Tax philosophy.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (ScottT) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:33:32 GMT

I have been interested in this sort of tax for about twenty years now, since I first heard the idea, I believe from some objectivist literature.

I have tried to read all the posts here in this forum, but admit to skimming much of it.

I am very glad that Mr. Layman has spent so much time defending the status quo. I know he is not entirely happy with the current scheme, but he is definitely consonant with the spirit of current tax law.

If he is still around, I...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:13:08 GMT

rfowens:

Thanks for the link. Forex must seem a tempting prize for any taxing authority. The huge sums exchanged lend it to a large revenue source at extremely low rates. With APT, a large burden of tax is shifted away from production and consumption. Foreign exchange is "after market" money, that is, money that has already been used in the productive economy. The US dollar is the world's reserve currency by virtue of it's shear volume. The productive economy...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rfowens) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:29:28 GMT

Please consider the attached op-ed published only a few weeks ago in
the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/opinion/24douste-blazy.html?_r=1&re...

It suggests that a very small tax should be applied to the annual $800
Trillion Dollars worth of currently un-taxed foreign currency
transactions, and using this new...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:56:06 GMT

I can't seem to get the hyperlink to work. The Greenspan article is from Bloomberg.com, address below:
www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a5EITAGuMSU

The Texas tax reform proposal is here:
tinyurl.com/ybb9x3t

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:53:59 GMT

I just read that Alan Greenspan says taxes must be hiked to deal with the US fiscal situation. The problem is corporate taxes are already globally uncompetitive, and households are stretched very thin. Add to this the fiscal situations of states. The government needs to increase revenue, while the tax sources are "maxed out".

I also just read that Texas has a state tax proposal that seeks to broaden the state sales tax so as to eliminate property taxes and even reduce...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:47:28 GMT

rfowens:

I appreciate your well stated post. I liken the Fair Tax proposal to what I think of as the audacity of false hope. Right now the Fair Tax proposal is the premier branded version of fundamental tax reform. They have advocates and supporters who are willing to die before they consider any other possible proposal, including APT. But they get attention and keep the issue alive. Bless their hearts.

I consider APT to be a thinking man's approach...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rfowens) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:23:01 GMT

I am philosophically opposed to maintaining the status quo tax code, for a variety of reasons.

1)The revenue necessary to operate the government comes from taxing income and deficit spending, with the government borrowing a lot of money at interest. Last I heard, the income taxes collected per year are not sufficient to pay annual interest owed. If the government was truthful with the american people and charged the amount of income taxes necessary to pay for all gov't...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:07:09 GMT

Turbo:

I see you posted here July 19th. Sorry I didn't read your post until now. We're all very busy, and a lot's been happening. And so that's my feeble excuse. I've been an active poster on this board for years. I don't recognize your user name. Are you new to this discussion?

A lot has been dumped on us lately. There's no clarity right now. We're focused on a fog. The need now for a clear future vision I think presents a great...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (turbo) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:08:29 GMT

I cant believe we have come to the point that we are in a struggle to preserve our capitalistic society let alone impose the APT tax system. The problems we face have such obvious solutions to people like you and I. I hope the next time conservatives control congress and the whites house we will not waist it on fixing Iraq's problems.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:21:15 GMT

Beenthere:

Hello. Happy to see you post here, I believe, for the first time. I've been around awhile. It's always refreshing to see a new poster here.

You raise an objection to the proposed APT tax idea. Frankly, I think you're missing something if you see it as unfair to the poor. As proposed on the APT tax website the tax burden is very heavily shifted away not just from the poor, but from the productive middle class, and wealth gets taxed that has never...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (beenthere) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:08:20 GMT

Nothing is that simple. What you are proposing is a sales tax on transactions. It is true that some rich people make a lot of transactions, but many simply invest their money once and leave it there for a long time while its value increases. Poor people constantly make transactions. They spend daily from their paychecks for necessities like food, transportation, housing, clothes, etc. So your proposed tax will hit them harder than the rich, smart investor. If, on the other hand, you...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (wjhermann) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:40:31 GMT

But the legislator are sincerely interested -- they are at the limits of ordinary tax mechanisms.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:30:08 GMT

Dr. Hermann:

Thanks for the link. I read the bill. It only makes sense to pass a bill to study the feasibility and desireability of a transactions tax as a preliminary first step. If successful, this could be a model for other states, and eventually, the nation. I was just wondering how much of this was due to your efforts. Or are there others in Texas advancing this idea?

Rubicon.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (wjhermann) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:39:09 GMT

Please excuse my relative absence -- been very busy. the only update is that things are proceeding well in Texas. There should be a substantial article in the influential journal called the Texas Observer -- I was interview about the pending Texas House bill last week (HB 508). The article may be available on-line when published and the bill is definitely on line at

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:16:07 GMT

Dr Hermann:

Good to see you post again. Years ago I read a book that profoundly changed my world view. That book, The Great Reckoning, by James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg, presaged so much of what we're seeing here now at the national level with the economy. This prescient book was written in 1993. One recurring theme advanced in this 500 page saga was that of discontinuity, of linear expectations in a non-linear world. Here is where normal predictability...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (Art A Layman) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 08:23:08 GMT

Hope the holidays were good for all.

Doc:

There is a school of thought that suggests if Texas does it, or even thinks about it, it's a bad idea.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (wjhermann) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:54:27 GMT

2009 will be better! Right?

It's a new administration and no matter how you voted we have been dealt a new hand.

I believe, fortunately, only for new solutions but not much else, the rules of ordinary markets and market inspired/uninspired behavior has been challenged to a degree not considered by any of us. It should foster fertile ground for new solutions, if that is...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:28:01 GMT

Hey everyone:

Wow! What a year 2008 has been...

Lately it seems the unexpected happens with the annoying persistence of a recurring rash. With all the talk of a need to create a new financial system, I wonder if this presents an opening for APT. Fiscal considerations of the past now are redacted in the ink of multi-trillion dollar bailouts. It seems an uncertain new future awaits us. With systemic change all but certain in the near future, I wonder how APT might get...

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:21:56 GMT

Hey everyone:

To help you make sense of all that's happening, see this aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_intro now.

Rubicon.

Re: Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:20:13 GMT

Hey Everyone:

For months now radio talker and famously APT tax host Glenn Beck has been shouting from his radio roof top about the impending financial markets meltdown we're now seeing. I can't think of any other way to tie APT to these recent events. APT would not prevent such occurrences. APT would not cause such occurrences. The only link I see is this Glenn Beck "connection".

I know the topic here is tax philosophy, so let me try something here....

Tax philosophy.

feeds@yuku.com (rubicon) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:04:28 GMT

Hey Everybody:

Let's have some fun. Since we all seem to have opinions here, let's change gears and talk a little about the philosophy of tax.

And so why is there tax? I don't want to dwell on that so let's just say tax is the price we pay for civilization. Go live out in the wilderness and don't worry about tax. Live in society and be prepared to pay. OK so far?

And so depending on the specific context, we get taxed to pay for a...