Do lawmakers know that money is fungible? That nothing that is going on here is good for anything when compared to changing the income tax schedule for lower incomes?
periodic reminder that the bottom 50% of taxpayers in the US pay 3% of tax receipts. The net gain by USG is negative once all the externalities of taxes are factored in.
That’s income tax. Sales tax is a different story. In fact since wealthier people benefit from bulk discounts, I’d go so far as to guess that the poor pay proportionally more per, say, toilet paper roll.
periodic reminder that the bottom 50% of taxpayers in the US pay 3% of tax receipts. The net gain by USG is negative once all the externalities of taxes are factored in.
That’s income tax. Sales tax is a different story. In fact since wealthier people benefit from bulk discounts, I’d go so far as to guess that the poor pay proportionally more per, say, toilet paper roll.
True, though the negative externalities of consumption taxes are much lower.
I think it depends on the externality. Widespread destitution is itself a “public bad” when it impacts crime, public health, noise, etc