Most of us have heard the statistics about how rich folks pay most of the country's taxes, right? According to an article by Ari Fleischer titled "The Taxpaying Minority," the top 1% of income earners pay 37% of the nation's tax bill. The top 10% pay 40% and the bottom 40%, middle class pay less than 5%, and the bottom 40% of workers pay absolutely nothing. Heck, with the "earned" income tax credit the very bottom even gets paid by the federal government simply for the sake of existing.
If America is to continue to exist as an indepedent, relatively free country it is imperative that everyone pays some amount of taxes. When a large percentage of the population pays nothing into the system, but have a say in how that system operates, there is utter loss of accountability and responsibility. Why vote for fiscal responsibility if you are not paying for irresponsibility?
Enabling people to vote to stick others with a tax bill will always lead in the direction of forcing the minority to pay for the majority. Right now we have 40% of the population being forced to pay for the other 60%. Even that is not enough - political candidates make careers out of promising the next income band that they will stick their bills to the next bracket.
Civilizations seem to have a fairly well-defined lifecycle. From initial growth there follows a period of properity up until citizens realize they can vote themselves gifts from the public treasury. British historian, Alexander Tyler, says "the majority will always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits...with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy."
A basic rule of economics is that when something is free there is no incentive to curb consumption. When you don't pay taxes there is no reason for you to favor conservative fiscal policy. Starting a war or launching a fiscally-destructive social program lacks meaning unless you are directly responsible for the ensuing consequences.
Everyone derives benefit from having a stable government. Whether you are middle class, rich, or extremely poor, there is relative advantage to living in our society. Each person must be required to pay his or her proportionate share. This will ultimately mean the wealthy will pay most of the bills - that is fine, they derive the most benefit from secured property rights - but even the poorest of us must be required to contribute something. The idea of being exempt from taxation and to actually get a paycheck at the end of the year for simply existing is absurd and potentially disastrous.
About the Author:
Robert Viglione is a author, manages a hedge fund, and real property broker. A former military officer, he is passionate about promoting a free society in America. You can see more of his work on The Freedom Factory.
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