Why do we tax children without letting them vote? Isn't this 'taxation without representation'?

Question

Any kid who wants to buy a candy bar or comic book gets to pay taxes, but doesn't get to vote. Isn't this what the Boston tea party was about?

Answer 1

but they do use all the facilities provided by government.

Answer 2

I don't think there's any society that's ever let children vote. Aside from that, how many 7 year olds do you really know that could actually tell you anything about the platform of your state senator? I'd have ot bet you don't know any, and in your state there might be two or three out of the many many children there that could.

It's impractical really. Aside from that, they don't pay nearly as much in taxes as an adult does.

I'd understand if you were asking why we don't let older teens vote, but children? They probably couldn't care less about current political affairs.

And the Boston Tea Party was about the fact the States was ruled over by a far-off country that didn't know or care about what the States wanted or needed, and the injustice of getting taxed by a nation that didn't do anything for the States. It was effectively decrying the non-caring attitude of the parliment and the fact it took atleast a year to get a reply back on an issue concerning the states, and by that time it just didn't matter.

Answer 3

The tax law taxes income not the right to vote. Children pay a lot lower rate than an adult because they don't usually have as much, if any, income. If a child had $500,000 of income they would pay the same tax as an adult.
If children didn't pay tax then all of the adults would shift their income to children as to avoid tax on their income.
Prior to the 1986 tax act children paid taxes at the same rates as adults. This was an incentive for adults to shift income to their children so that the child could pay for many thigs after a tax that was lower than teir parents. Congress felt this was an unfair benefit to small business and higher income individuals who could take advantage of this shifting of income. Thus they came up with the kiddie tax where a child's tax rate is the same as their parents tax rate after they have $1,700 of unearned income and are now under 18 years of age.