Question Should income taxes be abolished?

BonnieDundee · 03-05-2008, 03:59 AM

There seems to be a buzz around here that income taxes should be abolished or significantly lowered. I was just wondering the popularity of this move and what people would replace it with.

I believe it should be lowered greatly or removed and so should sales, inheritance, capital gains, fuel, alcohol and tobacco and property taxes and a land value tax system used instead with any necessary shortfall being made up with tariffs.

BonnieDundee · 03-05-2008, 04:02 AM

Mods I forgot to add the poll and can't seem to add it now. Could you add one with yes and no answers. Cheers.

BonnieDundee · 03-05-2008, 04:07 AM

If you don't know much about the LVT here is some info.

What Is Geolibertarianism?
http://geolib.pair.com/essays/sulliv.../royallib.html
Geolibertarian FAQ

The Bear · 03-05-2008, 07:17 AM

Income tax should be retained as it provides a means of reducing the tax burden on the low income people and families by management of the tax threshold. What I believe should be abandoned is tax at multiple rates. Better after the tax threshold, which New Labour have NOT increased to match inflation, there should be a single standard rate of tax for all income.

Why should a man earring £100,000 have to pay more per £ than a man earning £25,000? It’s nothing more than envy tax.

Another gripe of mine is National Insurance. There is a thing that IS due for serious review as it has under New Labour become nothing more than income tax by another name.

Likewise local taxation. The community charge where people pay for local services rather than having to pay a property tax really should be restored. It’s people who use local provided services, not houses. People should therefore be those who pay.

While still on the subject of local taxation another root and branch review should be on the amount of services of one sort or another that have been decided by central government to be provided and the delivery and payment of these delegated to local authorities meaning that local people must pay for by having the costs included in their council tax.

The effect is that central government get the bouquets for the additional services but the local councils bet the brickbats for having to extract the cash to deliver them

What should take place is a root and branch review and then targeted culling of all government delivered “benefits” and services across the board.

People in Britain have FAR too much done for them by government.

mattyr2k8 · 03-05-2008, 01:01 PM

both tax and government spending should be vastly reduced - taxes and government spending keep going up, yet nothing has improved.

Westcountryman · 03-05-2008, 01:08 PM

Taxes should be cut, government spending should be reduced to plug the gap.

Also, we should move away from taxing income and tax consumption instead.

Smidgey · 03-05-2008, 01:37 PM

I would prefer to reduce/abolish as many taxes as possible (including the income tax and corporation taxes as a priority).

My prefered option would be to fund the minarchist state with a sales tax (which could hopefully be lowered over time). My reasons for this are that:

1) Wealthier people purchase more than poor people, thus in a sense (although not to the same extent) it would have similar impact to an income tax based upon ability to pay.
2) I don't support your idea of a land tax BonnieDundee, for the main reason that I think one's property is theirs and they should not be taxed on something they own (and I don't want to get into an argument about the philosophy of property here).
3) It is practical and requires less bureaucracy than many other forms of taxes. Although it most certainly has the major disadvantage of passing the burden onto corporations and consumers. Although, I believe this to be one of those 'least bad' situations.

John Connor · 03-05-2008, 02:58 PM

I really don't know why I bother commenting on this forum any more. Since I agree with almost everything Smidge has to say, I might as well put my feet up and let him do the talking.

Smidgey · 03-05-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Connor

I really don't know why I bother commenting on this forum any more. Since I agree with almost everything Smidge has to say, I might as well put my feet up and let him do the talking.

Heh, thanks John.

Although I would miss many of your insightful comments - particularly against the left-wing BNP and the anti-women's rights, anti-animal welfare Muslims.

Englishdan · 03-05-2008, 03:24 PM

What should be removed are the thousands of governmental quango's that bleed the taxpayer dry

03-05-2008, 03:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
BonnieDundee Uber Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Between Mallaig and Cornwall. Posts: 2,201	Should income taxes be abolished? There seems to be a buzz around here that income taxes should be abolished or significantly lowered. I was just wondering the popularity of this move and what people would replace it with. I believe it should be lowered greatly or removed and so should sales, inheritance, capital gains, fuel, alcohol and tobacco and property taxes and a land value tax system used instead with any necessary shortfall being made up with tariffs. __________________ "It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state." -Bruce Schneier How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and pss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.* Edward Abbey Leopold Kohr.

