Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!ucbvax!MC.LCS.MIT.EDU!kfl%mx.lcs.mit.edu From: kfl%mx.lcs.mit.edu@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU.UUCP Newsgroups: mod.politics Subject: Taxes Message-ID: <12231710711.14.MCGREW@RED.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Mon, 18-Aug-86 02:33:42 EDT Article-I.D.: RED.12231710711.14.MCGREW Posted: Mon Aug 18 02:33:42 1986 Date-Received: Mon, 18-Aug-86 23:37:36 EDT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: kfl%mx.lcs.mit.edu@mc.lcs.mit.edu Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 33 Approved: poli-sci@red.rutgers.edu From: Lynn Gazis ... People could refuse any [government spending] category, and calculate the percentage of their taxes that that would be. Then they could enter that amount as a tax credit. The government could take people's word that they conscientiously object, since it really is no judge of people's consciences. Wouldn't a lot of people just object to everything and pay no taxes? Does a legitimate objection have to be to the use of the money, or can it be simply to the fact that it is MY money? For instance am I allowed to object to government programs that give my money, directly as cash, to people wealthier than me? I do not think there is anything intrinsically evil about people wealthier than me getting even more money. What I DO conscientiously object to is that the money is being taken from me against my will. Does this apply to state income tax, to local property tax, and to Social Security tax? It could get a little unwieldly with sales taxes, especially if there are several people waiting behind you in the cashier line while you decide which programs your ten cents should go to. Don't you think it is a great invasion of privacy for the government to know which of its programs you object to? Why should people who prefer to keep that information secret, like their ballot, be penalized on April 15th? A similar idea is for everyone to pay the same amount of tax as now, but be free to decide which programs their money should go to. I see many problems with this approach as well as yours, but both are interesting alternatives to the present system. ...Keith -------