The Power of irrational thinking

Oct 27, 2008, 06:42 AM

Authors : Daniel

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Post date : Oct 27, 2008, 06:42 AM

In yesterday's Times, Irish columnist Brenda Power attempted to resurrect the feeble debate about whether taxpayers should be entitled to choose what their money is spent on.
She asked: 'Why should rich people pay any taxes at all?', and then went on to reason that the seriously well-off are 'lower maintenance' than the financially disadvantaged because they require neither the services of the NHS nor state schools, favouring instead private health care and education.
Ms Power went on to claim that the stuffed-of-wallet are 'already contributing for the benefits they receive' through their payments of road tax, 'car registration tax on their fleets of vehicles', fuel taxes and VAT.
'As for that other critical application of tax revenue, the maintenance of our system of government,' she continued, 'we know that the rich do more than their share to fund it' (my emphasis).
The gaps in Ms Power's one-sided reasoning and the holes in her understanding of taxes and society at large are so immense that any mister or missus moneybags could easily navigate his/her 'fleets of vehicles' through them.
Do the wealthy always remain wealthy?
Are they never victims or perpetrators of crime?
Do they, to the last man or woman, oppose the existence of their nation's armed forces, aid for the elderly and infirm, civic upkeep and development, and funds for the arts?
Does Brenda Power share the view of Daily Telegraph writer Ian Cowie: that taxes are paid by 'victims'?

For a logical view, visit Taxation.co.uk.

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