Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watcgl!kim From: kim@watsup.waterloo.edu (T. Kim Nguyen) Newsgroups: can.general Subject: Re: TAX REVOLT NOW!! Message-ID: Date: 12 Aug 89 06:02:34 GMT References: <6758@themepark.UUCP> <6761@ulysses.UUCP> <6763@cognos.UUCP> <28307@watmath.waterloo.edu> Sender: daemon@watcgl.waterloo.edu Distribution: can Organization: PAMI Group, U. of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 32 In-reply-to: rwwetmore@grand.waterloo.edu's message of 11 Aug 89 17:17:59 GMT In article <28307@watmath.waterloo.edu> rwwetmore@grand.waterloo.edu (Ross Wetmore) writes: The lack of fiscal responsibility in demands made of government, and in the way in which governments are elected is directly attributable to the attitudes of the populace at large. Looking for a way to avoid the bills and sidestep the underlying problems seems equally irresponsible. If a dose of responsibility in the form of excessive taxes is required to shock the populace into some awareness of what is going on, then perhaps it will not be such a bad thing. I agree that it would be ideal to "shock" the populace into awareness, but surely there is a better way than to tax them to excess. How about educating them? Would that work? Not likely. Would they really listen to you if you asked them to stop taking advantage of their voting power or their friends at Parliament Hill? Sure it's "shirking my duty" if I decide to avoid a large tax bill -- or is it? What exactly *IS* my duty? Must I spend my life trying to educate the uneducated? When can I stop trying? Must I swallow a large tax bill while I'm trying to educate people? Or should I reduce my tax bill if I can, and then perhaps try to educate people as I go along? Or should I try to educate at all? Just what can one person accomplish, in light of his having to face (at every step of the way) controversy, emotional arguments, and just plan ignorance? Maybe if I became Minister of Finance I could change things, or if I had his ear... But in the meantime, thanks but no thanks, I'll look out for myself and maybe try to convince the people around me. -- Kim Nguyen kim@watsup.waterloo.edu Systems Design Engineering -- University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada