What do you think of "Representation without taxation"?

Question

The Boston tea party revolted because of "Taxation without representation". They were being taxed, yet had no say in government affairs.

Roughly 50% of Americans pay no Federal taxes, and many of those pay very little in State taxes as well. It doesn't seem fair that many of the poor have "representation without taxation".

In other words, it doesn't seem fair that those who pay no taxes can vote to increase the tax burdens of others to increase the services they receive.

(And to put this out there before the criticisms come, I'm not cold-hearted, but I do support a flat-tax system).

Answer 1

I guess everyone else missed yesterday's class. Yes, the bottom half of the U.S. only pays 3% of the Federal bill. Look it up. Originally, only landowners were taxed, and only landowners could vote. I never saw a problem with that arrangement. Short of that, I believe everyone should have to pass a test showing they understand the structure, history, and functions of our government. How can you possibly contribute if you have no knowledge??

....and I AM cold-hearted. Everyone needs to pull their own weight or get out of my way.

Answer 2

I agree with you on principle regarding a flat tax, though I'd be concerned about that actually working because it seems to me it would discourage people from spending.

Your 50% number seems off. Remember, tax rates actually go up as income increases and tax breaks tend to decrease at those levels too. Certainly, the middle class tends to get squeezed when it comes to breaks. The Democrats always seem to be fighting for the poor, while the Republicans want their million dollar buddies (who probably financed their campaign) to get a break in return. And the middle class gets nothing.

Everyone has a vote and to say we have "taxation without representation" is a little overreaching to me. While there are some lower income people who have genuinely had some bad breaks, there are also some who are there for a reason. We've got all too many single Moms who have kids with multiple men, living off the system and burdening the rest of us with their kids' bad behavior and such.

Answer 3

I see what you're saying about no state taxes, but that's not always a bad thing... Floridians don't file state taxes but they do file federal taxes and that's because FL has a lot of tourism and it can support it's budget through local taxes gathered by tourists. Most of the money gathered through taxes isn't through federal taxes but through sales taxes... the FL sales tax is 6% but i pay 7.5% because Leon County, where the capital, Tallahassee, is charges a 1.5% surcharge through its county... it sucks that i pay a higher sales tax, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. It isn't fair that the rich get the most tax breaks, but then again, they pay the most taxes. There's only 2 things that are certain in life: death and taxes :(

ps: Puerto Rico is a US Terrirory... they pay no taxes to the US, but have zero representation in Congress... that's bad too. And for those who think all illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... that's not true either, some of them get a tax payer ID number from the IRS and pay taxes without having the benefits of social security or medicare... i think if most knew about it, they would pay taxes.... but it's like some hidden secret because no news agency reports this when talking about immigration policy.

Answer 4

If all government is conducted honestly and efficiently, if there is widespread public education (continuing through life), if there is almost no crime compared to what we now have, if prisoners have to work for a living, if superbad, unregenerate criminals are executed it is possible for all government, social security and medical care to operate from the revenues of a 10% tax on incomes.

That is already happening on another relatively close planet operating at approximately the same technological level. Their houses are fireproof too.

Here there is corruption everywhere, civil servants are in the pocket of the industrial barons, people have children before they are ready to support them, there is no population control, and virtually everyone sacrifices quality for extracting the maximum possible amount of money from all others. There is very little equality or fairness, principally for those who have sufficient resources to fight for it in the courts.

The people here are baffled. On a deep intuitive level they know something is not right. But they have very little idea how much better things could be.

And they no virtually nothing about social and governmental evolution and planetary mortal epochs -- the evolutionary path of each planet towards perfection.

Problems are not tackled here until they are virtually overwhelming. These problems, remaining mostly unsolved, will start concatenating in the present age.

The Boston Dig is one typical example. The three trillion dollars of debt run up by the current national executive are another.

The crime wave which you see blossoming in New Orleans, Detroit and Los Angeles is another symptom.

It appears things will start breaking before they get better.

Answer 5

I think represention without taxation is a bad thing. We need taxes to pay for the many programs that the government is in charge of, such as education, health care, public works, etc.

Answer 6

When one party closes the other out of the debate, goes behind closed doors and changes the locks so the opposing party cannot participate in the debate. None of us are being represented. Our Congress is supposed to be the greatest place of debate in the world. Pelsoi changed the House rules to eliminate any opposition. We all have a Constitutional Right to be represented and at the present we are not.

Answer 7

we need to pay tax, that is government's rite to collect the tax, the money is spent for the welfare of the country.

Answer 8

You cite no source for your "50% of Americans..." line, so I think you're full of jello.

Answer 9

Please .... your information is wrong


Peace