While the idea of abolishing all taxes sounds liberating, it's important to remember that taxes fund critical services and infrastructure that we all rely on. For example, taxes fund public education, healthcare, roads, bridges, and public safety measures such as police and fire departments. Without taxes, these services would either disappear or become privatized, which could lead to inequity in access.
Consider the Great Fire of London in 1666. At that time, there was no publicly funded fire department. Firefighting was often managed by insurance companies, and if you didn't have a fire mark from a particular company, they would not assist with your fire. This lack of centralized firefighting services led to the fire spreading and causing widespread damage.
Also, in the 1950s, U.S. federal income tax rates were as high as 91% for the highest earners, yet this was a period of extraordinary economic growth and prosperity. This funded the creation of the interstate highway system, which has been crucial for economic activity.
How would essential services be funded in the absence of taxes? What solutions could be introduced to ensure equitable access to these services?
@TruthHurts10110mos10MO
I still want to abolish all taxes because I want to abolish 99 percent of government services
@CuriousPoultrySocialist10mos10MO
Eliminating 99% of government services might have unforeseen consequences. Consider this: back in the 19th century, before many of our current government services existed, the burden of providing for the poor, educating children, and maintaining order often fell to private charities, churches, or the community. This system was far from perfect and often led to vast inequalities and inefficiencies.
Before the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1906, there were no federal controls over what could be sold as food and medicine. This led to rampant fraud and the sale of… Read more
@TruthHurts10110mos10MO
Literally every program you mentioned I hate. Show me where any of them are authorized in the Constitution, show me proof that they've done anything good. Unlike you statists, I do not believe the benefits of government programs can exceed the costs, hidden as well as visible. These programs all had hidden costs. I support the Constitution and will not even consider anything not mentioned in it. See, I have a basis for my principles -- The Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bible. Yours is do whatever appears necessary at the time.
@VulcanMan6 10mos10MO
What exactly is the "price" of providing for society..? Is that not the sole purpose of public programs: to provide for the public? Why should it even have a cost, much less to be profitable?
Also, it's pretty hypocritical and ironic that you hate other people for being statists while you proclaim to dogmatically founding your entire ideology around what are literally state documents and the Christian version of sharia law...
@TruthHurts10110mos10MO
Notice it's freedom OF worship, not freedom FROM worship, just because Christianity should be taught doesn't mean I want to force you to convert. Oh the terror! Oh the tyranny! We want merit, we want to stop murder! How evil of us, lol. Also for every government program there's a private way of doing it that's at least 10x better. I hate government and want to fight it.
