The Innovation Bracket
I've been thinking about taxes and the poor economy and the economic stimulus. etc. The way I see things is as follows:
Capitalism works pretty well in upswings. It works well in downswings too except we don't like the consequences. Enter socialism. Socialism prevents upswings. It deters innovation and prevents profit. It also idealistically promotes brotherly love and communion. However it doesn't. Nor does capitalism provide for EVERY ONE. Capitalism provides for those who put forth a successful effort, where successful is measured by a market place. However, success and its reward rest on exponential curves. Exponential success leads to exponentially distanced reward. This is where tax should come in. If our society has granted you the oppotunity to perform so independently, then you ought to give back 40-50% of your outsized and exponential reward. And your family and offspring ought to be capped to an amount that ensures their exceptional sufficiency. But sufficiency must be recognized to allow the collective masses to continue aspiring. To quelsh aspiration is to squash our organization.
The poor ought not be taxed. Give them a break. If you want to provide for their comfort, then let it occur in the private domain. If society recognizes and loves their importance, then they will be provided for. If you let the government do it, it will be ruled by obligation. And obligation doesn't get anywhere. This may sound idealistic, but I challenge you to find a government agency that supports idealism and doesn't embody an idealistic persona. Do you honestly believe there are not enough caring private individuals who would tax themselves entirely to provide for those who could not generate a penny to be taxed?
No. They exist. Otherwise why are there all these inefficient think tanks and lobbyists? Surely people care. People always care to direct other people's money. But the first rule of money responsibility is to care for and maintain your financial situation. Do what you know you can afford. Buy or invest in what you know to be good. If you don't know it, don't do it. It's as simple as that. But we know most people can't do it. Which leads to the argument that because of such, an elected body ought to be trusted to manage effectively and direct empathically. It sounds great. But it doesn't happen.
Strive to be taxed. If you're taxed then you've reached a level that taxes are nothing more than a gratuity and appreciation for all that you've successfully come to. And you're not even going to miss a penny of it. A penny earned is a millionthed taxed.