Comments on: On taxes and barstool economics http://opensourcesmall.biz/2008/10/on-taxes-and-barstool-economics/ The living site of the book by John Locke Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:57:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Rick http://opensourcesmall.biz/2008/10/on-taxes-and-barstool-economics/comment-page-1/#comment-167686 Rick Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:12:42 +0000 http://opensourcesmall.biz/?p=279#comment-167686 I find it interesting that when we think about taxes and responsibility, we think about it in different terms than when we think of individual people and responsibility. It is normally the case that those who have demonstrated the greatest ability have managed the greatest responsibility. Our entire system of government, business, and rearing our families is based on this concept. Why should taxes be any different? I think that part of the problem is that we have become to individualistic and opportunistic. America was built on communities and a sense of togetherness. Now we live in an age of super-competitiveness, where people are out for themselves and what they can amass, completely unaware that the sun shines on all of us. We, as a country, need to go back to basics…we need to look at things that we can do something about. We need to hold people accountable for their theft and indiscretions. We need to address issues of education and poverty, transportation, economics, businesses and work. We need to address the goals and purpose of our government. We have crossed so many lines between right and wrong that the legal system is beginning to look murky at best. Consider, for a moment…what would happen if our taxes went up 1%-2%? What would happen if they went down 1% - 2%? What about 5%? The question should be: what is going to happen with my tax dollars? If I am going to bail out a company or companies that made bad decisions and caused me and my country pain and suffering, I don't want any part of it. I would rather keep my money and spend it where I choose. If it is going to be invested in our infrastructure so that we are not so dependant on fossil fuels or going into our health system so hospitals don't have to charge $3,300 for an emergency room visit Consider this: By keeping the best schools exclusive to the highest-tax grossing neighborhoods, we perpetuate the problem of under education, poverty and at-risk communities. By dumping all of our money and resources into the largest companies who have the greatest resources and responsibility, and treating small businesses as though they are to be tolerated, we cut the legs out from underneath our societies. While there are many small businesses that go out of business, there are many that do well, and get sold to larger businesses or become larger businesses. It's ironic how when someone speaks for truth and addressing the needs of the group, versus the needs of the individual or exclusive individuals, he is labeled. I think that sometimes, we ask that people address a scratch on the bumper when the whole car is wrecked. I find it interesting that when we think about taxes and responsibility, we think about it in different terms than when we think of individual people and responsibility. It is normally the case that those who have demonstrated the greatest ability have managed the greatest responsibility. Our entire system of government, business, and rearing our families is based on this concept. Why should taxes be any different?
I think that part of the problem is that we have become to individualistic and opportunistic. America was built on communities and a sense of togetherness. Now we live in an age of super-competitiveness, where people are out for themselves and what they can amass, completely unaware that the sun shines on all of us.
We, as a country, need to go back to basics…we need to look at things that we can do something about. We need to hold people accountable for their theft and indiscretions. We need to address issues of education and poverty, transportation, economics, businesses and work. We need to address the goals and purpose of our government. We have crossed so many lines between right and wrong that the legal system is beginning to look murky at best.
Consider, for a moment…what would happen if our taxes went up 1%-2%? What would happen if they went down 1% – 2%? What about 5%?
The question should be: what is going to happen with my tax dollars? If I am going to bail out a company or companies that made bad decisions and caused me and my country pain and suffering, I don’t want any part of it. I would rather keep my money and spend it where I choose.
If it is going to be invested in our infrastructure so that we are not so dependant on fossil fuels or going into our health system so hospitals don’t have to charge $3,300 for an emergency room visit
Consider this: By keeping the best schools exclusive to the highest-tax grossing neighborhoods, we perpetuate the problem of under education, poverty and at-risk communities.
By dumping all of our money and resources into the largest companies who have the greatest resources and responsibility, and treating small businesses as though they are to be tolerated, we cut the legs out from underneath our societies. While there are many small businesses that go out of business, there are many that do well, and get sold to larger businesses or become larger businesses.
It’s ironic how when someone speaks for truth and addressing the needs of the group, versus the needs of the individual or exclusive individuals, he is labeled. I think that sometimes, we ask that people address a scratch on the bumper when the whole car is wrecked.

]]> By: J http://opensourcesmall.biz/2008/10/on-taxes-and-barstool-economics/comment-page-1/#comment-167609 J Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:18:02 +0000 http://opensourcesmall.biz/?p=279#comment-167609 There's a possibility that Washington State may become more friendly to business (& thus keep it here), however that will require a change in politics in what has become legacy politics in this state. Federally it's a toss up, neither major candidate has a fiscal policy that makes economic sense. On one side there's business as usual, while on the other there is a plan to "spread the wealth" by taking more money from those who take the initiative, via higher taxes and penalties, and giving it to people who never took the initiative to work hard. It is this idea of forcibly taking money from people who have worked hard to get ahead and giving it freely to people who haven't which was the subject of the aforementioned article (separate from the US economy). No matter how one looks at it, the next 4 - 10 years are looking to be considerably challenging and which will require quite a few "changes" that will likely catch a lot of people by surprise. There’s a possibility that Washington State may become more friendly to business (& thus keep it here), however that will require a change in politics in what has become legacy politics in this state.

Federally it’s a toss up, neither major candidate has a fiscal policy that makes economic sense. On one side there’s business as usual, while on the other there is a plan to “spread the wealth” by taking more money from those who take the initiative, via higher taxes and penalties, and giving it to people who never took the initiative to work hard. It is this idea of forcibly taking money from people who have worked hard to get ahead and giving it freely to people who haven’t which was the subject of the aforementioned article (separate from the US economy).

No matter how one looks at it, the next 4 – 10 years are looking to be considerably challenging and which will require quite a few “changes” that will likely catch a lot of people by surprise.

]]> By: Mark http://opensourcesmall.biz/2008/10/on-taxes-and-barstool-economics/comment-page-1/#comment-167507 Mark Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:33:00 +0000 http://opensourcesmall.biz/?p=279#comment-167507 some good points, tax those that are costing us the most, that are using up the resouces of our current tax dollars, and lower the tax for those that are bringing us income, replenishing our tax dollars. some good points, tax those that are costing us the most, that are using up the resouces of our current tax dollars, and lower the tax for those that are bringing us income, replenishing our tax dollars.

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