Post AS5UDKK1ujacn8ZDvs by dcjohnson@mastodon.cloud
(DIR) More posts by dcjohnson@mastodon.cloud
(DIR) Post #ARqYyhZclhQExdJ9vM by dcjohnson@mastodon.cloud
2023-01-20T19:39:28Z
0 likes, 6 repeats
I'm older so I remember things. Everything you see happening today should be understood this way: The top tax rate used to be 90% in order to prevent the really rich from destroying democracy. The corporate tax rate was 50% because corporations exist to serve society.AND the inheritance tax was really high to keep family dynasties from gaining power over us.#taxes #democracy
(DIR) Post #ARqca9eFeMvabs1TYO by zleap@qoto.org
2023-01-20T22:06:47Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dcjohnson Hence in the Beatles' Taxman they say That's one for you 19 for meand later onAnd my advice for those who die, declare the pennies on your eyesThe first part was in relation to the UK tax policies in the 60's the latter is perhaps more of a reference to greek mythology, the pennies placed on the eyes of the dead was so they could pay Charon to take them over the river styx to the underworld. But also takes a dig at the taxman as that would be income.
(DIR) Post #ARqfNpUf3hPiUMLrZw by Alphakilopapa@noagendasocial.com
2023-01-20T22:38:12Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dcjohnson Corporations do not exist to serve society. Corporations exist to make money for the people who have a stake in it.
(DIR) Post #ARqmGPkP5CweI57t1E by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-20T19:48:31.544081Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@dcjohnson Any tax rate above zero, for anybody, is extortion, a heinous crime.
(DIR) Post #ARqmGQKCw5aK57sTpI by peterbrown@mastodon.scot
2023-01-20T23:02:18Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @dcjohnson quite right. Who needs roads, water supply, sewerage, police, fire service, education, and health services?  A tent in the jungle will do me with a nice big sword to ward off my neighbours.
(DIR) Post #ARqmGQtIpbeppyIVWq by peterbrown@mastodon.scot
2023-01-20T23:06:33Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair when was the US leading the world? And how did they sink so low?
(DIR) Post #ARqmGRNR1ZlDLQOZUm by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-20T23:51:35.022371Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@peterbrown @DoesntExistMuh roads! Why are people so unimaginative to think that extortion is the only way to pay for things people want? Fee for service, subscriptions, cost of owning a house is a share in the necessary services. Thousands of solutions none of us will think of until the market works it’s magic. All better and cheaper than those paid for by extortion and designed by committee.
(DIR) Post #ARr90RbahoWCMhMGUy by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
2023-01-21T04:10:07Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @dcjohnson Private property may perhaps exist in a condition of nature, but large differences ― million-fold differences ― from one person to another cannot. They are sustained by some external mechanism. That mechanism is itself a form of violence, and certainly employs violence. The Sherriff ousting a tenant for non-payment of rent is a simple example. There is your crime. Taxation which claws back a little of that through the same mechanism of violence is a picayune.
(DIR) Post #ARs1QKxZQmn0oBQzrM by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-21T14:18:54.517737Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
@maxlords @dcjohnson Libertarian + property = anarcho-capitalistOf course I want all those things. I just want them to be cheaper and better, because they’re provided by the market instead of an extortion racket.
(DIR) Post #ARs1R7HlkzT2gjFo0W by meso@asbestos.cafe
2023-01-21T14:20:00.293435Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @maxlords @dcjohnson but how is it anarchy if the market becomes a tyrannical structure of its own?
(DIR) Post #ARsGzYG9TQJfVLNKc4 by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-21T17:04:06.858708Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@meso @maxlords @dcjohnson As long as the market cannot force you to buy, all will be well. Monopoly cannot exist without coercion supporting it.
(DIR) Post #ARstttLA4yEHMP0ikS by SocialistStan@mastodon.lol
2023-01-21T04:23:15Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@peterbrown @billstclair Next time you see a politician paving a road let me know.
