Straight-Talk Express embraces Voodoo Economics

[Ramo]

As a percentage of their income, they spend even more. Why do you have to post such idiotic things? Honestly?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
The kids have just been given a $1,000,000+ business.

It doesn't break my heart if they have to take out a loan to pay taxes. I have to pay taxes on my salary. Why is my salary subject to tax while their gift is not?

QFT!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Ramo
As a percentage of their income, they spend even more. Why do you have to post such idiotic things? Honestly?

Because he's Ben.

[Patroklos]

Why does the state have a right to appropriate someone's property (and the will isn't a singular contract GePap, it is a state endorced and legal document)?

Why is it fair that they get to appropriate that money?

Hell, if you are greedy and just want other people's money just say it, there are plenty of other greedy people who will agree with you. This dishonesty about "rights" and "fairness" is being spouted for your own consumption, its not fooling anyone else

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


So because wealth is bad it makes sense to take it away from people who have worked hard all their lives and want to give it to their children? Sounds to me like the politics of envy.



Oh really? Which is why it is better used to make officials wealthy rather then the people?



I think people should be able to decide who they want their money to go to when they pass on, without having the government take the lions share. If you support wealth redistribution, then why don't you give the government all of your paycheque?

Umm, you have to take wealth from SOMEONE to pay for public works. The money doesn't grow on trees. Income tax, sales tax, they're all 'taking money from you that is yours and giving it to the government'. Why is estate tax less fair than income tax (for example)?

Beyond that... your second statement is idiotic to the point of making the rest of your arguments clearly the same. Yeah, we take money from people through taxes to line the pockets of the officials. Riiight. That's why government officials make so much money. If that's the case, my mom's waiting for her check in the mail...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Mostly because without the protections enabled by the state, those individuals would not be able to accumulate such vast sums of either. They would either have to pay millions for private security forces or the masses would take their horded wealth in a bloody revolution. The masses tend not to like living in squalor when someone gets rich off them... these things like equality resonate with folks.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Why does the state have a right to appropriate someone's property (and the will isn't a singular contract GePap, it is a state endorced and legal document)?

So lets get this straight, the state has the right to kill you if you act in a way they deem "criminal" (Why does the state get to define crime?), The state can force you into compulsory military service, but they can;t take property!!!!!

Sorry, but this is insane.

Why is it fair that they get to appropriate that money?

Because the owner no longer exists.

Hell, if you are greedy and just want other people's money just say it, there are plenty of other greedy people who will agree with you. This dishonesty about "rights" and "fairness" is being spouted for your own consumption, its not fooling anyone else

Why is the greed of the family members any lesser than the greed of the whole? It ain't.

[Ramo]

Why does the state have a right to appropriate someone's property (and the will isn't a singular contract GePap, it is a state endorced and legal document)?

We believe that the burden of funding the government should largely be shouldered by those who can most afford it.

And unless you don't believe in taxation at all, you also believe that the government has the "right to appropriate someone's property." The progressiveness of the tax doesn't change this.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Patroklos
and the will isn't a singular contract GePap, it is a state endorced and legal document

Still not a contract then.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Why does the state have a right to appropriate someone's property

Because we don't live in some kind of libertarian bizarro world.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Why does the state have a right to appropriate someone's property (and the will isn't a singular contract GePap, it is a state endorced and legal document)?

Why is it fair that they get to appropriate that money?

Hell, if you are greedy and just want other people's money just say it, there are plenty of other greedy people who will agree with you. This dishonesty about "rights" and "fairness" is being spouted for your own consumption, its not fooling anyone else

U.S. Consti., Art. I, Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

If you are talking about the income tax, see Amendment XVI.

[Whoha]

Originally posted by GePap


Then you better beware, cause two of the five richest men in the world are flamming Communists! (Given that Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are supporters of the estate tax)

Hence the whole Foundation deal that they gave a significant chunk of their wealth to, just to get around such a tax.

[Ramo]

The Gates Foundation is about charity, not some back door way to give billions to their kids.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Whoha


Hence the whole Foundation deal that they gave a significant chunk of their wealth to, just to get around such a tax.

Unless these foundations are meant for the benefit of their kids and family only, this is not what the estate tax is there to handle.

A wealthy person making their wealth available to a fund meant to promote the common welfare in some way is good, and serves the same general purpose of the estate tax.

[Whoha]

I fairly certain I read something about the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation hiring Buffets kids, but even if that is false, these guys support this tax, why wont they pay it? Can't the government put that money to better use than they ever could?