[ExI] state vs federal taxes, was: RE: self driving truck

[spike]

From: extropy-chat [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Adrian Tymes



On Oct 31, 2016 8:01 AM, "spike" <spike66 at att.net <mailto:spike66 at att.net> > wrote:

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>>>…By that argument, why does money not flee the state & local?  Adrian

>>…Because we can’t run off with our house on our backs… spike

 

>…So?  That would equally true whether the state or the feds collected property taxes.  Why is it not okay for the feds to collect it, if states collect it and that hasn't caused all (or even most) wealth to flee?

 

 

The Federal government is a monopoly, but states must compete with each other.  Second reason: states are required to balance their budgets; the Fed is not and cannot.

 

The competition between states lets state governments experiment, find what works.  Any USian is free to go to any other state, but USians are only free to go to another country if they have a lotta lotta money.  If you have plenty of money you are welcome anywhere on the globe you care to settle (except Mecca and the Vatican) but poor people are stuck as surely as if the USA had a high wall around it.  

 

So… my feeling is that the heavy lifting in government should be done at the state level.  Without competition, the Fed would just tax property, since that is where the money is.  With competition, we get legal structures like we see in California: high property tax but limited by constitutional law with 2/3rdles all the way down to protect it limiting the growth on property tax.  I like it.  That’s why I stay here.  This is the government I choose of all fifty.  I have little choice in the Federal government however: I am not rich enough.

 

spike

 

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