[MD] Sin Part 1

[Platt Holden]

> [Arlo interjects]
> Here's an idea. Let's make taxes voluntary, but only the people who pay
> them are allowed to use the roads, the libraries, police, fire and EMT
> services, public parks, public transit, etc.

Excellent, high-quality idea.

> Then let's say that goods
> in the market should be revalued for the non-taxpayer to underwrite the
> cost of moving goods on the public roads proportionally (ie, why should
> they get the same low-cost goods that I do when I am the only one who is
> paying for the roads to be maintained?).

Excellent idea.

> Let's say that those who do not
> pay taxes have to pay a hiring fee when then hire someone who's been
> publically schooled, since they are then leeching off MY payment to the
> schools to make reasonabley educated people (it would be their choice if
> they chose not to hire public school grads).

Oops. While we're at it, let's make funding of education voluntary, 
too. 

> And let's not forget the
> military. We'd have to send out maps to the international community
> denoting which properties are not currently protected by the US military
> (the non-taxpayers can, of course, develop and pay for their own
> military, wonder how much that alone will cost them per year?).

Police and military are legitimate functions of government. They 
benefit everyone. So OK to tax to fund them.

> No post
> office means every letter has to go through FedEx, who I am sure will
> adjust their rates appropriately to build the infrastructure to more
> parcel. 

Good idea. Eliminates a lot of junk mail currently subsidized.

> Any and all FDA, CDC and programs of the like will be offlimits.
> Next time a salmonella outbreak occurs, we only let taxpayers know about
> it. The non-taxpayers can, of course, hire and pay for a private firm to
> track and control these outbreaks in their own community. Let's see if
> that ends up costing them less.

Yes. Like Consumers Reports. 

> Since most of the airlines are operating
> on government loans, let's let the non-taxpayers who wish to fly pay the
> rates they would have to without this bailout. ($6200 for a flight to
> Germany? One way? One person? You bet.)

No reason to subsidize the airlines and trips to Germany. Trucks are 
heavily subsidized. Let them pay the true costs.

> Oh, and finally, the courts too
> would be off-limits, as would any other public office.

Courts funded voluntarily by those who want to enforce contracts, like 
insurance policies.

> No one collects MY taxes by threat of force. I am glad to pay them.

So next time, why not double or triple your happiness?

> Now,
> I'd personally change the collection structure (100% consumption tax,
> that's my stance),

Agree, to fund military and police.

> and I'd increase some funded areas (public parks)
> while decreasing others (corporate welfare), and I'd certainly agree
> that the implementation structure for some is broken and in need of
> repair (money for school lunches should go for school lunches, and
> nothing more). But taxes, hell, I call them a membership fee for all the
> great infrastructure we have supporting our nation.
 
You can call them whatever you want. I call them highway robbery. 
Anyway, thanks for some very creative ideas on how to improve the 
economy and ensure a higher quality of life. Gav and other have called 
for such ideas. I'm sure they will appreciate them, too.