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Politics : Mainstream Politics and Economics -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (22172)	8/5/2012 12:01:02 PM
From: koan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 85487

<<You assume fair means equal. I don't. Neither did Teddy Roosevelt, nor Lincoln, nor Nixon. Nor Ike, when the top rate was around 90%. progressive taxation has been an accepted fairness until recently as we move back to the dark ages. Like our feelings about social security and medicare.

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (22172)	8/5/2012 1:42:25 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 85487

Fair isn't a very precisely defined concept. Its largely, perhaps almost entirely, subjective. But I didn't say "equal" was "fair". The amount the wealthy pay, is in absolute terms far more than equal to what others pay, and even relative to their income, is more than equal. A "fair" burden of taxes could reasonable be zero (since any taxation is forced taking, pretty much theft or extortion), or a very small amount (enough for the government to keep the peace, and allow for a lot of income to be generated but not for the extensive government we have now), or an equal amount from each person (equal is fair in a way) or an equal amount from everyone how can afford it (so we don't burden the poor), or an equal percentage of income, or (like we have no) a higher burden on the wealthy, or the communist idea of "from each according to his ability). There is no defined amount that's "fair", its all dependent on ideology and subjective decisions. As for Roosevelt and Lincoln and Nixon. 1 - Why should I care what they thought? 2 - If I am supposed to care, then perhaps you should detail it a bit more. 3 - Under Roosevelt and Lincoln federal tax burdens which more lower and less progressive than they are now. 4 - Nixon supported price controls. I care less about what he thinks about the economics than any other Republican president and most Democrats.