03-05-2008, 04:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
BonnieDundee Uber Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Between Mallaig and Cornwall. Posts: 2,201	Mods I forgot to add the poll and can't seem to add it now. Could you add one with yes and no answers. Cheers. __________________ "It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state." -Bruce Schneier How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and pss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.* Edward Abbey Leopold Kohr.

03-05-2008, 04:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
BonnieDundee Uber Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Between Mallaig and Cornwall. Posts: 2,201	If you don't know much about the LVT here is some info. What Is Geolibertarianism? http://geolib.pair.com/essays/sulliv.../royallib.html Geolibertarian FAQ __________________ "It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state." -Bruce Schneier How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and pss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.* Edward Abbey Leopold Kohr.

03-05-2008, 07:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
The Bear Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: East Anglia Posts: 1,914	Income tax should be retained as it provides a means of reducing the tax burden on the low income people and families by management of the tax threshold. What I believe should be abandoned is tax at multiple rates. Better after the tax threshold, which New Labour have NOT increased to match inflation, there should be a single standard rate of tax for all income. Why should a man earring £100,000 have to pay more per £ than a man earning £25,000? It’s nothing more than envy tax. Another gripe of mine is National Insurance. There is a thing that IS due for serious review as it has under New Labour become nothing more than income tax by another name. Likewise local taxation. The community charge where people pay for local services rather than having to pay a property tax really should be restored. It’s people who use local provided services, not houses. People should therefore be those who pay. While still on the subject of local taxation another root and branch review should be on the amount of services of one sort or another that have been decided by central government to be provided and the delivery and payment of these delegated to local authorities meaning that local people must pay for by having the costs included in their council tax. The effect is that central government get the bouquets for the additional services but the local councils bet the brickbats for having to extract the cash to deliver them What should take place is a root and branch review and then targeted culling of all government delivered “benefits” and services across the board. People in Britain have FAR too much done for them by government. __________________ I am an old man. I have eaten much salt.

03-05-2008, 01:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Westcountryman Uber Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Westcountry. Posts: 5,827 Party: None	Taxes should be cut, government spending should be reduced to plug the gap. Also, we should move away from taxing income and tax consumption instead. __________________ the cake is a lie. the cake is a lie. the cake is a lie. the cake is a lie.

03-05-2008, 01:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
mattyr2k8 Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: England, United Kingdom Posts: 103	both tax and government spending should be vastly reduced - taxes and government spending keep going up, yet nothing has improved.

03-05-2008, 01:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
Smidgey Uber Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2,101 Party: Libertarian Party	I would prefer to reduce/abolish as many taxes as possible (including the income tax and corporation taxes as a priority). My prefered option would be to fund the minarchist state with a sales tax (which could hopefully be lowered over time). My reasons for this are that: 1) Wealthier people purchase more than poor people, thus in a sense (although not to the same extent) it would have similar impact to an income tax based upon ability to pay. 2) I don't support your idea of a land tax BonnieDundee, for the main reason that I think one's property is theirs and they should not be taxed on something they own (and I don't want to get into an argument about the philosophy of property here). 3) It is practical and requires less bureaucracy than many other forms of taxes. Although it most certainly has the major disadvantage of passing the burden onto corporations and consumers. Although, I believe this to be one of those 'least bad' situations. __________________ How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might! -Georg Friedrich Händel

03-05-2008, 02:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
John Connor Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Away for Summer Posts: 736 Party: None	I really don't know why I bother commenting on this forum any more. Since I agree with almost everything Smidge has to say, I might as well put my feet up and let him do the talking. __________________ There are three types of people in this world: Libertarians, fascists and those who haven't been paying attention. If you're taking notice of the environmental rants of a man who claims to have invented the Internet, exactly how low is your IQ? By definition, 49.9999% of the population are of below average intelligence. Hence, a NuLabour government. Three times. Users on ignore list: Akria, Besoeker, Clippo, david H, Ian C.

03-05-2008, 03:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
Englishdan Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hempstead Kent Posts: 58	What should be removed are the thousands of governmental quango's that bleed the taxpayer dry

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