Should only taxpayers be allowed to vote?

[figatova]

Originally Posted by jenva

We have compulsory voting here, which I am happy about. Everything else you said above I agree with too.

I know. I wish we also had it here.

[marinemom]

Originally Posted by figatova

Look at the society you have now where you're constantly being bombarded with propaganda so you consume more and unnecessarily. Look at the society you have now where corporations are in charge of government policy to get you to consume more and increase their profits at the expense of your welfare, rights, liberty and wellbeing.
Now imagine what kind of society you would have if taxes were ONLY collected through consumption.
Even if that kind of tax collection was workable and enough to cover government spending you would be living in a pretty monstrous society.

Our tax system now is monstrous, and it can be summed up this way:

Government: "Give it to me! It's mine! Give it to me, or else I will take your bank account, your property, and I will throw you in jail! So give it to me!

This, in the Land of the Free.

Washington state has no state income taxes. They have a "compassionate" sales tax that pays for the functions of state government. That is, it doesn't tax the necessities of life such as food and medicine. If a person's income is so low that all they can afford are the necessities of life, they pay no tax.

A compassionate sales tax taxes discretionary spending. When you want a taxable item, you simply figure out if you can afford it with the cost of the sales tax, and then you buy it or choose not to buy it.

This form of taxation is effectively voluntary, as opposed to income taxes which are collected under threat of confiscation of assets and property and a prison sentence.

Washington state has had this form of taxation for a long time, and it has not turned into the nightmare you described.

Collection is automated at the point of sale, and eliminates the need for armies of accountants and enforcers in a giant government bureaucracy.

I would support a switch to this form of taxation over income taxes in a heartbeat, Fig.

[driedjello]

If we did that, the Dems would never hold office again

[Duckmanlivesagain]

loved the socrates arguement reminds me of "when the forefathers wrote the constitution" blah blah that i hear.

yeah they had other problems to deal with. We have bigger and more complex ones now.

The vote is there to enable every citizen to feel like they're all together in that country, and that the sum of their wishes is the right decision for everyone.

That being said your average vote is a complete moron that more often then not doesn't bother to vote

[dad61]

Would it matter? The voting system is rigged anyways.

[stmichael]

The OP brings up some good points. Eventually if voters continually vote themselves a pay raise or benefit increases something catastrophic will happen will happen to the economy.

Like the USSR back in the 50's-80's was a world power and industrial giant. Everyone had tons of ruble's saved up but there was nothing to buy because world traders could not exchange rubles for anything of value....and the countries politically micro-managed industry couldn't even make adequate amounts of toilet paper. Goods were so scarce state secrets were sold for a pair of blue jeans.

With our military being constantly diminished sooner or later we'll suffer a crushing overseas defeat and that brings about the end of the petrol dollar...

...or the underfunded and manned military can't respond a the latest crises and leadership is forced to use strategic weapons to maintain the status quo and world chaos ensues.

[Setanta]

"Let taxpayers vote"

Why note take that to its logical conclusion and give more votes to those who pay more tax. The direction of the nation will be decided by plastic surgeons and ortho-dontists.
That will give us a nicely balanced society... Yeah right.

[gswifty]

So pope Benedict gave his two weeks notice, being the first pope to resign since 1415. I guess his pope-hand wasn't that strong.

And one other things for sure...you're no illuminated one. Regards, GS

[l8rm8e]

I vote for powdered wigs and harpsichord music ... all day ... all night.

And monarchies, deities, wizards, orcs, and dragons!

Bring back leppers too.

[snipershot]

Everybody pays taxes. /thread