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Why is it not considered greedy to get other people to work
and take profit from their labor? Is that not a tax upon the laborers? Dave wrote: Where do you get this stuff, anyway? Private parties do not have the legal power to require payment of taxes. Correct. But it is taxing nontheless (a bad pun). [snip] Seems to work for a number of Balkan and European countries, Which have vastly different tax structures including a VAT tax. Are you in favor of a federally imposed VAT tax? Dave wrote: Some do and some don't. Estonia, which in the most recent ratings is rated as more free than the US in economic terms, has a flat rate income tax. Possibly so. Rated by whom? Anyway, I never claimed that the U.S. has the best or free-est tax structure in the world. That would be too Maxpropian. And the flat income tax does favor the higher income brackets... look at the most vocal proponents of it. I'm not saying it's morally wrong, I'm saying it's unfair. Furthermore, you must considered the desired economic result of any imposed legal/economic structure before evaluating the structure. Do want to encourage the growth of the middle class? Greater good of the greater number? Or cater to the wishes of a smaller number of richer people? In general, most countries (now and thru-out history) are run by the rich, for the rich. The U.S. has (at times) been an exception, and in general unbridled plutocracy and class privilege have not been publicly vaunted as "the American way." VAT does have some advantages. In particular, if you want to encourage savings and capital formation, tax consumption rather than earnings. Sure. In fact, I'd be in favor of that; but the VAT does more. VAT is exactly that tax structure that Maxprop was mockingly referring to as ultra-liberal in a recent post: tax the money every single time it changes hands. It deters consumption but also production in any business that is not vertically integrated. By many serious economists, the VAT is considered a big reason why the European economy has had troubles growing in recent times of spurred global demand. ... Problem in the US is that if it VAT were enacted, it would no doubt simply be layered on top of the existing system Why make that assumption? What if it weren't? Imagine a discussion without straw men, Dave. DSK |
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