h a l f b a k e r yI never imagined it would be edible.
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No one likes paying taxes, partly because it's so complicated, and partly because it can subsidy/hurt industries artificially, polluting Capitalism.
Instead, Federal government gets it's money from two sources:
- by printing money (inflating the currency)
- from charity (more below)
Government
can use tolls, fees, etc.; criminal fines and the like. Mainly it prints money for it's budget. This makes an obvious built-in limit to government's spending, inflation pressures from everyone.
Charity. People who want more government can donate money, or perhaps more effectively ask for rich people and companies to donate money to government (en masse). Lobbyists are 100% OK. Finally, campaign-like donations can happen without limit all year long for those who think paying taxes is patriotic and better than other charities.
Imagine: people cheering as Nike donates money to government; other companies spurring the economy forward without undue taxation. Smaller government that perhaps defaults on current debt. No more taxes. Certainty: death and no taxes.
Wikipedia: Anarcho-capitalism
http://en.wikipedia.../Anarcho-capitalism
[jutta, Nov 14 2008]
[link]
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The Anarcho-Capitalism link is neat, not quite what I suggest. |
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The State and Local governments stay in place, continuing to do Police, Fire, schools, etc.; Federal government is most effected. |
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Figure they print something like $1 Trillion/year, and continue to manage monetary policy with the treasury. |
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Imagine: This idea is put into law; very little money is donated; the Government prints lots of money and fines many people to raise funds; people stop using rapidly-inflating government currency and become angry about excessive fines; the Government and its currency collapse simultaneously, causing widespread crime and misery. |
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I think this is a terrible idea because insufficient revenue would be gained from charity donations; without some mechanism to make sure most people donate, most people and corporations would not donate at all; i.e. there's no reason for me to donate to the local police if no one else has to donate. This idea would cause the government to no longer have the money needed to operate (operate = enforce laws, distribute charity, and respond to the will of the people). Policemen would have to write many more tickets to pay their own wages. I wish the government were more efficient, too, but I don't think this is the solution. Unregulated capitalism contains flaws: governments can break up natural monopolies, regulate unions, protect the nation's borders, and regulate a currency. |
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Why will anyone give money to the federal government in this system? |
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What prevents runaway inflation? |
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How are the controls that you suggest to answer the above question different from the current system? |
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Sninctown, thanks for the good feedback. |
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People and companies give money because their charity is public knowledge and big 'evil' companies that don't give get bad press and fewer customers. Same with evil rich people. |
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Runaway inflation is the reason government doesn't grow in limitless fashion. If they cause inflation, yes, they could destroy the currency, and the American People would vote others into office quickly. |
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Currently government grows without limit, and some want it to grow faster. Also, people never conceive of giving money to government. |
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Police, fire, etc. local government remains as is. National defense- troops, army, navy- I am less sure and open to suggestions. Cartels of defense seem scary, yes.... |
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There isn't nearly enough money in circulation pay for current government spending. To be equivalent to say a 20% income tax, the government would have to print $20 for every $100 you got paid. With people mostly getting paid every month, that's 20% inflation a month or 791% inflation per year. |
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This kind of crazy inflation tends to destroy economies. Think of Zimbabwe. Or Germany after world war 1. |
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The donations will not come close either. Fines won't either, or there will be rioting. |
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This plan is not strictly unworkable, but government expenditure would have to be massively reduced. A libertarian country with a modest army, police force, courts, jails, government and nothing else might pull it off. But not a modern government. |
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