A Christian Argument for Progressive Taxes
Diane Butler Bass writes that as a Christian she enjoys paying taxes.
Wednesday morning, at 9 a.m. sharp, I took my tax payment to the local post office. When I handed it to the clerk, she said, “I hate tax day.” I replied, “Not me. I don’t love parting with the money, but I kinda like it. That check is a bargain — roads, schools, medical care, social security, and the freedom of living in the greatest country in the world. It is patriotism by checkbook. Why should I hate it?”
Many of the readers here feel this way — taxes are a pretty good deal.
Please go read the article.
I particulary like this bit where she Butler Bass quotes Professor Vida Scudder, a social gospel theologian from the early 1900s, as saying:
Now in view of Christ’s persistent feeling that it is dangerous to be rich — a feeling that no subtle exegesis has ever succeeded in explaining away — one might have expected to see His disciples, His Church, eagerly welcome the plan and press it with enthusiasm.
And then there is the whole Christian morality ethic:
Part of the new social ethic was the idea of a progressive income tax, whereby the richer members of society would pay a greater share to care for those of lesser means. The progressive income tax was passed in 1913, but many Christians groused about it — a bit like today’s conservative Christians holding “tea parties.”
h/t to Kentucky’s Levellers
Tags: Hypocrisy
You miss the point. A tax system designed to produce revenue will fail every time just as our system does.
If you use some logic and allow it produce savings, growth and investment you will have more revenue.
Also, the more complex you make it the less revenue you will get.
It is a shame.
Mike Protack
Vapid, tired, boilerplate horseshit. Anyone else tired of this garbage from Mike or is it just me? Get with the fucking program, dude. I heard this from college Republicans in the 80s. You are so fucking lame.
At least you gave up on the ‘rebuilding’ bit… now the genertic DE REPUB… your opinions are so attractive… christ almighty…
Mr. Shallow Bench is an idiot.
Taxes are meant to produce revenue by definition. You won’t be paying for repaving the interstate or for the local police with belt buckles, you know.
Low taxes have no relation to growth and investment as the last 8 years have more than proven.
More Talking Point Fail.
EDIT — The real shame of this is that there is an interesting argument for paying taxes from a Christian perspective, that one of the so-called repub Christians here never even engaged with. All he did was come out of his cage to crap on this thread with more of the usual talking points. It is disrepectful, but better behavior from this wannabe GOP thug is probably too much to hope for.
Hey DG, if the Republicans are now making arguments from the 80s that means they’ve progressed. I’ve guess they’ve decided that the 60s are over then?
A tax system designed to produce revenue will fail every time just as our system does.
What does that even mean? Also, why does he hate America?
Republicans,
I beg of you, please do not let that nit wit represent you again.
Jason,
He’s speaking Sarah Palin-ese. It sounds and looks like English, but doesn’t make any sense.
Pay to Ceasar what is Ceasars and Pay to GOD what is GOD’S
BTW when has a Republican President ever balance the Budget?
Maybe people like this should channel some of that socalled Ronald Reagan optimism into giving this President a shot at fixing the problems that that adherance to Reagan”s policies and therories on the economy caused