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Is Taxation legalized robbery?

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Past a reasonable amount for societal infrastructure, has taxes been overstepping that line in light that so many people, notably through loopholes, have avoided paying taxes? Why people pursue shelters, or even leave the country?

Also past a lump sum payed to the government, are extra taxes overkill on what one has already paid?

What is a fair amount?

Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?
 

We Never Know

No Slack
Past a reasonable amount for societal infrastructure, has taxes been overstepping that line in light that so many people, notably through loopholes, have avoided paying taxes? Why people pursue shelters, or even leave the country?

Also past a lump sum payed to the government, are extra taxes overkill on what one has already paid?

What is a fair amount?

Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?
When the poor pay more tax than the rich, there's something wrong.
 

MikeF

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
When the poor pay more tax than the rich, there's something wrong.

Federal Income Taxes by Income Bracket

Those who earn under $50,000 per year contribute 7% of the total income tax collected and represent 62% of returns filed. Those who earn $500,000 or more contribute 37% of revenue collected and represent only 0.9% of returns.

Lower income folks do not pay more taxes that higher income folks.
 
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MikeF

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Past a reasonable amount for societal infrastructure, has taxes been overstepping that line in light that so many people, notably through loopholes, have avoided paying taxes? Why people pursue shelters, or even leave the country?

Also past a lump sum payed to the government, are extra taxes overkill on what one has already paid?

What is a fair amount?

Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?

When political contribution dollars are equated with speech, it is going to be hard to change this dynamic.
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
Those who earn under $50,000 per year contribute 7% of the total income tax collected and represent 62% of returns filed. Those who earn $500,000 or more contribute 37% of revenue collected and represent only 0.9% of returns.

Lower income folks do not pay more taxes that higher income folks.
Can you help me out with a source that helps support this? I believe you are right, however, the narrative is that the rich are the bad guys (specifically Bezos and company).
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
Past a reasonable amount for societal infrastructure, has taxes been overstepping that line in light that so many people, notably through loopholes, have avoided paying taxes? Why people pursue shelters, or even leave the country?

Also past a lump sum payed to the government, are extra taxes overkill on what one has already paid?

What is a fair amount?

Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?
I wish there was more transparency in regards to what MegaCorps pay. The media likes to spin the gawking rabble (like myself) against large business owners, but I don't know if what they say is true. I bring it up because I wonder if they are paying as little as we are being told, if they paid their fair share could we reduce individual tax rates?

It is also hard to judge what is fair when we, comparatively, don't know what others are paying and where that money is actually going.
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
Taxes are the price we all pay to live in a civilised society. In some countries people accept this burden willingly. Maybe these are the more civilised countries, or maybe they are the ones with the fairest, most transparent tax systems.
 

MikeF

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I wish there was more transparency in regards to what MegaCorps pay. The media likes to spin the gawking rabble (like myself) against large business owners, but I don't know if what they say is true. I bring it up because I wonder if they are paying as little as we are being told, if they paid their fair share could we reduce individual tax rates?

It is also hard to judge what is fair when we, comparatively, don't know what others are paying and where that money is actually going.

I think the disillusionment about taxes is two-fold. There is a belief that high income earners are not paying as much as should be expected by the system, but also that the money that is collected is not spent well. There are good arguments for both.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Past a reasonable amount for societal infrastructure, has taxes been overstepping that line in light that so many people, notably through loopholes, have avoided paying taxes? Why people pursue shelters, or even leave the country?

Also past a lump sum payed to the government, are extra taxes overkill on what one has already paid?

What is a fair amount?

Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?
Taxes are ideally about paying money, & getting something
positive in return. Yes, this is coerced under threat of
violence, ie, arrest & imprisonment, but it differs from "theft",
which is fundamentally wrongful.
Definition of theft | Dictionary.com
Sure, sure, "wrongful" is a judgment call, but taxation is
often not theft. Note the "often", because sometimes
taxes are confiscatory.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Has it turned into legal robbery in the modern day?
We live in a "society" whereas people are dependent on one another. We also live in a democracy here in the States whereas people can vote to raise or lower taxes, so do you think that right under the Constitution should be taken away?
 

MikeF

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
The poor don't pay more taxes but the middle class pay a higher percent of their income than those earning over 500,000, that's what's not fair.

There is a lot that is not fair in the current tax system. Why should those without children have more of their disposable income collected than another at the same tax bracket who has children? Why should a renter be penalized because they are not in a position in their life to commit to a particular location for more than 5 years? A homeowner gets to exempt their housing cost from taxation. Is this fair?
 

MikeF

Well-Known Member
Premium Member

The tax code is tilted in all sorts of directions. Eliminate any exceptions for any reason, change the supreme court ruling that equates political donations with speech, and conduct social engineering outside of the tax code and you can achieve a cleaner, more equitable system.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
There is a lot that is not fair in the current tax system. Why should those without children have more of their disposable income collected than another at the same tax bracket who has children? Why should a renter be penalized because they are not in a position in their life to commit to a particular location for more than 5 years? A homeowner gets to exempt their housing cost from taxation. Is this fair?
And why should we pay income tax on sale of assets
which increased in dollar value only because the
dollar fell in value, requiring more dollars to represent
the same economic value?
It all needs a major overhaul.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
There is a lot that is not fair in the current tax system. Why should those without children have more of their disposable income collected than another at the same tax bracket who has children? Why should a renter be penalized because they are not in a position in their life to commit to a particular location for more than 5 years? A homeowner gets to exempt their housing cost from taxation. Is this fair?

I happen to be in favor of a gross receipts tax that applies to corporations and individuals: no deductions for anything, no gimmicks, just 3 lines: enter gross receipts, apply percentage, pay the result.

I know some will argue that the cost of doing business (cost of individuals getting to work) should be deductible, but without an absolute standard we'd be back in the current mess in a few years.

I'll note that I have my favorites who should get breaks, but it's impossible to do that without a horde of accountants and lawyers making a good living over exploiting loopholes, so my current philosophy evolved to what it is now.

And finally, the rate should be progressive but overall it would be a LOT less under that system.
 
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