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Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by enraged_camel on Sunday October 09, 2016 @03:51PM (#12673061)
Fair is in the eye of the beholder. But the only reason the rich pay so much in nominal taxes is because their incomes (which are directly and strongly correlated with their wealth) are so ridiculously high.

Keep in mind that just because Bob is paying a million dollars in taxes and Julia is paying ten dollars in taxes does not mean the system is unfair towards Bob. Especially if Bob should actually be paying three million dollars in taxes, but has used creative accounting practices and tax avoidance schemes to reduce his tax burden.

Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by twblalock on Sunday October 09, 2016 @03:55PM (#12673088)
> Especially if Bob should actually be paying three million dollars in taxes, but has used creative accounting practices and tax avoidance schemes to reduce his tax burden.

If the accounting schemes and tax avoidance schemes are legal according to the tax code, then they are what determine what he should pay.

The amount someone should pay is the amount he or she is legally required to pay. The tax laws are the only standard by which the amount of taxes someone should pay can be determined.

Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by deathcakes on Sunday October 09, 2016 @04:16PM (#12673204)
And of course tax law has been the same since the dawn of time, there can be no argument to brook with the idea that it currently does not work.

Morals musn't enter this argument, it would muddy the waters too much.

Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by toomuchtodo on Sunday October 09, 2016 @05:57PM (#12673741)
Agree! Which is why it's time to vote for an increase in taxes on the highest marginal income bands.

And then, the law being the law, those taxes will be paid.

Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by enraged_camel on Sunday October 09, 2016 @05:01PM (#12673444)
I thought we were talking about fairness, not legality. They are different concepts that are only sometimes related.
Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by hueving on Sunday October 09, 2016 @05:58PM (#12673743)
If we're just talking about 'fairness' in the non legal sense, why is it that taxes should be income-based anyway?
Re:Panama: The Hidden Trillions by gozur88 on Sunday October 09, 2016 @08:05PM (#12674259)
>Keep in mind that just because Bob is paying a million dollars in taxes and Julia is paying ten dollars in taxes does not mean the system is unfair towards Bob.

Yes it does. The reason Bob pays more has nothing to do with fairness. Bob has money the government can take without his permission and Julia doesn't. That's the long and the short of it.