94 Years of Serfdom

[Kevin_Kennedy]

This April 15 is the 94th year that Americans have had to file an income tax. For most Americans, the day is a non-event. The federal and state governments have already collected the taxes due by withholding from each paycheck over the course of the calendar year. Most Americans never saw the money and have no real idea that they earned it.

Some Americans have their incomes over-withheld as a form of forced savings. They look forward to tax time as it means they will receive a refund check from the government that they can use for a summer vacation, a big screen TV, a new appliance, or a down payment on a new car.

94 Years of Serfdom by Paul Craig Roberts

 

[editec]

Yeah it must have been nice before Americans had to pay income taxes.

You know back in the first 150 years of our nation?

Back when we actually ran our entire goverment on a CONSUMER SALES TAX?

Back when the entire government was run on the revenues from TARIFFS on IMPORTS?

Of course now if anyone even suggests such a solution, that person is told that FREE TRADE will solve all problems.

I continue to find it odd that none of our libertarians friends, or Neo cons friends, or Republican friends or Democratic friends every quite get this connection between not having any import tariffs and having to have income taxes.

Odd that so few of us can understand the connection between imports and the declining middle class, too.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

America is not tariff free.

And a constitutionally limited federal government would not require tariffs or an income tax to fund it.

 

[catzmeow]

I continue to find it odd that none of our libertarians friends, or Neo cons friends, or Republican friends or Democratic friends every quite get this connection between not having any import tariffs and having to have income taxes.

Odd that so few of us can understand the connection between imports and the declining middle class, too.

Remember the good old days when we used to make stuff? Like, bicycles? And concrete? And clothing?

Wow. Those days were awesome.

 

[stekim]

Let's also note that back in the day we had a very small government, so they could run it on little revenue. The people, in their infinite wisdom, have decided a Nanny State is better. Well, a Nanny State with a large military-industrial complex is expensive.

 

[catzmeow]

Who doesn't need a nanny with thermonuclear weapons?

 

[garyd]

80% nanny 20% military. Without the nanny part the military could be done. Remove the military and the nanny will still bankrupt you eventually.

 

[Agnapostate]

Paul Craig Roberts must not know Ha-Joon Chang. That's a pity.

 

[garyd]

Jeremy Bentham has obviously never given any serious considertion as to what might make the majority happy or he'd discard that statement as being unworkable idiocy.

 

[Agnapostate]

Jeremy Bentham has obviously never given any serious considertion as to what might make the majority happy or he'd discard that statement as being unworkable idiocy.

Care to elaborate? Don't forget to incorporate every criterion of his algorithm of felicific calculus (primarily intensity), lest you make some crude majoritarian fallacy!

 

[AVG-JOE]

I like having safe food, roads to drive on, airports to fly to and from, buildings that are inspected and made safer through code enforcement, a standing military deterrent to stupidity, educational opportunities for everyone, etc. etc. etc.

... and I don't mind paying taxes for those services.​

I wouldn't even mind an income tax if I perceived it to be fairly applied and filing the paperwork did not require a multi-billion dollar per year industry.

-Joe

 

[garyd]

Put it to you this way Nemisis, what makes 51% of the people happy is beer and circuses. And right behind that is cussing people that have more than they do. Neither of these are particularly moral or requiring of legislation.

 

[Agnapostate]

Put it to you this way Nemisis, what makes 51% of the people happy is beer and circuses. And right behind that is cussing people that have more than they do. Neither of these are particularly moral or requiring of legislation.

Hmmm...bit unfamiliar with the qualitative separation of pleasures, are we? "It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." But of course, that was John Stuart Mill more than anything else. Still, it would be a bit better if you were to familiarize yourself with the ethical doctrines that you attempt to criticize.

After all, at our meta-ethical cores, we all seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

 

[garyd]

Again it's a matter of what makes 'em happy. You want to truck out the whole hierarchy of needs thing fine. But don't forget the one that is always left of the list.

 

[Agnapostate]

Again it's a matter of what makes 'em happy. You want to truck out the whole hierarchy of needs thing fine. But don't forget the one that is always left of the list.

It's not even a matter of needs so much as qualitative measurements of acts and behaviors that induce "happiness." Soma doesn't induce intellectual stimulation, after all!

 

[RoadVirus]

I continue to find it odd that none of our libertarians friends, or Neo cons friends, or Republican friends or Democratic friends every quite get this connection between not having any import tariffs and having to have income taxes.

Odd that so few of us can understand the connection between imports and the declining middle class, too.

Remember the good old days when we used to make stuff? Like, bicycles? And concrete? And clothing?

Wow. Those days were awesome.

The days before under-educated politicians made up crappy trade deals like NAFTA