A Lesson From Joe The Plumber's Saga
By gewcew23
@gewcew23 (8007)
United States
October 18, 2008 12:56pm CST
As reported the famous Joe Wurzelbacher from Toledo, Ohio or just Joe the plumber actually has a lesson to teach us all, and not about the 250,000 dollar tax bracket. The Ohio Department of Taxation placed a lien against him because $1,183 in personal property taxes had not been paid. In what sense can you say that you really own your home if the state can take it away if you do not pay what the state says you ought to be paying? This is an attack on private property in the most fundamental sense. Yes Joe has an enemy, but it goes way beyond Obama. Joe's enemy is the same enemy that we all share, an all powerful government. Think about the debate over income taxes, but really taxing income just amount to legal robbery from the government. Government seizes money from you check that you earned, before you every see your earnings. That is why I am an advocate for a national sales tax, but that is not the point of my discussion. My point is that no matter who wins in November under the current system we have, no one has ownership over anything except the government.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
18 Oct 08
Let me ask you something gewcew. Who maintains the road in front of your house and in your community? Who pays for the fire trucks carrying the firefighters who will save your house if it's burning? Who pays for the ambulance and emergency personnel I hope you never need? Who pays for the police who protect you, the teachers who teach your children, the schools and libraries they attend?
I read about the Fair Tax and I liked what I read but right now states, counties and local communities have to depend on the revenue from property taxes, among other things.
And, I disagree with your premise that no one has ownership over anything except the government. When our tax bill arrives we pay it, so we continue to own our properties year after year.
4 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
18 Oct 08
gewgew is not arguing the government does not need tax revenue. The government does need tax revenue. Let them get it from sales tax or something else. Property tax is rent. Your ownership of your property is only the ownership of a lease to your property. In the stictest sense of logic and definition, gewgew is 100% correct.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
19 Oct 08
Let me ask you guys something. In Florida we pay no state income tax and our sales tax is 6%. If there were no property tax would we need to institute a state income tax to compensate for that loss of revenue? It seems to me that if we didn't we'd have to raise the sales tax into the double digits in order to compensate for the loss of property taxes.
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
18 Oct 08
I hardly think that a lien as a result of unpaid taxes is a sign of an "all powerful government". No one could fault you for underusing hyperbole. If someone doesn't pay their taxes on their property, how should the government respond, in your opinion?
3 people like this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
18 Oct 08
There should not be taxes on property. If you do not pay taxes on let say your house the government, even if you own it outright, can seize that house. That is not ownership that is rent. Just like if you miss you rent payment you can be kick out so to can the government kick you out of your house. If government can kick you out of your house, seize what ever amount of your income a politician thinks they want to, and can violate all civil liberties is not a sign of an all powerful government then please fell free to share what you would think an all powerful government is?
1 person likes this
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
18 Oct 08
"There should not be taxes on property."
This is beside the point. I'll make it more general so that you don't knee-jerk with your alternative viewpoint instead of answering the question:
If you owe taxes on SOMETHING, and you refuse to pay them, how should that payment be enforced, in your opinion?
2 people like this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
18 Oct 08
This is so true. They owe everything. If I had a house, they would own it. My husband's pay is excellent before the government gets it and takes their share.
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
19 Oct 08
Gew, this is how the vast majority of countries work. In many countries you can not own land at all, you can only rent it. You aren't seeing all of the good that your tax payer dollars are doing, but that doesn't surprise me. Like someone else said, the next time you need a cop, or a fireman, I am sure you will be happy you paid your taxes, the next time you yell at someone who isn't supporting the war that you do, you should thank them for paying their taxes so we can pay those brave men and women off fighting your war. See, tax dollars pay for alot of things here in the United States, and when you actually look at what good tax dollars do, you might want to rethink your logic. The National sales tax is a good idea, but good luck getting changing the system.
@dwisasono (42)
• Indonesia
19 Oct 08
another type depression citizen that payroll cannot fullfill his own cost living.
if all basic cost for living fullfill, tax can be paid. there's other expensive that call debt interest.
