Subject:
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Re: Rights to free goods? (was Re: What happened?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 6 Jul 1999 17:21:42 GMT
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Viewed:
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1218 times
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On Mon, 5 Jul 1999 15:16:31 GMT, Larry Pieniazek uttered the following
profundities...
> Richard Dee wrote:
>
> > I prefer all-food items zero-rated. No tax on food. . Your
> > examples to counter the exemption of food are a bit too
> > comical (though no doubt, some tax lawyer may try to use that
> > example if their client is being audited!)
> > Living in a country so anti-tax, it does seem absurd to propose
> > tax on something so essential as all food.
>
> Really, Richard, are you trying to appear dense and quibblish on
> purpose?
You should know me well enough by now to know the answer to that
one. Of course I am! :o)
>
> I'm convinced that the "final state" libertarian government can be
> funded without taxes. Taxes are only needed during the transition
> period. So I don't want any. But if I must have them (and I remind you
> this was in response to an question about *my* preferences) I prefer a
> flat poll tax without exemptions.
I missed out somewhere the bit about no taxis.
> Sales tax is my second choice of a tax, and as such my defense of it is
> only luke warm. But if it's the choice selected, I prefer it with no
> exemptions.
Sales tax is an extremely effective method of means-tested, indirect
taxation. Too high here, 17 1/2 percent. Food, (with some exceptions),
children's clothes, and books are all VAT-exempt. I like that.
Everything else, and I mean *everything*, is subject to VAT.
> You can say my examples are ludicrous, but I just gave a couple off the
> top of my head, they were not meant to be exhaustive. I'd impose a sales
> tax on shelter, electricity, clothing and busfare too. You name it, it
> all gets the same tax. *Anything* can be shown to be required for
> survival if you work at the analysis. Why exempt food? Who are you to
> say that food is more important than (and we should encourage its
> consumption in preference to) any other good? According to Jeff S. your
> morals are no better than anyone elses.
Of course they were'nt. I have a pathological need to comment on them
anyway. Sure, *anything* can be analysed to whatever outcome you wish,
but I will not be moved on the food issue. Nor will you. Moot issue.
I would exempt it, you wouldn't. Deadlock.
On the morality issue, all of ours here I am sure are more similar than
not. Probably the same, if we dug deeply enough. As to taxation as a
moral issue, none of us like taxes, some of us see them as a necessary evil,
some mad individuals have no complaints whatsoever. I am sure that if
it went to the wire, though, that consensus would favour zero food
taxation.
> Don't you get it? Any time you exempt something you're making a value
> judgement about what the economy should produce. Central planning does
> not work. Now, granted, not taxing food is relatively mild central
> planning but I reject it just the same on principle.
The economy will produce food, or the infrastructure to acquire it,
regardless of taxation levels. The only value judgements that could
possibly derive is if you tax some food and not all or nothing. But
exempting food from taxation will not result in an ecomomy abandoning
its production or acquisition. Taxation of food, however, has greater
potential negative ramifications than not taxing it. Examples? None
specific, but imagine the reaction if a TV was zero-rated, and *all*
food taxed at say, 50%? People won't revolt over TV-taxation, but
would over food taxation. (Like you, no exhaustive examples, just
off-top-of-head style). Sure, tax everything at 50% as a means
to try and get out of a row, but food will create greater stirrings
of dissent than most other.
> Can we move on from this debating about what my preferences should be?
> They are what they are. I'm satisfied with them and I ultimately don't
> CARE whether you are or not.
>
>
We aren't really debating your preferences, are we? It seemed
to me we were debating my preferences vs your representation
of a political idealogy? (which is a preference & choice :P )
If you don't care, why are you tabling
and then defending them? Shut up then!:O)
Otherwise, as you constantly try to point out that there are
more alternatives to Rep/Dem politics, allow me to rant and
rave so that you can sway more voters! And, as LP are around
here, too, an understanding of a different political idealogy,
as represented by a grass-roots supporter.
--
_____________________________________________________________
richard.dee@nospam.virgin.net remove nospam.(lugnet excepted)
Web Site: http://freespace.virgin.net/richard.dee/lego.html
ICQ 13177071 AOL Instant Messenger: RJD88888
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