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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
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Points: 34550
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Posted: September 21 2010 at 22:50 |
The one thread where we all agree weed should be legal!
+ Various other drugs
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manofmystery
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Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
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Points: 4335
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Posted: September 21 2010 at 23:21 |
It seems a shame to me that it always breaks down to weed with everyone. What is more shameful is that many only agree with libertarians on this issue for selfish reasons. Whether you do it yourself or find it absolutely abhorrent shouldn't enter into it. Frankly, I hate pot but I hate the idea that a personal/group opinion can be used to govern all far more.
Maybe we libertarians could work out a deal with pro-pot non-libertarians:
Would you be willing to accept a complete release of all government imposed market restrictions if it meant you could smoke up freely?  
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 Time always wins.
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Status: Offline
Points: 34550
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Posted: September 21 2010 at 23:27 |
manofmystery wrote:
It seems a shame to me that it always breaks down to weed with everyone. What is more shameful is that many only agree with libertarians on this issue for selfish reasons. Whether you do it yourself or find it absolutely abhorrent shouldn't enter into it. Frankly, I hate pot but I hate the idea that a personal/group opinion can be used to govern all far more.
Maybe we libertarians could work out a deal with pro-pot non-libertarians:
Would you be willing to accept a complete release of all government imposed market restrictions if it meant you could smoke up freely?  
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Well weed is what most care about, so (for me at least) it comes to mind first. Much smaller population cares about legalizing crack or heroin! I agree. Most believe in its legalization for selfish reasons. But that is human nature no?
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manofmystery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4335
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Posted: September 21 2010 at 23:48 |
JJLehto wrote:
manofmystery wrote:
It seems a shame to me that it always breaks down to weed with everyone. What is more shameful is that many only agree with libertarians on this issue for selfish reasons. Whether you do it yourself or find it absolutely abhorrent shouldn't enter into it. Frankly, I hate pot but I hate the idea that a personal/group opinion can be used to govern all far more.
Maybe we libertarians could work out a deal with pro-pot non-libertarians:
Would you be willing to accept a complete release of all government imposed market restrictions if it meant you could smoke up freely?  
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Well weed is what most care about, so (for me at least) it comes to mind first. Much smaller population cares about legalizing crack or heroin! I agree. Most believe in its legalization for selfish reasons. But that is human nature no?
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Whether selfishness is human nature or not shouldn't enter into it. Government is needed to defend the individual personal liberty of all of it's people from the opinions/biases/beliefs of segments of it's people (be the segment the vast majority, or not).
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 Time always wins.
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Status: Offline
Points: 34550
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Posted: September 21 2010 at 23:56 |
Oh I knew you'd say that. I was just throwing it out there that it should be no surprise that alot of people who advocate legalization of weed are acting in self interest (though more out there exist then I thought who don't smoke but still do). Also was just addressing why weed is the drug most people think of/care about. Self interest. Those who dont want to do coke don't care. Not everyone likes freedom like you  I know we're used to arguing but I'm agreeing man  Drugs are no fun in this thread. No debate. TAX IS NOT THEFT AND A NECESSARY EVIL That'll stir up fun!
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 02:14 |
JJLehto wrote:
TAX IS NOT THEFT AND A NECESSARY EVIL That'll stir up fun!
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Tax isn't your money - never was, never will be.
Edited by Dean - September 22 2010 at 02:14
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What?
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JJLehto
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Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
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Points: 34550
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 02:24 |
Oh! So the government can take as much of it as it wants? I'll remember that, thank Dean! Have fun telling that to our Libertarian friends
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
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Points: 37575
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 02:49 |
JJLehto wrote:
Oh! So the government can take as much of it as it wants? I'll remember that, thank Dean!
Have fun telling that to our Libertarian friends 
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It can try, and frequently does, but no:
You enter a contract of employment that pays you a salary of x dollars a year, of which y dollars is yours and z dollars is tax. The z dollars was never yours, it was never going to be paid to you. If tax didn't exist your employer wouldn't pay you x dollars a year, he would pay you y dollars. - you only get paid x dollars because of taxation.
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What?
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JJLehto
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Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
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Points: 34550
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 02:58 |
Er everyone is so serious in this thread!
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Dean
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Joined: May 13 2007
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 04:15 |
No, you only think we are.
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What?
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Epignosis
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 30 2007
Location: Raeford, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 32553
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 07:10 |
Dean wrote:
JJLehto wrote:
Oh! So the government can take as much of it as it wants? I'll remember that, thank Dean!
Have fun telling that to our Libertarian friends 
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It can try, and frequently does, but no:
You enter a contract of employment that pays you a salary of x dollars a year, of which y dollars is yours and z dollars is tax. The z dollars was never yours, it was never going to be paid to you. If tax didn't exist your employer wouldn't pay you x dollars a year, he would pay you y dollars. - you only get paid x dollars because of taxation. | You're talking about withholding, and it's still doesn't change the idea that income tax is theft. The governments (federal and state) get to decide how much money is taken from your gross salary. The governments withhold this money, and after a year, you file a tax return. Quite frequently, people get refunds (some or all) of their withheld money back. But they get no interest. They have effectively given the governments an interest-free loan for a year.
But let's say you're late filing your taxes. You could be assessed penalties and interest.
By the way, I'm an independent contractor, so I have zero dollars withheld from my pay. Come tax time, though, I have to claim that income and pay a tax on it. I prefer this to giving the government an interest-free loan, but it doesn't diminish my opinion that the government should not tax income at all.
