Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres
No problem.
Just consider that other people have other value systems and that in the US resistance against taxation via avoidance is common. There's this entire political movement data back decades that works to minimize government intrusion in people's lives by reducing government's ability to spend. It has culminated in a populist movement supported by 30-40% of the electorate who resent all the taxes and the waste they support; things like roads to nowhere, vote-buying giveaways, corporate welfare, bloated bureaucracies, sweetheart consultant contracts, rewarding campaign contributors, etc. There is a lot of anger and resentment out there and starving government of even miniscule amounts is the only effective act of rebellion open to many.
And no, it is definitely not "stealing" from anybody. It is more like minimizing theft by corrupt politicians and their cronies. Tax avoidance at the petty levels of use tax, cigarette smuggling, etc, is simply people rebelling against oppression and hardly comparable to the actual avoidance by the wealthy with their armies of lawyers and accountants.
The premise that tax monies goes to provide essential services to all is demonstrably false: In the US, government agencies since 2011 have been hit with massive across-the board spending cuts under "sequester" and the effect to society was...nothing. Waste continues unabated, too, despite the billions in spending cutbacks.
It is a big country with big problems.
Different societies, different values.
It comes down to whether one believes government is entitled to take whatever they want without limit or opposition just because they say so, just because they can. Not everybody buys that. Some people resent having their hard earned money taken away to no good effect, others meekly comply.
Things are different everywhere.
Not everybody shares my values. Not everybody shares yours.
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Preach on, brother, preach on.
(ok, time to stock the bunker, I am in violent agreement with fjtorres, a sure sign of the coming Apocalypse!
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