If we all have equal access to public goods and services why doesn't everyone pay the exact same amount of taxes, i.e why should...?

jesswzmn

Because policy making is not about being fair to one rich guy while shafting millions of others. What you are advocating for simply should not happen in a democratic republic of intelligent people because 99.5% has way more votes that .5% of the citizens. So, in essence, you can make your argument which is the rich man's argument, but in a truly free country belonging to all citizens, your argument would not carry the day. Furthermore, logically, you can raise more money to have a better more civilized and functional society that offers way more benefits to citizens, like a stronger military, better roads, better dams and bridges, better police, better fire department, better libraries and public education, better and less expensive college educations, maybe even cheaper health care for all citizens etc...by having the rich pay more in taxes than simply trying to be "fair" to them and tax them just like everyone else. In your world, the rich guy would happier for having way more money in his own pocket and be able to dominate society way more than he already is, buy off more politicians than he already is, own more media outlets to spread his propaganda than he already is, but everyone else would be worse off. We can have the debate about it, but there is no logical argument one can make where the interest of the very few outweighs what is best for an entire society and civilization. Lastly, no one is trying to keep the rich man from being rich...he is and will continue to be rich, but how he is taxed and weather he pays his fair share in proportion to how much he has benefited from society can make a big different in just how great the society is for everyone.

Zirp

You would have a point if earning money would cost everybody a similar amount of work/time. If one "earns" 400 times as much per hour as the other, for work that is neither dirty nor dangerous, that's the kind of exploitation that should not be encouraged

Spock (rhp)

ah, the rich guy has more private goods and services to be protected ... thus, he should be paying more

James

Running a country is expensive, it takes a lot of money. A flat tax would disproportionately and negatively effect the poorest people. Most flat tax suggestions also tend to be huge tax cuts for people who are already sitting on billions.

Jay R

Laws will be changing. I hope you're ready for the unavoidable.

J

Billionaires and corporations use more of the public infrastructure

Jingoist Jones

In a flat tax based system, these people would be paying more due to the percentage of their money being worth more than the same percentage of a poor persons.

ndmagicman

And what exactly is the rich guy paying 100 times more for?

T_Bird

Because the government are a bunch of greedy money grabbingBastards.

Sherry

So you think taking your coffee money and taking another man's rent money is equal?

They Pelted Us With Rocks And Garbage

because he uses more public services. Take airports. Why do we support a network of small airfields, which are used exclusively by rich men?