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Equality 7-2521
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 11 2005
Location: Philly
Status: Offline
Points: 15784
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 07:54 |
Dean wrote:
JJLehto wrote:
Oh! So the government can take as much of it as it wants? I'll remember that, thank Dean!
Have fun telling that to our Libertarian friends 
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It can try, and frequently does, but no:
You enter a contract of employment that pays you a salary of x dollars a year, of which y dollars is yours and z dollars is tax. The z dollars was never yours, it was never going to be paid to you. If tax didn't exist your employer wouldn't pay you x dollars a year, he would pay you y dollars. - you only get paid x dollars because of taxation. |
So you think companies just ignore the cost of taxation?
If the taxes were removed I'd get x dollars a year, because the company is willing to pay x dollars a year for my services. Their accountants don't care if that money goes to me or to government drains.
Besides war, tax is the most disgusting part of government.
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"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "
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Dean
Special Collaborator
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Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:19 |
Epignosis wrote:
You're talking about withholding, and it's still doesn't change the idea that income tax is theft. The governments (federal and state) get to decide how much money is taken from your gross salary. The governments withhold this money, and after a year, you file a tax return. Quite frequently, people get refunds (some or all) of their withheld money back. But they get no interest. They have effectively given the governments an interest-free loan for a year.
But let's say you're late filing your taxes. You could be assessed penalties and interest.
By the way, I'm an independent contractor, so I have zero dollars withheld from my pay. Come tax time, though, I have to claim that income and pay a tax on it. I prefer this to giving the government an interest-free loan, but it doesn't diminish my opinion that the government should not tax income at all.
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It really doesn't matter how the tax is paid, the government costs xxx billion dollars a year to work and it's going to get its money through taxation - whether you pay it on income, capital gains, consumption, purchasing, the number of windows in your house or the size of your ego - it's going to cost you the same in the long run. If you spend less they will tax more to make up the short-fall.
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What?
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Epignosis
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Joined: December 30 2007
Location: Raeford, NC
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:23 |
Dean wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
You're talking about withholding, and it's still doesn't change the idea that income tax is theft. The governments (federal and state) get to decide how much money is taken from your gross salary. The governments withhold this money, and after a year, you file a tax return. Quite frequently, people get refunds (some or all) of their withheld money back. But they get no interest. They have effectively given the governments an interest-free loan for a year.
But let's say you're late filing your taxes. You could be assessed penalties and interest.
By the way, I'm an independent contractor, so I have zero dollars withheld from my pay. Come tax time, though, I have to claim that income and pay a tax on it. I prefer this to giving the government an interest-free loan, but it doesn't diminish my opinion that the government should not tax income at all.
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It really doesn't matter how the tax is paid, the government costs xxx billion dollars a year to work and it's going to get its money through taxation - whether you pay it on income, capital gains, consumption, purchasing, the number of windows in your house or the size of your ego - it's going to cost you the same in the long run. If you spend less they will tax more to make up the short-fall.
| Which is why I believe a government should be as small as possible.
Speaking of which, I just read that a third of Britain's government spending is welfare. A third. Two hundred billion pounds.
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Epignosis
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:26 |
And yes it does matter how you pay your taxes. As I said, with our current system, we give the government interest-free loans every year. With a consumption tax, that will not be so, and think of the billions of the dollars that could be saved by severely diminishing the IRS (and all the paperwork that comes with it- the environmentalists should like that).
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Equality 7-2521
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Joined: August 11 2005
Location: Philly
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Points: 15784
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:29 |
I agree Rob. I don't agree with any taxes obviously, but it absolute matters how and on what it is collected.
A withholding income tax is about the worst form.
Philosophically the withholding aspect is insulting and as Rob said the government really is able to exchange current money for later funds without paying the interest which should be associated with that trade off.
Further, taxing income provides the most perverse incentives imaginable. People should not be penalized for success and wealth creation.
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"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "
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Dean
Special Collaborator
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Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
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Points: 37575
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:35 |
Equality 7-2521 wrote:
So you think companies just ignore the cost of taxation?
If the taxes were removed I'd get x dollars a year, because the company is willing to pay x dollars a year for my services. Their accountants don't care if that money goes to me or to government drains.
Besides war, tax is the most disgusting part of government. |
I never said of tax was removed - I said if tax didn't exist - not the same thing at all. Of course if tax was removed you would still get your x dollars - but if tax had never existed the value of what they paid you in the first places would be y not x
Companies pay the minimum they can to attract your emplyment and to keep you employed, they do not pay more than they need to - the figure they pay you is compensated for taxation. Sure as eggs is eggs the company accountants would rather the z dollars tax went on their bottom line and not in your pay packet.
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What?
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Negoba
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Joined: July 24 2008
Location: Big Muddy
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Points: 5210
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:41 |
Dude, when did we move from weed to taxes? What a drag.
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Equality 7-2521
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 11 2005
Location: Philly
Status: Offline
Points: 15784
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:42 |
Companies are willing to pay you x. They will offer you x dollars absent of the tax for your services to lure you away from other companies.
Where did you learn your economics? You have a very skewed vision of the field.
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"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: September 22 2010 at 08:44 |
Epignosis wrote:
Speaking of which, I just read that a third of Britain's government spending is welfare. A third. Two hundred billion pounds.
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1. you say that like it's a bad thing.
2. it depends on what you call welfare
3. and not according to government figures for 2009 - 16% goes to welfare.... last time I checked that was a tad over a sixth. A sixth. One hundred and nine billion pounds.
4. You don't live here, pay our taxes or share our benefits, so stay where you are and you won't get upset.
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What?
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