Posts Tagged ‘Taxation’
Taxing like it’s 1999
Posted on December 14, 2012 at 3.04 pm
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<p>There is a lot of talk about going back to Clinton-era tax rates to achieve fiscal solvency. But how about going back to Clinton-era spending levels, too? […]<br />
When Clinton left office in January 2001, total spending was close to $2 trillion, and the federal government registered a surplus of $142 billion in real terms. In fiscal 2012, federal spending was $3.2 trillion, and our deficit was $1.1 trillion.</p>
<p>I was a kid when Clinton was in office, but I was old enough to remember lots of anger at “Slick Willy.” Now, I’d wager, there are quite a few erstwhile Clinton haters who are suddenly feeling nostalgic for the late 90s.<br />
I don’t want taxes to go up, of course, but for this much of a spending cut it just might be worth it. More info here.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/8423cfd8b7f20a4301d9d5c2bcf77544/tumblr_mf8xg8dLRq1qcfvc7o1_500.jpg)
There is a lot of talk about going back to Clinton-era tax rates to achieve fiscal solvency. But how about going back to Clinton-era spending levels, too? […]
When Clinton left office in January 2001, total spending was close to $2 trillion, and the federal government registered a surplus of $142 billion in real terms. In fiscal 2012, federal spending was $3.2 trillion, and our deficit was $1.1 trillion.
I was a kid when Clinton was in office, but I was old enough to remember lots of anger at “Slick Willy.” Now, I’d wager, there are quite a few erstwhile Clinton haters who are suddenly feeling nostalgic for the late 90s.
I don’t want taxes to go up, of course, but for this much of a spending cut it just might be worth it. More info here.
Render unto Caesar
Posted on February 5, 2011 at 7.34 pm
Q. What do you say when people pull out “render unto Caesar” in support of forced taxation? — trueliberty, from tumblr.
A. This is a good follow-up question to the post I recently made about the implications of Romans 13 for the Christian libertarian. I think my answer will be quite similar to what I wrote there, but let me first make a few more personal notes on the matter.
Especially since I’ve begun supporting myself and thus paying taxes in earnest, if you will, I’ve thought a lot about tax evasion. I’m sure anyone who looks at the chunk the government takes out of each paycheck has. But it’s not just — or even, to be honest, primarily — because I’d like to keep more of my money that I’ve pondered ways to get around paying taxes: I’m not merely upset about how much money the government takes; I’m upset about what it does with it. I do not wish to fund aggressive war and the killing of civilians.
In fact, not only do I not want to fund the American war machine, I feel kind of immoral doing it. Wouldn’t the moral — nay, the Christian — response be to refuse to pay taxes?
But I kept coming back to the “render unto Caesar” passage. The Roman empire was far worse in its abuses of life and liberty than the American government, but here’s Jesus saying not to fight The Man over taxes. What?!
Here’s Where Your Money Goes
Posted on October 7, 2010 at 9.40 pm
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