Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!nike!ucbcad!ucbvax!MC.LCS.MIT.EDU!kfl%mx.lcs.mit.edu From: kfl%mx.lcs.mit.edu@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU Newsgroups: mod.politics Subject: Taxes Message-ID: <12228199951.23.MCGREW@RED.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Mon, 4-Aug-86 17:08:31 EDT Article-I.D.: RED.12228199951.23.MCGREW Posted: Mon Aug 4 17:08:31 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 5-Aug-86 23:23:13 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: "James B. VanBokkelen" The only prospect for any actual reduction is based on shifting some of the tax burden back to corporations, ... No, taxes can't be swept under the rug. If corporations are taxed more they will simply pass on the cost to consumers in the form of increased prices and to employees in the form of decreased wages and benefits. It doesn't really matter whether all taxes are payed by individuals or by corporations or by any combination. The same amount of money is payed by the same number of people. Actually, it's better that it be payed by individuals for one important reason: People should know what government is costing them. For that reason I oppose such 'painless' taxes as corporate taxes, payroll witholding, employer contributions, seperate sales taxes, property taxes, excise taxes, inheritance taxes, gift taxes, etc, etc. If everyone supposedly agrees that we have the right amount of taxation, or too little, why not simply merge all the taxes into one, and present each individual with a bill for total taxes owed at the end of each year? Preferably, it would be itemized as to how much money was going to pay for each government program. I think if they were to do that, people would start realizing just how much money is being taken from them and would insist on a radical tax cut, like by a factor of two at least. There is really only one choice open to government: Cutting taxes, and, to eliminate the national debt (not just the deficit, i.e. the annual increase in the national debt) cutting spending by an even greater amount. ...Keith -------