Cohousing-L Mailing List: Progressive taxation

[Racheli Gai (racheli]

David wrote:

>> Never mind for the moment that the rich have found many other ways to shift
>> the balance the other way (other regressive taxes, inferior services in
>> poorer communities, corporate welfare, etc.). The principle of progressive
>> taxation is well established, anyway, so far managing to weather the
>> blistering ideological attack that has been launched by the far right
>> lately.

And Sharon responded:
>Error in logic here. How can the principle of progressive taxation "be
>well-established" if it does not work in practice? Is there any evidence
>that those who have more money pay _proportionately_ more in taxes?

Countries where there is Progressive taxation have smaller numbers of poor
people, and less of the problems which come with large numbers of people
who don't make it.  As the gap between rich and poor widens (which happens
with regressive taxation) - crime rates rise, and other social ills
manifest themselves.
Israel of my childhood compared to Israel of today is a case in point (at
least in terms of the Jewish population).

>Does this concept create "better" communities. Not is it fair or "well
>established" or whatever, but how does it affect the community in which
>it is practiced? How do neighbors feel about each other under the system
>used?

But you (Sharon) are talking about a "better" community too, except that
for you it has a different meaning: 
We all bring our values to what we see as desirable in cohousing.
Progressive people who believe in social/economic justice bring it with
them, conservatives (I'm using the term loosely, so I hope no one feels
obliged to bite my head off) bring something else...   I know that there
is a view that cohousers are progressives, but IMO most of the ones I met
or heard from are still fairly mainstream. And in mainstream America,
these days, progressive taxation equals subsidizing, which is a DIRTY
word.  It's a sign of how much to the right the whole political debate has
shifted (at least from Reagan on).


>This list is about building communities, cohousing communities
>specifically. Established communities have the opportunity to look at how
>their community works -- well or badly -- and share that with communities
>that are just forming.

>Perhaps we could ground our arguments in our experience or the actual,
>researched and studied experience of others and that would produce a more
>helpful discussion.

"Researched and studied experience" has biases too, and people gravitate
towards the stuff which supports their values and outlook.
This isn't an academic discussion, and while it's useful when people offer
evidence, when applicable, I think it's fine for people to put forth their
ideas and feelings.  *My* criteria for a good discussion is that people
are actually trying to listen/understand other POV's, even (or especially)
when they disagree, and that everyone attempts to behave peacefully and
avoid attacking others, in obvious or subtle ways.

R.

 
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racheli [at] sonoracohousing.com (Racheli Gai)
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