Tax Plan For Aristocracy

[StCapps]

Filtering idealism through realpolitik can be useful, ignoring realpolitik because it doesn't fit with your picture of an ideal world, not so much. Got to be pragmatic, or you'll never be successful promoting your ideals.

The definition of the term:

re·al·po·li·tik
noun
a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.

I would advise that you filter your moral and ideological considerations through practicality. Wanting to live in a utopia, doesn't mean you get to live in one, human nature often gets in the way, so plan accordingly.

[jediuser598]

Filtering idealism through realpolitik can be useful, ignoring realpolitik because it doesn't fit with your picture of an ideal world, not so much. Got to be pragmatic, or you'll never be successful promoting your ideals.

The definition of the term:

re·al·po·li·tik
noun
a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.

I would advise that you filter your moral and ideological considerations through practicality. Wanting to live in a utopia, doesn't mean you get to live in one, human nature often gets in the way, so plan accordingly.

We're not talking about me personally.

We're just talking about the definition of Real Politik. Real Politik is acting, and not being restrained by moral or ideological considerations. Real Politik is often at odds with moral and ideological considerations. They're often mutually exclusive. "Hey we shouldn't do this, that is highly likely to produce this beneficial result for me or mine, because it's not a moral thing to do." The Real Politik doesn't accept that argument.

[Viktorthepirate]

So Capps, serious question. Does your economic plan boil down to let everyone keep what they earn and pass it down to their kids? And just hope that they will feel bad if they don't contribute to society?

You don't think it is inevitable that wealth will eventually be concentrated into the hands of a few people?

[LVH2]

I don't think so.



There's a lot of other stuff too. For example, traffic and parking tickets have become backbreakers. A co-worker got a $400 ticket for running a red light, and that was years ago. Meanwhile, redlight cams operate at a loss for the city and the corporations and paid off politicians get all the profits.

Obviously, the rich and middle class don't often get parking tickets, as they don't need to park on public streets.

Sales taxes, gas taxes, etc. tend to be regressive as well.

Progressive taxation, is not the only form of Robin Hood Economics, your cherry picking doesn't change that. 90% tax rate is ridiculous and that didn't help the middle class at all. You need to stop equating taxing the rich with helping the poor, there are better way to help the poor and the middle class, than simply taxing the rich more. Get an imagination, stop proposing half baked solutions.

I'm not sure how that is cherry picking. Well, I did leave out property tax.

What helps the non rich is stuff like peace, healthcare, affordable college, good schools etc. All of that takes money (cept peace) . Making the rich pay for a lot of it seems helpful to me. It's worked here and elsewhere.

When wealth is concentrated and enormous so is power and it will be wielded on behalf of the wealthy. (War prison etc) we seem to agree that this is ocurring now. Adam smith himself knew this.

Your alternative is unclear to me. Cut taxes and hope for a newfound sense of No less oblige from the people who took trillions via the Iraq war and bail outs?

[heydaralon]

Martin, Capps, Jedi, Nuke, Okee, and Kath are all part of a marxist cell that hates America and wants to bring down Western Civilization. I have numerous AOL Instant Messenger chat logs that prove as much, and I am still conducting an investigation

[Speaker to Animals]

There is nothing terrible about a progressive income tax. I just take issue with the envy and hatred of people for being economically successful.

[Martin Hash]

There is nothing terrible about a progressive income tax. I just take issue with the envy and hatred of people for being economically successful.

The irony.

[jediuser598]

Martin, Capps, Jedi, Nuke, Okee, and Kath are all part of a marxist cell that hates America and wants to bring down Western Civilization. I have numerous AOL Instant Messenger chat logs that prove as much, and I am still conducting an investigation

Not actually illegal if we're born here. Gotta love freedom of speech.

[Speaker to Animals]

There is nothing terrible about a progressive income tax. I just take issue with the envy and hatred of people for being economically successful.

The irony.

?

[Speaker to Animals]

The definition of the term:

re·al·po·li·tik
noun
a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.

I would advise that you filter your moral and ideological considerations through practicality. Wanting to live in a utopia, doesn't mean you get to live in one, human nature often gets in the way, so plan accordingly.

We're not talking about me personally.

We're just talking about the definition of Real Politik. Real Politik is acting, and not being restrained by moral or ideological considerations. Real Politik is often at odds with moral and ideological considerations. They're often mutually exclusive. "Hey we shouldn't do this, that is highly likely to produce this beneficial result for me or mine, because it's not a moral thing to do." The Real Politik doesn't accept that argument.

The idea is to actually minimize suffering by not following policies that, while superficially seem morally appropriate, often lead to worse outcomes than had you taken the immoral but effective action. I think a political philosopher defending it might actually point out all the instances that following the moral but less effective strategy leads to a worse outcome (more evil) than the immoral strategy.

For instance, the ruler over some little Principate might choose to extend civil liberties to seditious political enemies out of principle only to face a bloody civil war later on; whereas he could also have rounded up the known conspirators, tortured them for more names, and eventually uproot the entire cabal.

I am not sure how that sort of thing plays out in a modern democracy. It always seemed a bit contrived to me.