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If you're going to have that attitude you'd better not be using our roads, parks, public transport or indeed any other government services that have "stolen" mo

by nwh 13y ago

If you're going to have that attitude you'd better not be using our roads, parks, public transport or indeed any other government services that have "stolen" money from you. I think you'd be a lot worse off if you decided not to pay tax and go without everything being a taxpayer entitles you to.

programmarchy 13y ago
Hm, that's not a very good argument. If a slave takes a meal from his master, it doesn't mean he must condone slavery.
whatevsbro 13y ago
> If you're going to have that attitude you'd better not be using our roads, parks, public transport or indeed any other government services that have "stolen" money from you First, taxation is not "stealing", it's literally extortion. A mafia makes it clear that if you don't pay them "protection money", they will hurt you, and governments make it clear that if we don't pay taxes, we will be forcibly hauled to jail etc. In both cases, you're making payments under the threat of violence. Taxation is extortion. Second, your argument is that I shouldn't complain about taxation because I'm using the services funded by it. This makes no sense for at least two reasons: 1) I can't not use the services, and 2) extortion is still extortion, and immoral to begin with. If McDonald's decides to extort money from you, and then rams a Big Mac down your throat "in return", does the Big Mac entering your stomach make extortion moral?
whatevsbro 13y ago
Oh, I forgot: > I think you'd be a lot worse off if you decided not to pay tax and go without everything being a taxpayer entitles you to. Here it's worth pointing out that I can do neither. I can't not pay taxes, and I can't not use the services provided with tax money. Also, thinking that being a taxpayer "entitles" you to something is wrong. First, you have no choice. Again, you don't choose to "be a taxpayer", and being extorted doesn't "entitle" you to anything - you're just extorted and lose money. It's not like your extorters are interested in giving you anything, they're only interested in taking from you.

by nwh 13y ago

programmarchy 13y ago

Hm, that's not a very good argument. If a slave takes a meal from his master, it doesn't mean he must condone slavery.

whatevsbro 13y ago

> If you're going to have that attitude you'd better not be using our roads, parks, public transport or indeed any other government services that have "stolen" money from you First, taxation is not "stealing", it's literally extortion. A mafia makes it clear that if you don't pay them "protection money", they will hurt you, and governments make it clear that if we don't pay taxes, we will be forcibly hauled to jail etc. In both cases, you're making payments under the threat of violence. Taxation is extortion. Second, your argument is that I shouldn't complain about taxation because I'm using the services funded by it. This makes no sense for at least two reasons: 1) I can't not use the services, and 2) extortion is still extortion, and immoral to begin with. If McDonald's decides to extort money from you, and then rams a Big Mac down your throat "in return", does the Big Mac entering your stomach make extortion moral?

whatevsbro 13y ago

Oh, I forgot: > I think you'd be a lot worse off if you decided not to pay tax and go without everything being a taxpayer entitles you to. Here it's worth pointing out that I can do neither. I can't not pay taxes, and I can't not use the services provided with tax money. Also, thinking that being a taxpayer "entitles" you to something is wrong. First, you have no choice. Again, you don't choose to "be a taxpayer", and being extorted doesn't "entitle" you to anything - you're just extorted and lose money. It's not like your extorters are interested in giving you anything, they're only interested in taking from you.