From: jovanovic-nick@CS.YALE.EDU (Nick Jovanovic)
Subject: Re: Term limits
Keywords: socialism, knee-jerk, envy
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 19:24:34 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.000354.24785@anasaz> best@anasaz (Mike Best) writes:
>In article <1992Apr6.172037.25939@cs.yale.edu> jovanovic-nick@CS.YALE.EDU (Nick Jovanovic) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr2.145138.26120@awdprime.austin.ibm.com> moller@netmail.austin.ibm.com writes:
>>>
>>>In addition to term limits, how about paying the congresscrumbs _exactly_ the
>>>national average income.  At least that way they might get some idea of how
>>>much their theft-by-taxation hurts...
>
>>OK.  While we're at it, let's limit all corporate salaries to the present
>>national average as well.  The money saved can be used by business to 
>>invest in new production and employment.  
>
>This is a bad precedent, what's to stop the government from establishing
>salaries for _all_ employment?  I hope this is a joke.
>
>>Labelling taxation as "theft" is quite an emotional response.  It would

It was a joke if the comment by Moller was. :-|

>>seem to me that people who are lucky enough to be wealthy (on a world
>>average scale -- most Americans) OWE a good portion of that money back
>>to the system that made it possible for them to acquire the wealth in the
>>first place, and that means taxes. 
>
>In theory you are correct that citizens are responsible to support the

Thank you.  As much as some people seem to think that the present
government "impedes" business, the fact is that the present government
makes it possible for people to create wealth for themselves.  This is
done through the continued commitment to private ownership of property,
stabilization of currency, defense against foreign military advances,
commitment to a legal system which stabilizes all social relationships
through laws, etc.  This attributes make our government one of the most
conservative in the industrialized world (whether it be Dems, Reps, or
Libs in charge).  

In this light, the people who benefit the most from this system, clearly
the wealthy, also owe the most to the system (the government) that has
protected their freedom to create wealth for themselves.  Higher taxes
on the wealthy are not penalties.  With even highly progressive taxation
the wealthy, after taxes, are still wealthier than the poor.  I don't
expect that short-sighted people will agree with me, but if the wealthier
portions of this country keep reducing their commitment to the poor as
is now being done, surely another American revolution is on the horizon.
IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE WEALTHY TO PAY SIGNIFICANT SUMS TO PROVIDE
STABILITY FOR THE LOWER ECONOMIC CLASSES.  
>
>More to your point that the rich owe more than the middle class, I would
>suggest that yours is a philosophy of envy and is mean spirited.  The

The rich wouldn't be rich without low wage working people and a ready
pool of non-working poor people to keep wages low.  What poor person
wouldn't have envy of the rich?  But who is mean-spirited?????  I repeat,
rich people and rich people who pay taxes are BOTH rich -- poor people
are poor either way.>
>Mike Best
>
-Nick Jovanovic


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