My point is the bible verse does play an important perspective. As a united country, we should be giving equal taxes. What is equal? Because I am wealthy, does giving 15% taxes vs someone who makes half and giving 15% equal? Or is it equal when I, the wealthy, give 50k in taxes vs that same person giving 50k in taxes?

Should we have a seperate tax code for different tax brackets? You can call them seperate already. Is that equal? I guess we can call that “seperate but equal”.

It’s not just that. I oppose high (and even moderate) taxes and have an average income. My major reasons are:

a) When I was 22-24, I probably had a very high income (especially if you adjust it for regional cost of living; I live in a very low cost area) compared to other 22-24 year olds. Was I unfairly lucky? Was I another cog in the oppressive hetero-Caucasian patriarchy? No, I just majored in something that had high starting salary prospects. So if I majored in something that many people pass on because it’s “too hard” or “needed too much math”, and I reaped the benefits (or, more accurately, approximately 70% of the benefits) of it, what right do I have to say that other people (i.e. people more wealthy than I) owe me something? Somebody could have said the same thing about me when I was in my early 20′s.

b) (this is the bigger factor in my mind) I can’t remember the last job offered to me by a poor person. If I think the government should take more from the wealthy, I am hurting myself, because those people and those companies could be the next ones to offer me a job and help me advance my career.

You have a serious problem with logic. Your parents and your unproductive neighbour who guzzles bear all day instead of working are not the same. How do you not get that? Do you owe it to your neighbour to work a full day, taking time away from your kids and leisure activities, so that your neighbour can be kept at your expense?

Whether its time or money, whether its voluntary or forced, taxes are essential.

Nobody is claiming that we shouldn’t pay taxes. If you tried to understand what others wrote and the bible verse you quoted, it would help you very much indeed.

“A Dance To The Music Of Time” by Poussin. Anthony Powell wrote a series of novels of the same name. I have the BBC series on DVD, about five hours, and rate it perhaps B+.

Maybe democracy is doomed but it is only from the inside that it can be undone as predicted. When we turn contribution to forced contribution (giving vs taking) to preserve our future, the end of something is near. How do we prevent another cycle in the life and times of a nation?

Yet, in their age, they are unproductive and defenseless. Should we be obligated to return the favor? If we are expected to, do they resent us for our youth?

From a different perspective, should we contribute to help run this country?
Should we voluntarily contribute as in Mark 12:41-44 (new) or should there be forced contribution as in Exodus?

Whether its time or money, whether its voluntary or forced, taxes are essential. If I crap in the water that I drink from to get ahead, shame on me, but I should still be thankful for the life it brings.

There is little to be gained in being “ahead” of the mediocre. If everyone was similarly productive, the world would be a much richer place, including you and me, whether or not we were “ahead”.

Who provides you those opportunities? I know it is not the government but the people. Not that I condone giving the government money to spend since they are so bad with it, but equality in taxes depends on the perspective.

Should fish be grateful to the water for providing their sustaining life force? Should birds give thanks to the air?

Should the lion give thanks to the wildebeast?

What of those early humans? Should those lineages that could not speak as well as others have taxed the more verbally agile?

It is abundantly clear that we will always be burdened by the unproductive, for which the productive should perhaps give thanks (imagine how hard it would be to get ahead if everyone was similarly productive), it is also clear that the unproductive will resent the abilities of the productive and will be readily exploitable by the political classes.