A Constitutional Parable

[g5000]

In its infinite wisdom (*cough*), the federal government decides owning unicorns is a good thing for the country.

To encourage people to own unicorns, the government gives unicorn owners a tax break. A unicorn owner pays less taxes than a non-unicorn owner. Or, to look at it another way, a non-unicorn owner is penalized with higher taxes. A non-unicorn owner must turn over more of his or her money to the government just because they do not own a unicorn.

For some reason, everyone accepts this government takeover of social norms and behaviors. Especially unicorn owners. They love this arrangement.

But the government does not stop there. The federal government further stipulates by law only right-handed unicorn owners can get a tax break. If you are left-handed, it does not matter if you own a unicorn or not. You do not get the tax break. If you are left-handed, you must turn over more of your money to the government, for the sole reason that you are left-handed.

The explanation given for this strange rule is that left-handed people are "sinister". In fact, in the not too recent past, left-handedness was outlawed.

Even though left-handedness is now legal, it is still punished with higher taxes than right-handedness.

Much hilarity ensues.

Right-handed people claim whole empires collapsed when left-handedness was legalized. Left-handed people claim some of our Presidents were left-handed. Right-handed people claim left-handedness is a choice. Left-handed people claim they knew they were left-handed from the time they were two years old.

Right-handed people say left-handed people are asking for special privileges when left-handed people ask for the exact same tax break right-handed people get.

Since right-handed people outnumber left-handed people, every time the issue of taxing left-handed unicorn owners at the same rates as right-handed unicorn owners is put on a ballot, the majority slaps it down.

Because of this, the issue eventually goes to court to settle the matter.

Every bit of this could have been avoided if the federal government had not instituted collectivist intervention and taken over social norms and behaviors.

 

[bendog]

LOL. But seriously, back in the time of Trollope, did govt grant econ benefit to marriage? Back in the middle ages?

 

[g5000]

LOL. But seriously, back in the time of Trollope, did govt grant econ benefit to marriage? Back in the middle ages?

I seriously doubt it.

But they did believe in unicorns back then.

 

[g5000]

The original US federal income tax code (1913) had six tax deductions.

Marriage was not one of them.

 

[g5000]

The first federal married tax returns did not exist until the 1950s: U.S. Federal Individual Income Tax Rates History, 1913-2013 (Nominal and Inflation-Adjusted Brackets) | Tax Foundation

 

[bendog]

Ah the 50s. When a decree issued from Augustis Ceasure that all males should be consigned to loveless servitude, providing for indolent wives and soon to turn into ungrateful, unwashed and unmanagable children, consoled only by functional alcoholism.

 

[g5000]

Ah the 50s. When a decree issued from Augustis Ceasure that all males should be consigned to loveless servitude, providing for indolent wives and soon to turn into ungrateful, unwashed and unmanagable children, consoled only by functional alcoholism.

The married tax return was probably created during that period because, prior to then, women were not bringing in a second income to the household.

Barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen, and all that stuff.

Good times up to that point, if you were a WASP.

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

The original tax code was twelve pages.

The United States could do worse than restore it (with revenue neutral rates) pending establishing an even more reasonable progressive system.

While all income earners should pay social security and medicare on all earnings to the last dollar earned from all sources, the most efficient system would not tax the actual incomes of something like the bottom 33% of wage earners. Profit margins of processing bottom third of tax forms are slim and the earned income tax credit is a travesty; it would be more efficient to have the top 67% earners pick up the loss to the government in a progressive system with deductions being reduced beyond something like $10kk/a until deductions disappear altogether around maybe $50kk/a.

Further, all sources of income should be taxed equally. No exceptions. It was always nonsense that because capital gains had been "once taxed" it is beyond taxation for generating future earnings. That is bogus on its face. Categories of taxation that allow financial buggery like borrowed money paid out as dividends are simply legalize theft. There are no moral, economic or other just bases for that.

Another consideration is the number of people working in the tax industry. Its in the millions. Be interesting to see what happens to this set under a simple and just tax system.

