Comments on: Taxes, taxes http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: eaon pritchard http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-1030 eaon pritchard Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:13:27 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-1030 In the uk, we now pay more tax than ever before yet the public funded services like schools, nhs etc are underfunded and former public services such as rail, power (gas, electric) and social housing and god know what else have all been sold off to the private sector and state pensions look to be the next to go. We're following the US lead on this - I wonder where the revenue actually ends up. In the uk, we now pay more tax than ever before yet the public funded services like schools, nhs etc are underfunded and former public services such as rail, power (gas, electric) and social housing and god know what else have all been sold off to the private sector and state pensions look to be the next to go.
We’re following the US lead on this – I wonder where the revenue actually ends up.

]]> By: eaon pritchard http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-13806 eaon pritchard Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:13:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-13806 In the uk, we now pay more tax than ever before yet the public funded services like schools, nhs etc are underfunded and former public services such as rail, power (gas, electric) and social housing and god know what else have all been sold off to the private sector and state pensions look to be the next to go. We're following the US lead on this - I wonder where the revenue actually ends up. In the uk, we now pay more tax than ever before yet the public funded services like schools, nhs etc are underfunded and former public services such as rail, power (gas, electric) and social housing and god know what else have all been sold off to the private sector and state pensions look to be the next to go.
We’re following the US lead on this – I wonder where the revenue actually ends up.

]]> By: Christopher S. Penn http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-1029 Christopher S. Penn Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:21:13 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-1029 Thanks all. @PhillyMac: now the question is - did the system develop because of the dependency mindset, or is the dependency mindset created because the system is structured to encourage it? @Whitney: I'll play devil's advocate here - isn't capitalism by design supposed to create a few big winners and a whole bunch of losers? Socialism/communism is designed to create equal result from disparate opportunity (in theory) whereas capitalism is designed to create disparate result from equal opportunity? Thanks all.

@PhillyMac: now the question is – did the system develop because of the dependency mindset, or is the dependency mindset created because the system is structured to encourage it?

@Whitney: I’ll play devil’s advocate here – isn’t capitalism by design supposed to create a few big winners and a whole bunch of losers? Socialism/communism is designed to create equal result from disparate opportunity (in theory) whereas capitalism is designed to create disparate result from equal opportunity?

]]> By: Christopher S. Penn http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-13805 Christopher S. Penn Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:21:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-13805 Thanks all. @PhillyMac: now the question is - did the system develop because of the dependency mindset, or is the dependency mindset created because the system is structured to encourage it? @Whitney: I'll play devil's advocate here - isn't capitalism by design supposed to create a few big winners and a whole bunch of losers? Socialism/communism is designed to create equal result from disparate opportunity (in theory) whereas capitalism is designed to create disparate result from equal opportunity? Thanks all.

@PhillyMac: now the question is – did the system develop because of the dependency mindset, or is the dependency mindset created because the system is structured to encourage it?

@Whitney: I’ll play devil’s advocate here – isn’t capitalism by design supposed to create a few big winners and a whole bunch of losers? Socialism/communism is designed to create equal result from disparate opportunity (in theory) whereas capitalism is designed to create disparate result from equal opportunity?

]]> By: Chris Brogan... http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-1028 Chris Brogan... Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:46:39 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-1028 If I off myself and don't leave a note... but then, if I were richer, there'd be a death tax, too? If I off myself and don’t leave a note… but then, if I were richer, there’d be a death tax, too?

]]> By: Chris Brogan... http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-13804 Chris Brogan... Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:46:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-13804 If I off myself and don't leave a note... but then, if I were richer, there'd be a death tax, too? If I off myself and don’t leave a note… but then, if I were richer, there’d be a death tax, too?

]]> By: P. Dilly http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-1027 P. Dilly Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:07:58 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-1027 Wow $300 to $600 for insurance sounds nice. Try $1400 per month for my family, and we can't switch because my wife had cancer 3 years ago. Wow $300 to $600 for insurance sounds nice. Try $1400 per month for my family, and we can’t switch because my wife had cancer 3 years ago.

]]> By: P. Dilly http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-13803 P. Dilly Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:07:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-13803 Wow $300 to $600 for insurance sounds nice. Try $1400 per month for my family, and we can't switch because my wife had cancer 3 years ago. Wow $300 to $600 for insurance sounds nice. Try $1400 per month for my family, and we can’t switch because my wife had cancer 3 years ago.

]]> By: Whitney http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-1026 Whitney Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:12:24 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-1026 The secret here is that until you reach a certain income level, our economy is designed to keep people in the lower to middle classes. (Just think about the huge bounced check fees banks collect, and you figure out how they kick someone while they're down.) However, once you have financial capital, and are deemed a good credit risk, things like bounced check fees become a thing of the past, just when you could afford it. Does this system really teach financial responsibility, or does it merely keep people in their economic place? Add in that every hike in gas prices disproportionately affects people in lower income brackets than higher, and you soon come to the conclusion that our capitalist system has inequitable rewards and punishments that can hollow out one's hope for the American Dream. The digital divide and adequate access to information will play out similarly. Those that have it will know what's going on; those that don't will remain largely ignorant and potentially victimized by those that do. The secret here is that until you reach a certain income level, our economy is designed to keep people in the lower to middle classes. (Just think about the huge bounced check fees banks collect, and you figure out how they kick someone while they’re down.) However, once you have financial capital, and are deemed a good credit risk, things like bounced check fees become a thing of the past, just when you could afford it.

Does this system really teach financial responsibility, or does it merely keep people in their economic place?

Add in that every hike in gas prices disproportionately affects people in lower income brackets than higher, and you soon come to the conclusion that our capitalist system has inequitable rewards and punishments that can hollow out one’s hope for the American Dream.

The digital divide and adequate access to information will play out similarly. Those that have it will know what’s going on; those that don’t will remain largely ignorant and potentially victimized by those that do.

]]> By: Whitney http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/taxes-taxes/#comment-13802 Whitney Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:12:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2007/07/30/taxes-taxes/#comment-13802 The secret here is that until you reach a certain income level, our economy is designed to keep people in the lower to middle classes. (Just think about the huge bounced check fees banks collect, and you figure out how they kick someone while they're down.) However, once you have financial capital, and are deemed a good credit risk, things like bounced check fees become a thing of the past, just when you could afford it. Does this system really teach financial responsibility, or does it merely keep people in their economic place? Add in that every hike in gas prices disproportionately affects people in lower income brackets than higher, and you soon come to the conclusion that our capitalist system has inequitable rewards and punishments that can hollow out one's hope for the American Dream. The digital divide and adequate access to information will play out similarly. Those that have it will know what's going on; those that don't will remain largely ignorant and potentially victimized by those that do. The secret here is that until you reach a certain income level, our economy is designed to keep people in the lower to middle classes. (Just think about the huge bounced check fees banks collect, and you figure out how they kick someone while they’re down.) However, once you have financial capital, and are deemed a good credit risk, things like bounced check fees become a thing of the past, just when you could afford it.

Does this system really teach financial responsibility, or does it merely keep people in their economic place?

Add in that every hike in gas prices disproportionately affects people in lower income brackets than higher, and you soon come to the conclusion that our capitalist system has inequitable rewards and punishments that can hollow out one’s hope for the American Dream.

The digital divide and adequate access to information will play out similarly. Those that have it will know what’s going on; those that don’t will remain largely ignorant and potentially victimized by those that do.

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