4 ms·

Last time I've checked IRS didn't come with a crow bar after my taxes and I still have all my fingers. Even an authoritarian government may behave better than m

Last time I've checked IRS didn't come with a crow bar after my taxes and I still have all my fingers. Even an authoritarian government may behave better than mafia.

imgabe 8y ago
Well, assuming you paid your taxes. If you don't, they will throw you in jail. If you resist being thrown in jail, they'll use whatever force is necessary. Sure, they're not going to break your fingers with a crowbar, but ultimately the state backs up its authority with the use of force.
- merpnderp 8y ago
  Only after following policies and procedures that apply to everyone equally, are open to the public, and are overseen by elected officials. I mean other than that, sure they both use force to achieve their goals.
  - imgabe 8y ago
    I'm pretty sure the mob's policy on breaking people's fingers if they don't pay applies equally to everyone who owes them money, and anyone who chooses to borrow money from them is well aware of this policy.
    - thefounder 8y ago
      You don't know what you are talking about. You may get "whacked" for different reasons by the mafia, not owning them any money or having anything to do with them. It's not really a profit only oriented business. Money is just part of the game. Some people do things just because they can, not for financial gain.
      - imgabe 8y ago
        Ok? I don't see how that changes anything. You may get "whacked" by the government for other reasons too, like they mistakenly thought your house was a meth lab and you didn't put your hands up fast enough. The fact that other reasons exist doesn't mean that this one doesn't.
      - merpnderp 8y ago
        Why would you ignore the most important of the differences I mentioned - that of being overseen by elected officials? In the end, the government uses force to do everything, and this is okay because we get to vote on who controls that force, plus have a nifty legal framework and Constitution to limit the damage the elected idiots can do.
        imgabe 8y ago
        There are differences. Nobody said there weren't. The parent comment was making an analogy, not positing that the government and the mafia are the literal exact same thing in every detail.
- dfrage 8y ago
  > Well, assuming you paid your taxes. If you don't, they will throw you in jail. In the US? You'd have to do more than not "pay your taxes", they'll first demand that you pay, and then seize assets and garnish your wages rather than take the very anti-American debtor prison approach.

Last time I've checked IRS didn't come with a crow bar after my taxes and I still have all my fingers. Even an authoritarian government may behave better than mafia.

imgabe 8y ago

Well, assuming you paid your taxes. If you don't, they will throw you in jail. If you resist being thrown in jail, they'll use whatever force is necessary. Sure, they're not going to break your fingers with a crowbar, but ultimately the state backs up its authority with the use of force.

merpnderp 8y ago
Only after following policies and procedures that apply to everyone equally, are open to the public, and are overseen by elected officials. I mean other than that, sure they both use force to achieve their goals.
- imgabe 8y ago
  I'm pretty sure the mob's policy on breaking people's fingers if they don't pay applies equally to everyone who owes them money, and anyone who chooses to borrow money from them is well aware of this policy.
  - thefounder 8y ago
    You don't know what you are talking about. You may get "whacked" for different reasons by the mafia, not owning them any money or having anything to do with them. It's not really a profit only oriented business. Money is just part of the game. Some people do things just because they can, not for financial gain.
    - imgabe 8y ago
      Ok? I don't see how that changes anything. You may get "whacked" by the government for other reasons too, like they mistakenly thought your house was a meth lab and you didn't put your hands up fast enough. The fact that other reasons exist doesn't mean that this one doesn't.
    - merpnderp 8y ago
      Why would you ignore the most important of the differences I mentioned - that of being overseen by elected officials? In the end, the government uses force to do everything, and this is okay because we get to vote on who controls that force, plus have a nifty legal framework and Constitution to limit the damage the elected idiots can do.
      - imgabe 8y ago
        There are differences. Nobody said there weren't. The parent comment was making an analogy, not positing that the government and the mafia are the literal exact same thing in every detail.
dfrage 8y ago
> Well, assuming you paid your taxes. If you don't, they will throw you in jail. In the US? You'd have to do more than not "pay your taxes", they'll first demand that you pay, and then seize assets and garnish your wages rather than take the very anti-American debtor prison approach.