 

[g5000]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Insanity.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

 

[bendog]

Ah the 50s. When a decree issued from Augustis Ceasure that all males should be consigned to loveless servitude, providing for indolent wives and soon to turn into ungrateful, unwashed and unmanagable children, consoled only by functional alcoholism.

The married tax return was probably created during that period because, prior to then, women were not bringing in a second income to the household.

Barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen, and all that stuff.

Good times up to that point, if you were a WASP.

yeah, but my life is no different ... aside from the fact it's microwaved veggie burgers and grocery store rotisserie chicken for dinner, and my kid's incredibly well groomed and agreed with most everything Romney stood for. LOL

 

[tjvh]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

You also pay the highest Taxes when you are a single unmarried straight male with no children.

 

[g5000]

Ah the 50s. When a decree issued from Augustis Ceasure that all males should be consigned to loveless servitude, providing for indolent wives and soon to turn into ungrateful, unwashed and unmanagable children, consoled only by functional alcoholism.

The married tax return was probably created during that period because, prior to then, women were not bringing in a second income to the household.

Barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen, and all that stuff.

Good times up to that point, if you were a WASP.

yeah, but my life is no different ... aside from the fact it's microwaved veggie burgers and grocery store rotisserie chicken for dinner, and my kid's incredibly well groomed and agreed with most everything Romney stood for. LOL

What makes America great is that all the good stuff WASPs have always enjoyed has since been extended to a lot more people than it was in 1950.

 

[tooAlive]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Insanity.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

We may not agree about Nazis, but we do agree in regards to the tax code.

 

[tooAlive]

The original tax code was twelve pages.

The United States could do worse than restore it (with revenue neutral rates) pending establishing an even more reasonable progressive system.

While all income earners should pay social security and medicare on all earnings to the last dollar earned from all sources, the most efficient system would not tax the actual incomes of something like the bottom 33% of wage earners. Profit margins of processing bottom third of tax forms are slim and the earned income tax credit is a travesty; it would be more efficient to have the top 67% earners pick up the loss to the government in a progressive system deductions being reduced beyond something like $10kk/a until they disappear around maybe $50kk/a.

Further, all sources of income should be taxed equally. No exceptions. It was always nonsense that because capital gains had been "once taxed" it is beyond taxation for generating future earnings. That is bogus on its face. Categories of taxation that allowed borrowed money to be paid out as dividends simply legalize theft. There is no moral, economic or other just basis for that.

Another consideration is the number of people working in the tax industry. Its in the millions. Be interesting to see what happens to this set under a simple and just tax system.

It's great to see more people are in favor of the Fair Tax.

 

[bendog]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

You also pay the highest Taxes when you are a single unmarried straight male with no children.

Yeah, it's only fair those lucky bastards suffer too.

 

[g5000]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

You also pay the highest Taxes when you are a single unmarried straight male with no children.

"Single unmarried" is redundant.

You do not pay higher taxes for being straight.

But yes. You pay higher taxes for being single and childless.

 

[bendog]

You pay higher taxes for being gay.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong motor vehicle.

You pay higher taxes for buying the wrong refrigerator.

You pay higher taxes to make up for someone else's tax break.

You pay higher taxes for not having children.

You pay higher taxes if you do not go along with the government's other collectivist policies.

Why are we so accepting of this ridiculous scheme?

The government dangles one tax break in front of you so you don't notice you are having to pay for a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks for other people every year. You really think you are coming out ahead when you collect your child tax credit? Do you?

You get all worked up over ObamaPhones and ignore the more than a trillion dollars of tax expenditures being heaped on us every year?

Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
Three HUNDRED MILLION blind mice.
See how they run...see how they run...

You also pay the highest Taxes when you are a single unmarried straight male with no children.

"Single unmarried" is redundant.

You do not pay higher taxes for being straight.

But yes. You pay higher taxes for being single and childless.

On that note, it is constitutional for communities of retirees to have covenants mandating homes be owned only by people of a certain age and limiting the number of days they can have school age minors residing with them. This way, they avoid property taxes for schools.