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38 sats \ 3 replies \ @SimpleStacker 16 Apr \ on: The income tax is an abomination before God and reason, & I'm gonna tell ya why Politics_And_Law
Prior to 1913, the US Federal Government was funded mostly by tariffs and excise taxes.
I wouldn't mind a return to such a revenue regime.
Neither would I... but spending would have to be DRASTICALLY cut. I would love to see that as well.
Most people would oppose that. Both parties. Most people. So, in light of that what I propose is private voluntary funding of all those little programs "your" side wants. Instead of using force and theft make it voluntary and therefore more secure. The retort is often... well people wouldn't fund it... then I respond with. Well how just is the tax system then if when given the choice you say people would not choose to fund these programs. You can't have it both ways. Taxes can't be considered just and voluntary but then voluntary funding considered unrealistic. Its talking out of both sides of your mouth.
I have a lot more respect for the "taxes are a necessary evil" than they are just.
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You're right, the problem is that no one wants to cut anything.
But it's because they have a very static view of the world. They don't think about second order effects.
I had a conversation about cutting the Department of Education with a friend who's a medical student. He was saying, "Isn't education kind of important?" In his mind, cutting Department of Education means less money for education. But I told him it also means more control back to individual localities, less top-down control of school systems, less wasteful spending on things that don't fit the needs of local school districts, and more money in the pockets of parents to do as they wish with the money for their children. And he started to understand the case for cutting the DoE.
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they have a very static view of the world. They don't think about second order effects.
Indeed.
There's a good example of what happens in the "private sector". How many times have the airlines been bailed out by the gov? A few. Why? Because air travel is TOO IMPORTANT! But when you think about it what should have happened was that airlines should go out of business and people better at running them should take over. That isn't allowed to happen so we have a weaker system. Its second order. Its not obvious but when you think about it death is a part of nature and it leads to new life.
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