4 ms·

I want to raise taxes to get rid of billionaires and the historically high inequality resulting in many (most?) of today's problems. More money for the governme

by emaro 5mo ago

I want to raise taxes to get rid of billionaires and the historically high inequality resulting in many (most?) of today's problems. More money for the government makes it a win-win. Not American, so I don't have a horse in this particular race.

LeifCarrotson 5mo ago
I'm an American with a few horses in this race, and I also want to raise taxes to get rid of billionaires and provide more money to the government. I'd prefer to use that money for "progressive" things like schools and libraries and parks (voted in 2024 to increase my own taxes on those things specifically, but my neighbors voted against them), but I'd even settle for spending it on the military if it came out of the pockets of the oligarchs to reduce inequality.
- jvanderbot 5mo ago
  If only there were more agreeable ways to create beautiful public spaces and public services.
  - eggprices 5mo ago
    Every other country seems to manage it. Those countries also don't have school shootings.
jvanderbot 5mo ago
Thanks for sharing your opinion. The first difficulty in real world (even idealized) politics is voicing a consistent independent stance and thinking through the implications. Many cannot even make it that far. The second and greater difficulty is that realizing that a solution that is politically untenable is not a solution, it's a campaign slogan. I don't know how we get people to move past this difficulty.
- wormy67 5mo ago
  I assume you are suggesting that a tax on the rich is not politically viable. When the structural violence that permeates our society finally manifests in the only violence the lower class can execute - this non-viability might change. It will be a harrowing time- and I hope we avoid this. The billionaires will cease to exist one way or another.
  - jvanderbot 5mo ago
    If your solution to a societal problem is to kill someone because they have something you want, you really dont have a solution.

by emaro 5mo ago

LeifCarrotson 5mo ago

I'm an American with a few horses in this race, and I also want to raise taxes to get rid of billionaires and provide more money to the government. I'd prefer to use that money for "progressive" things like schools and libraries and parks (voted in 2024 to increase my own taxes on those things specifically, but my neighbors voted against them), but I'd even settle for spending it on the military if it came out of the pockets of the oligarchs to reduce inequality.

jvanderbot 5mo ago
If only there were more agreeable ways to create beautiful public spaces and public services.
- eggprices 5mo ago
  Every other country seems to manage it. Those countries also don't have school shootings.

jvanderbot 5mo ago

Thanks for sharing your opinion. The first difficulty in real world (even idealized) politics is voicing a consistent independent stance and thinking through the implications. Many cannot even make it that far. The second and greater difficulty is that realizing that a solution that is politically untenable is not a solution, it's a campaign slogan. I don't know how we get people to move past this difficulty.

wormy67 5mo ago
I assume you are suggesting that a tax on the rich is not politically viable. When the structural violence that permeates our society finally manifests in the only violence the lower class can execute - this non-viability might change. It will be a harrowing time- and I hope we avoid this. The billionaires will cease to exist one way or another.
- jvanderbot 5mo ago
  If your solution to a societal problem is to kill someone because they have something you want, you really dont have a solution.