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Yes. I pay my taxes, and I suspect many other people do, too. Tax compliance in the US is generally pretty high. I also don't steal books from the library, eve

Yes. I pay my taxes, and I suspect many other people do, too. Tax compliance in the US is generally pretty high. I also don't steal books from the library, even though I'm pretty sure I could get away with it.

hopler 8y ago
Tax compliance is high when counterparty (employer or broker) reports income. Tax compliance on cash transactions is lower. I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with.
- mehrdadn 8y ago
  > I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with. I think you missed what the comment was trying to say.
- joecool1029 8y ago
  > I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with. Sort of offtopic but ontopic to your comment: When bored and reading state statutes I've discovered librarians in NJ are the only group of people aside from law enforcement officers that are relieved of most liability when arresting someone. (anyone else that does a wrongful arrest can be hit with all sorts of charges and civil lawsuits) Since then I've been raising awareness among the librarians of their ability to beat the shit out of people stealing books. So yes, you are correct. I would expect that it would be more difficult to get away with at scale in the same sense it wouldn't be wise to steal office supplies from the local police station.
  - yownie 8y ago
    sources needed please.
    - joecool1029 8y ago
      > sources needed please. https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2018/title-2c/chapter-20/section-2c-20-14/ https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2018/title-2c/chapte...
mindslight 8y ago
Tax compliance can be high because the people with the most to lose just buy themselves loopholes - eg there's no requirement to file an FBAR for fine art! Enforcement resources can then be focused on keeping the middle class in line. Pay unto Caesar and all that. But avoiding taxes through financial privacy is not equivalent to stealing. And certainly don't imply that an empire's aggressive wars are in any way akin to local community services!

hopler 8y ago

Tax compliance is high when counterparty (employer or broker) reports income. Tax compliance on cash transactions is lower. I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with.

mehrdadn 8y ago
> I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with. I think you missed what the comment was trying to say.
joecool1029 8y ago
> I don't think stealing books from library at any kind of scale approaching the value of tax evasion is so easy to get away with. Sort of offtopic but ontopic to your comment: When bored and reading state statutes I've discovered librarians in NJ are the only group of people aside from law enforcement officers that are relieved of most liability when arresting someone. (anyone else that does a wrongful arrest can be hit with all sorts of charges and civil lawsuits) Since then I've been raising awareness among the librarians of their ability to beat the shit out of people stealing books. So yes, you are correct. I would expect that it would be more difficult to get away with at scale in the same sense it wouldn't be wise to steal office supplies from the local police station.
- yownie 8y ago
  sources needed please.
  - joecool1029 8y ago
    > sources needed please. https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2018/title-2c/chapter-20/section-2c-20-14/ https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2018/title-2c/chapte...

mindslight 8y ago

Tax compliance can be high because the people with the most to lose just buy themselves loopholes - eg there's no requirement to file an FBAR for fine art! Enforcement resources can then be focused on keeping the middle class in line. Pay unto Caesar and all that. But avoiding taxes through financial privacy is not equivalent to stealing. And certainly don't imply that an empire's aggressive wars are in any way akin to local community services!