A flat tariff is superior to internal taxation

[Krugerrand]

It's been almost a year since I posted this reference to writings by Peter Schiff's father. I could go with poll tax only. I'll have to give that multiple voting thing more consideration. My first inclination is a one vote max.

I'd still call it a government - since the laws would still apply to everybody. Choosing not to vote would not exempt you from society.

Okay here it is. In Irwin Schiff's "How an Economy Grows and Why It Doesn't"

Really big file: http://www.restoretherepublic.org/documents/how-an-economy-grows.pdf
(p56...60)

or links to pages:
http://www.takelifeback.com/hegawid/
(p50...54)

Some quotes:
"If a vote costs nothing it's worth nothing."
"The ignorant and irresponsible will vote if it's free, and such votes are dangerous!"
"Let the stupid and who-cares citizens stay home! If he pays to vote he'll pay more attention to the issues and the candidates."

 

[fsk]

All Taxation is Theft

Debating "Which taxation system is least evil?" is like debating "What's the proper technique for raping someone?"

The correct answer is "All taxation is theft! Who needs a government violence monopoly? Everything that government does would be more efficient in a really free market."

People get caught up in alternative taxation schemes because they don't want to see the truth. All taxation is theft. Government is one huge extortion racket. There's no way to patch a fundamentally corrupt system.

 

[Zippyjuan]

If people want their government to do things for them, then the people need to be willing to pay for them and that means taxes.

 

[sratiug]

Debating "Which taxation system is least evil?" is like debating "What's the proper technique for raping someone?"

The correct answer is "All taxation is theft! Who needs a government violence monopoly? Everything that government does would be more efficient in a really free market."

People get caught up in alternative taxation schemes because they don't want to see the truth. All taxation is theft. Government is one huge extortion racket. There's no way to patch a fundamentally corrupt system.

When we switch to a flat tariff, the immense cost of government will be more apparent to everyone, and it will be possible to avoid taxation by buying American made products. That will force the government to live on a smaller budget.

In this case it's more like you are paying a body guard. Do you want to continue paying your body guard to oversee a group of foreigners gang raping you, or do you want to pay your bodyguard to stop others from raping you.

 

[fsk]

Now I remember why I got disgusted and stopped posting here.

Taxation bears no resemblance to any free market exchange of services.

I'm willing to pay the fair free market price for police protection.

I object to paying at gunpoint for a monopoly seller of police protection.

I'm always surprised when slaves are so eager to defend their masters. Arguing in favor of taxation is arguing against freedom.

*ALL* taxation is theft, no matter what type. Until you realize that, you're running around in intellectual circles.

 

[Legend1104]

Now I remember why I got disgusted and stopped posting here.

Taxation bears no resemblance to any free market exchange of services.

I'm willing to pay the fair free market price for police protection.

I object to paying at gunpoint for a monopoly seller of police protection.

I'm always surprised when slaves are so eager to defend their masters. Arguing in favor of taxation is arguing against freedom.

*ALL* taxation is theft, no matter what type. Until you realize that, you're running around in intellectual circles.

Thank you. I agree. That is why I started the other thread on tariffs. I could not believe that I acutally saw people supporting tariffs, and some of them were not supporting tariffs as in, "oh they are better than interternal taxation." They made it seem like tariffs as a whole were a good thing. I stated that taxes/tariffs are theft. I understand that the minimal government function of protection of rights/property must be funded, but the idea of using tariffs to run economic policy is beyond me. Internal taxes and tariffs both have their weaknesses. I disagree that one is better than the other.

 

[Anti Federalist]

I don't like any taxes, either. However, I will take tariffs as an alternative to the income or payroll tax ANY DAY.

That.

+1

And they are constitutional.

 

[Dforkus]

Tarrifs are more in-line with the original intent of the founding fathers (given they've existed in one form or another since the beginning of the country)...

There isn't a perfect tax/tarrif, but for revenue collection its about the best you can do.

 

[Nationwide]

our internal tax IS a tariff

umm, our internal tax IS a tariff. Unapportioned capitation (direct) taxes are unconstitutional. The federal income tax is a tariff, or excise, on privileged federal activity. The amount of which is measured by INCOME, whose definition is not to be found in the internal revenue code. By hiding this definition, along with decades of social conditioning, the banksters have taken a limited benign tariff tax and miss-applied it to make everyone think they have INCOME. The truth is out there.
http://taxhonestyprimer.blogspot.com
http://www.losthorizons.com/Newsletter/SoWhatIsAnExcise.pdf

 

[tmosley]

Imposing Tariffs are like shooting yourself in the foot. Imposing income taxes are like shooting yourself in the stomach. Sure, I'd rather be shot in the foot, but really, I'd rather not get shot at all!

 

[jkm1864]

Actually I would love a 33% sales tax on all store purchases. The reason I say that is because government does need funding and it gives the poor an option to pay taxes. So when they start crying for more freebies eventually they will shut up...


But then on the other hand I believe if they do that every city needs an open market that is tax free. Everything in this market would be hand made by locals or home grown. The reason I would love to see this is because I'm fed up with the corporate garbage we see today and it would improve our local economy. Yes you might not see a hand made iPod but you would actually see people making hand made clothes, tools, shoes, hats, watches, jewelry and what ever you could imagine.

The poor wouldn't have any reason to bitch either because it's an indirect tax and they would get their alternative.

 

[jkm1864]

Here is an idea of how much crap bussinesses have to pay to keep me employed. I make roughly 385 a day when I'm offshore. A contract guy doing the same job for my company makes 600 dollars a day. The guy doing the contract work doesn't get paid more than me as far as my company goes. All the rest is the bs taxes my company pays to keep me employed...


So if your asking me would I rather want 600 a day with consumption tax or 385 with consumption, income, pay roll, social security, unemployent, and any other bs tax i'll choice consumption. Plus I'm tired of working 18 hour days just to benefit the damn Obama crack mothers union.

 

[tmosley]

Actually I would love a 33% sales tax on all store purchases. The reason I say that is because government does need funding and it gives the poor an option to pay taxes. So when they start crying for more freebies eventually they will shut up...


But then on the other hand I believe if they do that every city needs an open market that is tax free. Everything in this market would be hand made by locals or home grown. The reason I would love to see this is because I'm fed up with the corporate garbage we see today and it would improve our local economy. Yes you might not see a hand made iPod but you would actually see people making hand made clothes, tools, shoes, hats, watches, jewelry and what ever you could imagine.

The poor wouldn't have any reason to bitch either because it's an indirect tax and they would get their alternative.

You are creating perverse incentives (encouraging people to buy goods that are not produced efficiently), not to mention that enforcement would be a problem.

A better solution is to tell government to F#&K OFF. Nothing they do is good or productive. All of the services that we "need" from them are provided better by a free market.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Imposing Tariffs are like shooting yourself in the foot. Imposing income taxes are like shooting yourself in the stomach. Sure, I'd rather be shot in the foot, but really, I'd rather not get shot at all!

Can't argue with that.