Yes, we need to pay taxes to pay for infrastructure, the common defense, and upholding the rule of law; and everyone should pay them.
Consider, if one is a slave, they work for free (for others). If taxes consume 20% of one’s labors, then one in five days of a week they work for others. If tax rates are 50%, then they work half their time for others.
Lower taxes mean more freedom.
It’s not “working for others”, it’s working for part of the community you belong to. Do you not want to contribute?
I agree and would like to add less opportunity, what if less of our money went to taxes and more went into our banks?
Banks that can loan money to new entrepreneurs seeking capital, creating new value, technology, jobs and stimulating our economy.
Have a nice day!
Couldn’t agree more. But what if paying your taxes was YOUR CHOICE, rather than the government’s choice? What if your taxes would be paid when you decide to buy something new or pay for a service? What if the tax rate was the same for everybody and everybody paid that same rate for anything new they bought or service they consumed? And how would you all feel if the IRS was taken out of the equation so they couldn’t be used by politicians to reward friends and punish enemies?
It’s called the Fair Tax. Go to http://www.fairtax.org and learn more. The bill is introduced in Congress every year, but gets nowhere because our politicians do not want to give up the power they hold over us by passing this bill into law. Any of you who whine about the character of politicians should study the Fair Tax and then lobby your representatives and senators to allow the bill to come to the floor for debate.
Patrick – As I said we should all contribute. You should ask your question of everyone. And ask “Don’t you want to contribute as much as I have?”
Plato’s maxim, “that states would be happy, either if philosophers ruled them, or if it should so befall that their rulers would turn philosophers.” By his mouth likewise thou didst point out this imperative reason why philosophers should enter public life, to wit, lest, if the reins of government be left to unprincipled and profligate citizens, trouble and destruction should come upon the good.
Boethius
It would be nice to have at least one or two legislators who have studied some philosophy and ethics.
Thanks for daily thinking and willingness to share.