🚀 go-pugleaf

>>>>> "Greg" == Mborealis  <borealis@cais.cais.com> writes:

Greg> This system would place disproportionate burdon on lower income
Greg> citizens.  Not that the current system is a paradigm of
Greg> fairness...

Greg> Figure: Citizen A makes $20k/yr, Citizen B makes 100k/yr. Both
Greg> spend the same amounts on necessities of life (food, rent,
Greg> etc.). Both pay 15% on those purchases. Let's say both manage to
Greg> do it for only $16k. Citizen A clears $4k for the year, and
Greg> Citizen B clears $84k.

This assumption seems rather dodgy. The 'necessities of life' are not
fixed in stone. Most people who earn 100k/year are going to spend more
for food/rent/heat/whatever than a 20k/year earner. You could as well
claim that the 25k/year Citizen C spends on the 'necessities' to be
the minimum, and therefore the other two are 'unfairly' being taxed
less.

Greg> While Citizen B works hard for his money, It seems unfair that
Greg> his share of the cost of government should be 16% of his income,
Greg> while it is 80% for Citizen A.

Greg> The current system of taxation is badly in need of reform. I
Greg> think it should remain somewhat progressive, and tied to income
Greg> level, certinly not in the form of a sales tax.

Greg> PS I am a student of economics, and a pragmatist, please do not
Greg> waste everyones bandwidth flaming me as a 'communist'.
-- 
		 Joel N. Squire <squire@colorado.edu>
		      .oO finger for PGP key Oo.