What is your favorite argument against higher taxes?
Below is a list of six popular arguments against the implementation of higher taxes:
Economic Detriment Argument
Every dollar spent in taxes is a dollar not spent elsewhere. Individuals spend their money on products and services that they need or wat. This forces the market to adapt to the demands of the populace. Even one dollar influences the cost of goods, the amount of goods available, the reluctance or willingness of entrepreneurs to pursue investment, the quality of goods and a consumer's decision to go without certain goods. A one percent tax increase manipulates the economy by x dollars. In theory that much money could be the difference between the existence or non-existence of a whole industry.
Moral Argument
Many people oppose tax increases for no reason whatsoever. They jsut feel it in their gut that a tax increase is the wrong way to go. This uncomfortable feeling is justifiable once you analyze how taxes are collected. You are required to give the government a portion of your money not because you made an agreement to do so. You must simply pay because the government told you so. This is a perversion of the master/servant relationship. The government is servant to the people. Taxation causes the roles to flip in the opposite direction. If your taxes are not paid the government can force the sale of your home to collect these taxes, they can report the lien to credit reporting agencies or place you in jail for contempt of a court order. The government probably will not do these things because they don't want to bring to light this moral argument. The lower the tax rate is, the closer your government is to being morally pure. None of us are 100% morally pure. We don't expect our government to be either but it is good practice to keep it from getting to easy to do the wrong thing. The reason tax increases make you feel bad is because taxes are bad. You should trust your gut.
Hardship Argument
This argument is similar to the economic detriment argument but implies that a tax increase forces citizens to forego basic necessities in order to pay their taxes. This is the weakest argument against tax increases but the most commonly used.
I Said So Argument
This is the strongest case against tax increases but the least comfortable to invoke. Citizens elect their government by voting. In essence you are to receive the representation for your values. You can be oposed to tax increases without debate, without argument, without discussion, without explanation and without reason. The citizens are the master. The government is the servant and must submit to the master's demands regardless of their reasoning.
Waste Encouragement Argument
A tax increase is the politically expedient way to avoid discussion about uncomfortable budget decisions. It takes a lot of courage to cut out unnecessary waste in government. This is especially the case in local government. This could require firing your uncle, aunt, brother, sister, son, daughter, neighbor or even your spouse. Once the tax increase is implemented a big sigh of relief is felt by government employees and government officials. Those people vested in government waste are more heavily involved in politics than those who are dead set against tax increases. A tax increase can be easily forgotten. A budget cut will be remembered for decades by supporters and opponents. An increase in revenue reassures those in top government positions that they have a weak ally that will submit to any demands that they may come up with in the future. The message to government employees is very clear. Continue operating with complacency. A tax increase discourages practices of frugality by all parties involved. Reduce the revenue and the spending cuts will be forced to fall in line.
Vote on your favorite argument.
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