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DanielLC comments on How should negative externalities be handled? (Warning: politics) - Less Wrong Discussion

-5 Post author: nigerweiss 08 May 2013 09:40PM

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Comment author: DanielLC 13 May 2013 05:21:54AM 1 point [-]

People on welfare often face effective tax rates in excess of 100%

That is a problem with how welfare is currently done. It would still be welfare if they didn't do it like that. I'd just implement it as taxes going into the negatives.

Perhaps the government has such license from you, but they don't have it from me, or a great many other people.

So, they're not allowed to collect income tax from you?

Comment author: buybuydandavis 13 May 2013 05:30:50AM -1 points [-]

That is a problem with how welfare is currently done. It would still be welfare if they didn't do it like that. I'd just implement it as taxes going into the negatives.

Yes, if it were very different than what it is, it could the same as something it currently is different from.

Here's what you said originally:

It has the license to just take what it wants in the form of taxes. I would expect that to work as a license to keep what it wants.

Here's my response:

Perhaps the government has such license from you, but they don't have it from me, or a great many other people.

Your last question just doesn't follow at all. Where did I suggest they're not allowed to collect income tax from me?

Comment author: DanielLC 13 May 2013 06:24:16AM 1 point [-]

Yes, if it were very different than what it is, it could the same as something it currently is different from.

My point is, they're allowed to do taxes and welfare however they want. Unless you're suggesting limiting their power in that regard, the difference between something you consider just and something you consider unjust is something you are okay with them doing.

Your last question just doesn't follow at all. Where did I suggest they're not allowed to collect income tax from me?

There seems to be a misunderstanding here. The government is allowed to take income tax from you. Since they are already allowed to take money from you, it doesn't much matter if they're allowed to withhold giving something to you.

Looking at the rest of the conversation, it's possible you were referring to the fact that they can only take income tax if you have an income, so your version is essentially different in that it establishes a minimum amount that the government has to do for poor people.