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These taxes always start off only affecting the richest of the rich, until the government decides it needs more revenue.

amanaplanacanal 6y ago
“The government” is legislators that we elect. They aren’t some external force that is imposed on us.
- philwelch 6y ago
  Even in a perfectly democratic system, 50.001% of the population can impose a government on the other 49.999%.
  - triceratops 6y ago
    If it's that finely balanced and the government imposed by the 50.001% is really that terrible, the situation should fix itself by the next election cycle, right?
    - twiddling 6y ago
      or they could storm the Capitol
spaetzleesser 6y ago
Can you give an example? Your statement feels like propaganda by the wealthy. So far they got a lot of tax cuts in the last few decades.
endisneigh 6y ago
As opposed to what - taxing the poor first, or just not taxing anyone?
verst 6y ago
What if I told you that as an ordinary engineer I am perfectly OK with paying state income taxes and capital gains taxes here in Seattle? Why? For the benefit of all. I am not wealthy by any means given local expenses but I live comfortably. As someone who is better off than the majority of people (as are most of us on HN when compared to the people around us wherever it is we live) I feel it is important to invest in shared infrastructure and services for all. This is one of the important roles of government and I trust government a lot more to attempt to do the right thing (after all in the US we have a representative republic) with all people in mind versus a bunch of individual directly giving their funds to their favorite causes and projects. The patchwork of nonprofits for example doesn't have the ability to address systemic problems. Altruism and empathy are not incompatible with capitalism (and rewards for your hard work or ingenuity). Some people here really should consider investing in their local community more.
- philwelch 6y ago
  > What if I told you that as an ordinary engineer I am perfectly OK with paying state income taxes and capital gains taxes here in Seattle? Then you’d be making a much more realistic and honest argument that the one I was replying to.
- dmitrygr 6y ago
  Then gift the government money directly, and leave others to make their own decisions instead of imposing what you feel is right on them? Here is the official process "Gifts to the U.S. Government": https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.html https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.h...
  - jacob2484 6y ago
    Why is this being downvoted? I don't want to give more to the government to grow its bureaucracy even more. When they say it's meant for "education", it also means more administrators with useless roles on a tax-funded salaries + pensions which you'll be paying for.
deleted 6y ago
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amanaplanacanal 6y ago

“The government” is legislators that we elect. They aren’t some external force that is imposed on us.

philwelch 6y ago
Even in a perfectly democratic system, 50.001% of the population can impose a government on the other 49.999%.
- triceratops 6y ago
  If it's that finely balanced and the government imposed by the 50.001% is really that terrible, the situation should fix itself by the next election cycle, right?
  - twiddling 6y ago
    or they could storm the Capitol

spaetzleesser 6y ago

Can you give an example? Your statement feels like propaganda by the wealthy. So far they got a lot of tax cuts in the last few decades.

endisneigh 6y ago

As opposed to what - taxing the poor first, or just not taxing anyone?

verst 6y ago

What if I told you that as an ordinary engineer I am perfectly OK with paying state income taxes and capital gains taxes here in Seattle? Why? For the benefit of all. I am not wealthy by any means given local expenses but I live comfortably. As someone who is better off than the majority of people (as are most of us on HN when compared to the people around us wherever it is we live) I feel it is important to invest in shared infrastructure and services for all. This is one of the important roles of government and I trust government a lot more to attempt to do the right thing (after all in the US we have a representative republic) with all people in mind versus a bunch of individual directly giving their funds to their favorite causes and projects. The patchwork of nonprofits for example doesn't have the ability to address systemic problems. Altruism and empathy are not incompatible with capitalism (and rewards for your hard work or ingenuity). Some people here really should consider investing in their local community more.

philwelch 6y ago
> What if I told you that as an ordinary engineer I am perfectly OK with paying state income taxes and capital gains taxes here in Seattle? Then you’d be making a much more realistic and honest argument that the one I was replying to.
dmitrygr 6y ago
Then gift the government money directly, and leave others to make their own decisions instead of imposing what you feel is right on them? Here is the official process "Gifts to the U.S. Government": https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.html https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.h...
- jacob2484 6y ago
  Why is this being downvoted? I don't want to give more to the government to grow its bureaucracy even more. When they say it's meant for "education", it also means more administrators with useless roles on a tax-funded salaries + pensions which you'll be paying for.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]