Taxation

The Freakonomics blog posts some CBO data about taxation that has caused quite a stir. Here's my own contribution to the debate in the comments section:

This post is an excellent example of why we need a flat tax. Let’s have everyone pay the same percentage in tax. That ensures that people who make more, pay more.

There are so many absurd comments here it boggles the mind of where to begin. No, sorry, the rich do not use government services more than the poor. Who do you think that Social Security and Medicare/aid predominantly benefits?

I live in Washington DC. A few blocks from me is some Section 8 housing. Those people have their housing subsidized, and a fair amount of them probably receive government assistance with health care (Medicaid), food (food stamps), public schooling and income (AFDC/welfare). Police presence is more extensive. If I walk 30 mins in the other direction I am in Georgetown, land of expensive houses and nice cars. What is the burden that they present? Their children are more likely to attend private school. They use few public services. Their cars do no more damage to roads than the clunkers driven by the poor, and probably contribute less air pollution.

As for the argument that the rich control government, well, there is a great solution to that — reduce government! If we abolish the Department of Agriculture that will ensure no more wealth transfers to wealthy farmers and huge agribusiness. But somehow I doubt that is what you had in mind. Similarly, a flat tax would abolish loopholes.

The logic of progressive taxation is little more than “They’ve got it and we want it.”

That’s a pretty poor way to build a society.

Update: Added this:

Also, those who insist that public education is a good that redounds to the rich suffer from a real lack of critical analysis skills. The abolishment of public education would not result in a nation of ignoramuses (actually, that’s what we currently have, largely as a result of the poor quality of public education). People would just find other ways to educate themselves. Parents would probably use private schools or home schooling.

I imagine some of you also believe that if there was a Department of Food and it was abolished that everyone would starve to death.