3 ms·

The lowest paid already pay effectively no taxes and your suggestion is to have them pay less? Do you understand the incentives you're creating when you have

by djbebs 5y ago

The lowest paid already pay effectively no taxes and your suggestion is to have them pay less? Do you understand the incentives you're creating when you have only a small minority of productive people subsidize everyone else?

spupe 5y ago
That's a bad way to see it. First of all, proportionally they pay quite a lot of taxes because all their money goes into consumption. Depending on where you live, VAT can be up to 25% for example. Also, they are subjected to payroll taxes and other things, so it's wrong to focus solely on income tax here. But more importantly, it absolutely makes sense to have the poorest be subsidized by the richest. That's what Europe does, and they are doing great. I would much rather be taxed highly in Europe and know that the money is making sure everyone around me has healthcare and a roof above their head than thinking that my productivity is some God-given ability that supersedes a compassionate and rational way to structure society.
barry-cotter 5y ago
> The lowest paid already pay effectively no taxes and your suggestion is to have them pay less? Yes. I believe that being poor is miserable and that we should make the lives of our fellow citizens less miserable. I don’t see any need not to attach strings to it either. There’s nothing morally wrong with saying you have to be a net tax payer to vote, for example. > Do you understand the incentives you're creating when you have only a small minority of productive people subsidize everyone else? It’s not a small minority though. A small minority of people make the most money but something near a majority of people who work for money are net tax payers over their life. The magnitude of their contribution varies enormously but I’d be shocked if most people who work 30 years or more aren’t net tax payers.

3 ms·

The lowest paid already pay effectively no taxes and your suggestion is to have them pay less? Do you understand the incentives you're creating when you have

by djbebs 5y ago

spupe 5y ago
That's a bad way to see it. First of all, proportionally they pay quite a lot of taxes because all their money goes into consumption. Depending on where you live, VAT can be up to 25% for example. Also, they are subjected to payroll taxes and other things, so it's wrong to focus solely on income tax here. But more importantly, it absolutely makes sense to have the poorest be subsidized by the richest. That's what Europe does, and they are doing great. I would much rather be taxed highly in Europe and know that the money is making sure everyone around me has healthcare and a roof above their head than thinking that my productivity is some God-given ability that supersedes a compassionate and rational way to structure society.
barry-cotter 5y ago
> The lowest paid already pay effectively no taxes and your suggestion is to have them pay less? Yes. I believe that being poor is miserable and that we should make the lives of our fellow citizens less miserable. I don’t see any need not to attach strings to it either. There’s nothing morally wrong with saying you have to be a net tax payer to vote, for example. > Do you understand the incentives you're creating when you have only a small minority of productive people subsidize everyone else? It’s not a small minority though. A small minority of people make the most money but something near a majority of people who work for money are net tax payers over their life. The magnitude of their contribution varies enormously but I’d be shocked if most people who work 30 years or more aren’t net tax payers.