to enact practical measures. I don't agree. Almost every nation, state, and locality in the developed world and a great many elsewhere have done it. > Who determines what is the fair share? We decide democratically. Most of those nations, states, ad localities have been doing that for a long time too.
      - taylorwc 11y ago
        My own knowledge is limited to a few US states and federal government, but in all of those cases, the same problems described in the NYT article and above exist. Some other commenters here have definitely posted a few good examples of where they feel it works (like Canada.) What are others?

4 ms·

> I find it hard to hold a grudge against wealthy individuals who minimize tax liability. It's perfectly legal ... What if it was made legal because they bough

by hackuser 11y ago

taylorwc 11y ago
I agree that the law isn't moral, and I don't think that 'buying politicians' is acceptable or moral. I'm not asserting that wealthy people have no moral obligations--they do--but how much tax they should pay as a percentage of wealth and how that number was derived isn't one of them.
- hackuser 11y ago
  Hmmm ... I think everyone has a obligation to pull their weight. If you don't pay your fair share of taxes, other people have to cover it for you.
  - taylorwc 11y ago
    Sure. What is the fair share? Is it defined in absolute dollars? Is it a percentage of income? A percentage of wealth? Who determines what is the fair share? Are they elected? Is it a direct ballot measure? It's easy to agree to broad concepts when it comes to this sort of thing and horrifyingly difficult to enact practical measures.
    - hackuser 11y ago
      > horrifyingly difficult to enact practical measures. I don't agree. Almost every nation, state, and locality in the developed world and a great many elsewhere have done it. > Who determines what is the fair share? We decide democratically. Most of those nations, states, ad localities have been doing that for a long time too.
      - taylorwc 11y ago
        My own knowledge is limited to a few US states and federal government, but in all of those cases, the same problems described in the NYT article and above exist. Some other commenters here have definitely posted a few good examples of where they feel it works (like Canada.) What are others?