Unfair Taxation by Jonathan A. Weiss

Not Publicly Discussed Additional Unfair Taxation ~ Jonathan A. Weiss

Most of us realize how outrageously the current Income Tax Code works. Taxation represents public policy particularly in the allocation of resources, directly with subsidies, or indirectly with a system of assessment. The writing in the Code of marginal advantages for the privileged after the last Tax cuts for the rich was enacted highlights how the unfair system is manipulated by those who make campaign contributions, lobbying, and the “elected representatives” to distort the purposely obscure technical (syntactically disgraceful) info that leads to the pervasive increase in equality. While this is not honestly disputable, its further unconscionable consequences are not widely recognized..

The government needs revenue to carry out public policies for the “public good” theoretically affirming the worth of all individuals governed. As the income tax does not provide this revenue, while other means of prying it from the vulnerable operate. The practices are backed theoretically by the claims for virtue in American capitalism which demands “privatization” rather than “nationalism” for organizations required to produce for an efficient country. It is widely touted by the media and acolytes as the most efficient economic system.  Some argue regulations function as controls, but are not persuasive. One clear example is monopolies with constantly declining anti-trust litigation. Compare lack of audits for the rich and their infliction on low income earners who are forced by the Code’s complexity to hire accountants to fill out the forms) To see striking failures in the implementation, academically justified often, confused by many such with “fiscal policy” we need only compare our health system to European ones; the Tennessee Valley Association and Texas “independent gird.”, and chains eliminating local stores..The means of necessarily obtaining the additional needed revenue operates from this perspective.

User taxes are taxes imposed only on those who use public facilities. They are regressive so that the amounts do not matter to the basically untaxed rich but to those whose income taxes partially define and confine their budgets. They are constantly increasing in areas and amounts thereby increasingly unfair.

The obvious example is transportation. Under Eisenhower’s “Engine” Charlie Wilson, from GM whose motto was “What is good for General Motors is good for the country” the American excellent railroad and trolley system were devastated and destroyed. (See the movie Who Killed Roger Rabbit for its theme of the destruction of their excellent streetcar grid)/, Instead all the resources were poured into massive highway construction, now with its bridges, tunnels and services becoming dangerously degenerated “infra structure.” We mention, in passing, the bad social effect of suburban sprawl, illustrations of danger from isolating communities. Suburbs attract some for superior schools, others for the racial uniformity, some for luxurious elite organization, particularly golf club proximity whose courses create environmental disasters, spilling off poisons, and destroying migration paths (e.g. the gorgeous Monarch butterfly) to create a special separate tribe of suburbanites shopping at malls, lighting going dark early at night without many local places to shop, eat or meet. Shopping is done in malls and chains with little local connections where transactions are enriched by personal interchange.

Nixon purchased the first engines for the pathetic Amtrak and its consists from General Motors who made them for the first time. Any international travelers knows of the high speed trains and extensive rail connections in Europe, Japan, and China and how most “third world” countries have better systems.

Some parts of this highway system also generating massive pollution, poisoning people while emissions cause an “unacceptable”degree of terrifying climate change (ie. Global Warming for an overpopulated world) could not be built with available governmental assets, or at least it was so claimed. Tolls were therefore charged to pay off the bonds sold (mainly held by the rich) for funding construction and alteration of the previously ecological balance supposed to end when the construction and bonds were fully paid. Instead the became user taxes constantly increasing.

Many people commute by car by necessity, some for preference over the nightmarish commuter trains. The tolls continue to go up and up. Some of the rich fly private jets; some use helicopters.  In the Hamptons the there is a controversy arose and continues about all the noise they make disturbing the other rich’s ex-urbanites peaceful bucolic beauty.  Those with the privilege of personal flights appear to use the free government services for the aviation The rich that do commute normally rarely notice (if they can’t write off the costs on their incomes taxes) these user taxes. For the poor, who must commute from their poorer neighborhoods so they can serve the rich and “captains of industry”, even driving together. their budgets are seriously affected.

Gasoline taxes are also user taxes. President Biden recognized these user taxes’ importance for many by suspending the Federal taxes for a period. Earlier Clinton allowed drivers to avoid emission standards if they had “truck” chassis. Hence the SUVs with all the resulting problems of safety (e.g. vision unavailable for 22 feet instead of the standard 6; crushing regular cars, pedestrians, etc.), clogging streets, and parking – ugly too they burn much more fuel. The rich again need not care; those who were sucked in the fad and advertisements now pay high fuel prices – true mainly caused in large part by oil company’s gouging.

In New York, because the public transportation system is underfunded and run by the wrong people for political reason, poorly paid workers sometimes have no choice in order to go to and from homes not near subway stations or dependent on inadequate bus service.  Many take these expensive cabs because of justified fear of violent, sometimes deadly attack in subways, bus stops on empty dark streets, and in or adjacent to poor neighborhoods with frequent, and random. deadly or maiming attacks, These considerable user taxes, effective at the beginning of the ride, fund public facilities. mainly run by the Port Authority which often exhibits the worst of bureaucracy and corporate mentality – which has resulted in some scandals . These fares start with major user taxes, then for areas of Manhattan add “congestion taxes” not applicable to executives who arrive by helicopter.  The cheaper “gypsie” vehicles, a source of income for many with inadequate or no income have been driven off the streets, replaced by green colored cabs although some “private” companies persist for various areas, particularly immigrant communities.  The burden placed on many workers who ave to travel to work and the poor in general of these regressive impositions is obvious.

Everywhere you look and buy you can observe user taxes. When an executive does not “write off” (or have his company fund) an expensive meal, the added taxes are not significant to those gourmands but the total price affects other diners. For people who can afford and do buy countless garments and shoes the total cost reduces taxes to a petty concern. No so for those on a budget (particularly now as I write during inflation and shortages.) Etc.

The income tax code needs to tax the rich properly and progressively (much more) so government revenue does not depend on regressive user taxes thereby contributing to the spectacles of corruption, privilege and poverty. Their regressive nature alone requires their abolition.

An insult to injury exists in other tax schemes. Both Medicare and Social Security, while being attacked for inadequate funding, are funded by income deductions but with “cut offs” for those deduction in low hundred thousand of income so the percentage the rich pay decreases the richer they get. This outrage complements the user taxes. If it a remained constant as percentage of income (particularly properly calculated) there would not only be no projected “short fall” but enough funds to increase the scope and extent of benefits which fail so many so often.

The opportunities for reform are enormous. But the mass media are controlled by the rich (rather than made available in a continuing lottery). No wonder we may glimpse some of the disgraces in the income tax but never hear of these other taxes – so unjustified; which fall heavily on those already under debt or struggling to live within a budget.

Towards Effective Adjudicative Ethics by Jonathan A. Weiss

EERIE RESEMBLANCE – Jonathan A. Weiss Esq.

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