[reaganaut1]

The article goes on to say that the House health care surtax would likely raise only about 1/2 of the revenue that the "static" analysis (which assumes that pre-tax income would be unchanged) employed by the House and the CBO assumes.

The moral question is important as well. If government is just a way to confiscate money from some people and redistribute it to others, it loses its legitimacy and becomes just a form of organized theft. Ayn Rand had her flaws, goodness knows, but she is one of the prominent intellectuals in recent times to make the moral argument against big government.

[flintsilver7]

Never expect a Democrat to have any knowledge of logic or economics. The average braindead Democrat thinks that if they need to increase their funds by 5%, they can just raise taxes by 5%. Here in the real world, most of us are aware that actions have consequences. If you raise somebody’s income tax by 5%, they will do everything they can to avoid paying it.

Of course, if you explain this to a Democrat, they might just say “well, then let’s raise taxes 10%.”

[DennisR]

When it comes to fair treatment of all Americans, the Federal government is the absolute worst. They should NOT be able to treat “the rich” different than “the poor.” We need to push back until that happens. See the mandates at http://pushbackuntil.com/Mandates.htm. In particular, there should only be one tax rate. And absolutely everyone should pay taxes. No more progressive rates and free rides because you do not make enough money.

And be in D.C. for a massive protest during the State of the Union Address! http://pushbackuntil.com/Strategies/B.htm.

[DrC]

“becomes just a form of organized theft.”

The notion of taxation as organized theft has a lengthy history going back to Lysander Spooner in the 19th century through libertarians such as Murray Rothbard today. http://mises.org/rothbard/ethics/twentytwo.asp

I personally view the imposition of taxes to support a “night watchman” state legitimate, but concur that once redistribution enters the picture, taxation to achieve this objective has no more obvious legitimacy than a private criminal enterprise that sought to use theft to secure the identical objectives.

The fact that the U.S. now hovers so close to the “tipping point” at which a majority of citizens pay no taxes but nevertheless receive substantial personal benefits (as opposed to collective benefits such as national defense) makes me fear for the future of the country.

[gunnyg]

Millionaire tax?

What about the peon tax?????

http://madashelland.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/whats-this-about-fast-food-eat-in-and-take-outtaxcharges/