@realcaseyrollins
There's a protest in Belarus

@realcaseyrollins
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53748748

@jojo I got it pinned on my dashboard on the desktop since like last week! I've been a bit too busy to look into it deeply but at least I can get glimpses into what's going on.

@realcaseyrollins
How am I your fan?

@jojo You talk to me a lot and have higher engagement than most of my followers

@realcaseyrollins The excise-only tax model is more popular than I think people realise, especially when they’re modeled right. Gas taxes pay for roads within the city/county/state, for example. It’s even better when the taxes are opt-in for the business rather than compulsory, but we can’t have too many good things.

@sev I feel like taxes should probably be compulsory, there'd be no incentive to pay them if they're optional.

@realcaseyrollins I think incentives could be devised, but for at least the foreseeable future, aye.

That said, I really am one of those :blobcatree:taxationsRtheft:blobcatree: folks, I swear.

@sev I think taxation is necessary but it needs to be as minimal and simple as possible. Why do we have to be taxed so many times? Why do we have tax brackets? The system must be undone.

@realcaseyrollins @sev what do taxes pay for that has to be funded coercively? That's the question you have to answer for taxation to be valid.

@agorabrewing @sev At least defense, I'd say.

@realcaseyrollins @sev let's think about that for a min. In our current situation, that means 325 million people funding the defense of this entire giant section of a continent (and not very well, illegal immigrants get in all the time) and I don't see any good reason why New York for example should fund or have a say in the defense of Texas. Take that to it's logical conclusion, I don't see why I should pay for or have a say in your defense or vice versa.

Take the current upcoming conflict (assuming they're not both in on it) between the US and China. *I* don't have any ill will or poor reputation with any particular Chinaman and would have no reason to worry about missile defense or any of that nonsense if it weren't for the US government's forays on my behalf into (potential) conflict with China.

So this comes to two points really: 1) even in defense, it's tough to prove any public good theory necessitating the use of taxation for funding and B) many of the reasons that defense Might be a public good are caused by the same organization that supposedly provides the service. It seems to me that such an organization that seeks your approval and funding would have every incentive to make up a reason (war) for you to fund them. Classic snake oil really.

@agorabrewing @sev Guess it comes down to whether or not you think the nation should have an army i guess

@realcaseyrollins @sev that's exactly the notion I'm attacking. What is nation, why does it have to be the US as it currently looks? Why not fifty different nations? Why not a hundred? And so on and so forth. There is no good reason, cultural or otherwise for Alaska and Hawaii to be the same country. Same for Texas and New York. Commiefornia wants to secede, why not let em? They can try this stupid crap on their own and they can fail on their own. The military is as much a part of this question as any other service

@agorabrewing @sev Which state should have the nukes then

Having states in a nation is helpful because it provides unity as well as shared resources

@realcaseyrollins @sev missing the point yet again. "Having states in a nation"? As if there can't be a nation unless it is shaped like the US as is and is called the US.

Which state gets the nukes? Well, I'd prefer denuclearization personally but whether or not we'll ever get it is hard to say. Until alternative law and enforcement are devised and provided, dismantling the government is probably a bad idea. Gotta make sure the Rockefellers and co. don't make off with the stash.

@sev@ap.sevvie.ltd @realcaseyrollins@gameliberty.club

but the thing is.
taxes are to pay services.
but how are we know that the services that deserve the money are actually getting the money.(we simply don't)

the incentive is simple.
you don't fund the services and they don't serve.
this wait services that are actually needed at the time will get the funs.
and if they need more funds than they can do what everyone else does.
crowdfunding.

@sev@ap.sevvie.ltd @realcaseyrollins@gameliberty.club like seriously just go look up this amazing site called
'gofundme.org'
literally could replace everything that the government does (at least pertaining to taxes to fund services).

@loganer @sev Or, make a form where you check the boxes for which things you want to fund? Uncheck something and your taxes are cheaper?

@realcaseyrollins Why specifically sales tax? As opposed to a property or income tax, or import/export tariffs.

@khird

1. Sales tax would affect every payment, providing governments with an endless revenue stream

2. It's simpler and easier for consumers and citizens

3. It makes tax evasion nearly impossible

@khird Also having multiple layers of taxes beyond local vs. federal tax is redundant anyways, it all goes to the government

@Nikolai_Kingsley Wait why does the federal government need taxes? They borrow everything anyways.

@realcaseyrollins

they only do it because they imagine they can manage our money better than we can.

> get paid
> buy six hundred Mars Bars

they could be right.