(DIR) Post #ARstttkKZOMWcSmoym by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-21T04:32:13.940169Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@SocialistStan @peterbrown People often ask, "Without taxes, who will build the roads?" The answer, of course, is that the same heavy highway construction companies that build the roads now will continue to build the roads. The only difference is in how they are paid, extortion with taxes, voluntary payment without.
(DIR) Post #ARsttuFsg5bECJY19k by SocialistStan@mastodon.lol
2023-01-21T17:56:46Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @peterbrown I think a lot of people, especially older more conservative ones, really lack the imagination to see a world where people solve problems cooperatively instead of by force.In their minds it's either government or private capital, no other alternatives. Either way some "boss is in charge. They just have this need for there to be a strongman in charge somehow some way. Anything else is incomprehensible to them.
(DIR) Post #ARsttuoGcF6ZuxdTkm by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-21T22:07:01.841474Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@SocialistStan @peterbrown “We must all hang together, or we will all hang separately.” — Franklin?
(DIR) Post #ARsttvMIZiKLcVYenY by peterbrown@mastodon.scot
2023-01-22T00:17:56Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @SocialistStan “ we must block everybody we disagree with” - socialist Stan.
(DIR) Post #ARsttvlT48SasZKl1s by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-22T00:18:52.480600Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@peterbrown @SocialistStan I prefer to listen to those I disagree with, unless they get abusive, then I mute. If they work at evading the mute, and few do, then I block.
(DIR) Post #ARwkLZyDT61GU4gJvs by TrevorRVA@mas.to
2023-01-23T16:31:42Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billstclair @peterbrown @SocialistStan so how about public schools then? Should EVERY school cost people money to send their kids to?What about things like fire departments, police, ER’s? Should those all be “pay to play” too?
(DIR) Post #ARwkLahwj4bClu4qDA by billstclair@impeccable.social
2023-01-23T20:54:43.849534Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
Fee for service, subscription, barter, gift (road to my house), or charity. Same as it is now, except I’ve removed extortion from the list.
(DIR) Post #AS5U6sPskmb8VSEFWK by dcjohnson@mastodon.cloud
2023-01-28T02:12:32Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@Alphakilopapa They're supposed to. Why else would a democracy allow them?You might like this, Understanding What a Corporation Actually Is Can Help Restore Democracyhttps://democracyandcommunity.org/2022/08/25/understanding-what-a-corporation-actually-is-can-help-restore-democracy/
(DIR) Post #AS5UDKK1ujacn8ZDvs by dcjohnson@mastodon.cloud
2023-01-28T02:13:42Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@Alphakilopapa that's just wrong. Ask yourself why a democracy would enable that?See Understanding What a Corporation Actually Is Can Help Restore Democracyhttps://democracyandcommunity.org/2022/08/25/understanding-what-a-corporation-actually-is-can-help-restore-democracy/
(DIR) Post #AS5X32qILcQHXvRogq by Alphakilopapa@noagendasocial.com
2023-01-28T02:45:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@dcjohnson We dont live in a democracy you condescending prick. We have a constitution that limits what the federal government can do and for good reason. I shouldn't be giving up a large chunk of my check because some brainwashed dolt like you gets off thinking you are safe and helping others.
(DIR) Post #ASJCTmwlAtqwFmg5VQ by Steve98052@universeodon.com
2023-02-03T05:03:12Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@dcjohnson I would argue that those really high (marginal) tax rates were more about paying off World War II war bonds than keeping corporations and family dynasties in check.By the time of the Vietnam War, wars could be financed through regular debt, as opposed to war bonds, and it was easy to roll over the debt than retire it.The huge growth in the middle class (which was mostly reserved for white people) was due to other factors:- The devastation of the rest of the world, which left the US economically unchallenged for decades- The GI Bill and its expansion of higher education for (white) veterans- The strength of unions- Enforcement of antitrust lawsThe Reagan era smashed unions, defunded antitrust enforcement, and cut taxes to "starve the beast". The "starve the beast" philosophy was that by cutting taxes, important government services could be attacked on grounds that the money wasn't there, hurting everyone but the rich.