4 ms·

A popular sentiment was "no taxation without representation". Why not implement "no representation without taxation"? If you don't pay income tax, you don't get

by cft 8y ago

A popular sentiment was "no taxation without representation". Why not implement "no representation without taxation"? If you don't pay income tax, you don't get to vote that calendar year.

kalenx 8y ago
Maybe because it would be the opposite of all democratic principles we cherish and stand for?
drharby 8y ago
Because tethering economic activity to citizenry participation goes against the fundamentals of the us constitution, for one
coldtea 8y ago
Because for rich people its trivial to pay income tax (and equally trivial to hire top accountants and lawyers to pay as little as possible, perhaps even less than an average middle class citizen). In any case, a rich person can pay $100K tax and still have tons to spare. A poor person might not even afford to pay $1K.
- deleted 8y ago
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yardie 8y ago
Why stop there. If you don't pay taxes you aren't entered into the draft system. And finally, only the taxed public will be entered into the state and national reserve.
asdfasgasdgasdg 8y ago
Because we rich folks don't want to have the extremely exciting and terminal experience of being guillotined? Also, wow why are we responding to this thoughtless comment, but you realize that income taxes aren't the only types of federal taxes, right?
cycrutchfield 8y ago
Why stop there? How about only white male landowners can vote?
0x00000000 8y ago
because tax stamps are only acceptable to apply against some constitutional rights but not others
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
miscreanity 8y ago
There was no income tax for over a third of United States history. Income tax is immoral for it penalizes lower wage earners proportionally far greater than those generating higher amounts. For an individual spending 70% on living costs and 15% in direct income tax (not counting sales tax, telecommunications fees, etc) there is 15% left over out of $50,000 per year - $7,500 free. For someone in the top tax bracket of perhaps, those numbers may be 25% living costs and 40% taxes; out of $450,000 that leaves $157,500 free - far greater flexibility. Again, income taxes harm lower income levels far more than higher. You can raise tax rates but then the higher earners simply leave due to their greater flexibility - yet again leaving lower income earners worse off. It also funds destructive policies that effectively cannot be shut down without reporting to extreme measures. Government never scales back willingly. Seek the truth of how reality works by observing rather than trying to force it to fit a perspective; you'll find things are very different than you expected.

by cft 8y ago

A popular sentiment was "no taxation without representation". Why not implement "no representation without taxation"? If you don't pay income tax, you don't get to vote that calendar year.

kalenx 8y ago

Maybe because it would be the opposite of all democratic principles we cherish and stand for?

drharby 8y ago

Because tethering economic activity to citizenry participation goes against the fundamentals of the us constitution, for one

coldtea 8y ago

Because for rich people its trivial to pay income tax (and equally trivial to hire top accountants and lawyers to pay as little as possible, perhaps even less than an average middle class citizen). In any case, a rich person can pay $100K tax and still have tons to spare. A poor person might not even afford to pay $1K.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

yardie 8y ago

Why stop there. If you don't pay taxes you aren't entered into the draft system. And finally, only the taxed public will be entered into the state and national reserve.

asdfasgasdgasdg 8y ago

Because we rich folks don't want to have the extremely exciting and terminal experience of being guillotined? Also, wow why are we responding to this thoughtless comment, but you realize that income taxes aren't the only types of federal taxes, right?

cycrutchfield 8y ago

Why stop there? How about only white male landowners can vote?

0x00000000 8y ago

because tax stamps are only acceptable to apply against some constitutional rights but not others

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

miscreanity 8y ago

There was no income tax for over a third of United States history. Income tax is immoral for it penalizes lower wage earners proportionally far greater than those generating higher amounts. For an individual spending 70% on living costs and 15% in direct income tax (not counting sales tax, telecommunications fees, etc) there is 15% left over out of $50,000 per year - $7,500 free. For someone in the top tax bracket of perhaps, those numbers may be 25% living costs and 40% taxes; out of $450,000 that leaves $157,500 free - far greater flexibility. Again, income taxes harm lower income levels far more than higher. You can raise tax rates but then the higher earners simply leave due to their greater flexibility - yet again leaving lower income earners worse off. It also funds destructive policies that effectively cannot be shut down without reporting to extreme measures. Government never scales back willingly. Seek the truth of how reality works by observing rather than trying to force it to fit a perspective; you'll find things are very different than you expected.