Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Greed

The other day I was bemoaning the point that Canadians are the second most taxed people in the world, second only to China. Second to China is only good if we are talking gold medals at the summer Olympics—in terms of taxation it is brutal. I was ranting about 30% of my paycheck, 5% on everything I purchase (recently $25,000 on a house), property taxes on that same house I already own, GST on gasoline taxes….etc. Anyway a co-worker overheard me and quipped triumphantly “Oh I guess I’m not as greedy.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh well I ma not as concerned about money. I don’t mind doing my fare share.” She smiled. I scowled.

My willingness or unwillingness to pay exuberant taxes is not an issue of greed rather it is an issue of passivity. I have no qualm with someone donating their earned wealth to whatever cause or causes them deem necessary. I support freedom of choice. Philanthropy is a choice and a highly dignified one at that. I support certain charitable activities, and I suppose that that is the norm rather than the exception. People that succeed are usually only more than happy to give back to the country and community that helped give them that chance.

My hatred of over taxation is an issue of liberty and freedom. I don’t believe in a large interventionist government redistributing my wealth for causes that it deems necessary. I can make my own choices on whether I want to support PETA, the Heart and Stroke foundation, the arts, or political think tanks... My issue with over taxation has nothing to do with greed and everything to do with liberty. A free man does not work the first six months of every year to support his feudal bureaucratic masters. A free man is not passive about his freedom. It is his highest value. I am a free man

4 Comments:

At 6:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Could you please explain how China is the most taxed. I only ask as my wife and I have been living here for 5 years only coming home in the summer.

The income tax is lower and when you stay in a hotel you pay Y6 on a Y360 delux room. No tax on food from the market no tax when you eat in a restaurant.

I admit I don't know what the high earners pay but in general not only are the prices a lot lower, but so are government taxes.

Yes medicare is private, but no months of waiting.

 
At 2:58 PM, Blogger angryroughneck said...

Peed off; i am looking for the article right now. I am using anumber that dictates every dollar produced how much of it passes through government coffers at some point. thanks

 
At 6:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am assuming then that they are taxes on businesses which I think is the Chinese way. Such as not taxing imports i.e. the seller, but making the buyer buy an import license which is a certain percentage of the price.

 
At 12:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Could angry roughneck please state some figures and facts as far as tax rates.I am going to guess that most of our tax revenue should be coming from corporations or small business.You mention that you are taxed at 30 percent and I agree that should be reviewed and possibly lowered.However,I think your thought process is a little flawed.Instead of focusing on the social institutions that your tax dollars are diverted to, it may be more productive to also suggest other solutions for this problem.I am by no means saying that tax dollars for social causes is an effective use as I do not know how this money is used.But,I will say that if The Heart and Stroke Foundation was able to meet its' goals then maybe our health care system could see some reduction in the stressors that reduce its effectiveness.Going back to other solutions is it not possible to show some of that same outrage toward tax policies that let corporations shelter their earnings through various modes such as dividends,investments,off shore accounts,off shore companies etc.And please don't regurgitate the tired old saying that corporations create jobs because as soon as profits start to decline they also cut jobs.could this be considered a form of SLAVERY.Therefore the creation of jobs is for monetary gain and not due to an existence of a social or moral compass.If the bottom line could be increased by exporting all your jobs to China then you would probably be known as angryslantyeyes.One last point,interestingly enough,is that some of the countries with the highest tax rates have been voted "best place to live".

Confused












send all of their jobs to China and

 

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