Issue 2 of 2,
Same deal...my opinion, your opinion, GWs opinion if known and label.
Marriage Tax "penalty" - Clearly a [compassionate] conservative sponsored initiative.....
Point by illustration...
Assuming equal deductions...
1. Married couple: each earning $30K; combined family income 60K.
2. Married couple: I sit at home (unemployed) watching ESPN; my wife waits table at the Hawk and Dove (a bar/restaurant in DC catering to the politicos) and makes $60K (I wonder if conservatives are bi
3. Single mother: Makes $60K day-trading in internet stocks.
Seems like the bleeding heart liberal would say #3 should pay the least tax (poor working single mom...), #1 should pay a little more and #2 ought to pay the most. Side-bar....the conservative might say that #3 should pay NO taxes...because income in #3 is all capital gains and capital gains are already taxed (corporately).
My opinion: Taxes are fees paid for services provided by the government, e.g., a national defense; while we might argue whether specific services are or are not necessary or whether those services provided are quality or even voluntary for that matter, it is pretty much fees for services. All parties mentioned above received exactly the same services. Seems, IMO, they have the same combined income and ought to be liable for the same taxes. I don't see why the government should be in the business, through taxes, of encouraging marriage or any other social behavior.
Your opinion, GW's opinion (if known) and label? The label is an interesting question because trivially you could say that the proposal is a "conservative" one so I must be a liberal...though if you consider purely the rationale stated in the opinion, is it so clear?
Best Regards,
Jim |
