News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem. Parent comment

Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by delucain on Monday March 17, 2014 @06:52PM (#7418662)
Tax evasion hurts society as a whole by reducing available resources for the programs that aid our country, and failure to provide child support harm the children and mothers that the child support was intended for in much the same way. Neither of these are victimless crimes. Victimless crimes are typically things that only harm the person/people involved in the crime, i.e. prostitution, recreational drug use, or gambling.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by baddox on Monday March 17, 2014 @07:10PM (#7418756)
> Tax evasion hurts society as a whole by reducing available resources for the programs that aid our country

That argument only works if taxation provides a net benefit to society.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by AnthonyMouse on Monday March 17, 2014 @09:34PM (#7419425)
> That argument only works if taxation provides a net benefit to society.

How about this one then: At any given level of government spending and borrowing, tax evasion requires higher taxes to be imposed on those not engaged in tax evasion.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by LeapingLennie on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @12:35AM (#7420184)
That is making the assumption that government spending is constant irrespective of tax revenue. If tax rates and public debt remain constant then tax avoidance will lead government spending to fall. This may mean fewer immoral actions conducted by the government such as wars or arresting people for victimless crimes. In this way, tax evasion can be not only harmless but a moral imperative.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by AnthonyMouse on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @09:54AM (#7421882)
Do you not see where this is going? You could make exactly the same argument in favor of stealing government property.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by gnaritas on Monday March 17, 2014 @07:26PM (#7418819)
Tax evasion hurts society as a whole because you're free loading off the system and stealing from your fellow citizens who are paying their taxes.

This argument is valid regardless of whether taxes benefit society or not.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by abcabc321321123 on Monday March 17, 2014 @07:54PM (#7418968)
>stealing from your fellow citizens who are paying their taxes.

You are confusing who is stealing from whom.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by gnaritas on Monday March 17, 2014 @08:02PM (#7419007)
No I'm really not; taxes are perfectly constitutional. Call it theft if you like but you're just being ridiculous.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by baddox on Monday March 17, 2014 @08:42PM (#7419179)
Theft existed before the constitution, and the constitution didn't change what it means.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by gnaritas on Monday March 17, 2014 @11:35PM (#7419918)
Property is a social construct, society decides what is or isn't theft, not you. Taxation is not theft, and I'm not interested in the least in debating this, it's childish. You don't believe in government, I get it, and I don't care.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:America Has a Black-Market Problem, Not a Drug Problem by baddox on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @02:04AM (#7420426)
I believe in government, I just don't approve of it, because I believe it has a net negative impact on society. My primary concern is not whether you or anyone else cares about my option, but rather what sort of societal organization might have the most positive impact on society.
[ Parent | on HN ]