What about this idea for a flat tax?

I just had an epiphany about taxation.

It has long been said that high marginal tax rates on the richest members of society will incentivise (sic) them to either leave the country, hide their income, or disencentivise them from earning that marginal next dollar.

So what would happen if we taxed the poorest of the country?

What about a $20,000 flat tax on everyone? What would that do? I can tell you that if you were earning $20,000 a year, you would be very highly incentivised to work a little more because it would all go to you, not the government!

Plus, if we were to let everyone know just where that $20,000 in taxes were going, what it was being spent on... wouldn't that create pressure among the masses for whom $20,000 is a lot of money, to try to economize? I honestly believe that those who consume a lot of taxpayer services rarely worry about the efficiency and value of those services. But if you foot the bill... then you start looking for bargains!

And what about the idea of taxation causing someone to "leave the country"? Is that true? If we taxed the poorest people, would they go somewhere else? Would they take their families to look for areas where taxation is lower? Maybe. I don't know. Would that be a bad thing? It is a free country, right? And I don't really hear too much complaining when wealthy people say they might move if the taxes are too high... its almost like those who are not wealthy are happy to hear that the wealthy among us are suffering.

Lastly... I hear frequently that the best way to reduce a behavior is to tax it. Makes sense. Want someone to stop driving an SUV? Tax the gasoline. Want them to stop smoking? Tax their cigs. So why do we tax the wealthy and the top earners? Are we trying to get them to stop? No.... because we need those people. Maybe we should tax poverty out of existance. If we start this year with a 50% tax on everything you earn below $40,000... that would be awesome incentive for people to earn more. How do you earn more? Well, to start with you could finish school. Go to college. Become a professional.

Would the poor have a lot of incentive to hide their money if the tax rate was so high as 50%? Yes, they would. But in this age of technology it should be impossible to hide money.

Besides, I've already posted about how to make more money, get free healthcare, and a free education... Join the army!

Another cost of illegal immigration

I don't know why this thought never occurred to me before but maybe the reason is because it is so simple and plainly obvious.

I hear stories about the "best and brightest" of other countries coming here illegally to get an education and a better life and whatever other reason they come here.

Some newspaper articles point out that these people are future doctors and lawyers to make sure I don't think of them as unworthy (nice bit of attitude manipulation there!)

What just occurred to me is the undeniable fact that if these wonderful people stayed in their own country and worked that hard, they would be the best and brightest in their own country and they would raise their own country.

If illegals are willing to break our laws (and there is no argument that this is exactly what they are doing) and learn a new language and suffer the distance from family... wouldn't all of that energy be so much better spent in their own country to make it better from the inside?

Amazingly, by simply stating that smart people in other countries should stay there and try to work to improve their country, I am going to be seen by some people as the bad guy.

I Know How The Afterlife Works

Its very simple. "The afterlife", whatever that is, should be a fair and straightforward way to reward those who were good and punish those who were not.

I also believe that, once you are part of the afterlife, there should be opportunities for you to grow and learn and possibly even earn a better and better afterlife for yourself.

BUT, if you are not one of those who should be rewarded, and you are not one of those who grows, then your experience in the afterlife (it stands to reason), will be a very negative one.

But even that doesn't seem so straightforward, because if you deserve punishment, who hands it out? Does God? Seems unfair to make a kind and loving God punish anyone. So who do you give that job to, without putting someone fair and honest into the unenviable position of having to dish out punishment for those who deserve it. Sounds like a terrible job for a fair person or deity.

So here is my very simple afterlife equation.

The afterlife should be an opportunity for a person to drive themselves around as a passenger on an eternal road-trip.

That way, if you are a good and kind and understanding person, you will be taxiing around a good and kind and understanding person.

And if you are an asshole, you will be the chauffeur of an asshole.

More than that, if you are the type of person who complains about everything, you will hear nothing but complaints.

If you are a praise-giver, you will hear nothing but kind words of encouragement.

Following the plan literally, you will be your own passenger, driver, and back-seat driver. You will reward and punish yourself with your own spirit, soul, and demeanor.

You will spend an eternity treating yourself the way you treat others. Good for good, bad for bad, helpful and tolerant for peace and love... you get the picture.

And what if, after some eons of living with oneself, a spirit begins to grow toward the rewards and the fairness and love? Then your growth is immediate for you will instantly find yourself in the company of a spirit that is, likewise, better and nicer, and more lovely than before.

It has been said a million times "put yourself in someone else's shoes".

Maybe you ought to put yourself in your own shoes.

And don't wait until you are dead to do it.