I would love to know what people think of this:
A Biblical Tax Policy? One Governor Says Yes
Alabama’s conservative Republican governor has created a new convergence of faith and politics. Citing his Christian faith, he’s calling for a $1.2 billion tax hike, largely on the backs of wealthier taxpayers, for the benefit of the poor.
It’s all adding up to the largest increase in the state’s history, and perhaps the first based on the Bible.
“Alabamians are a faithful people who believe that creating a better world for our children and helping our neighbors are both sacred duties,” Riley wrote in explaining his tax plan.
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Phil Lawler pointed out a few days ago that you can present statistics to argue any position you want about income inequality and tax burdens.
You can express tax-hikes and -cuts as absolute dollar figures, as percentages of income, or as percentages of the existing tax. You can include or exclude projected impacts based on anticipated changes in the behavior of taxpayers; and you can draw different conclusions each way about the justice of the proposals.
Of course our tax system should express values: in particular, the value of justice – but since reasonable men of good will and even men of faith will disagree on particular measures, we can’t expect anything more than a rough approximation of justice, based on compromises.
There actually is a Commandment relevant to the debate: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
If God wanted me to pay more taxes, He would have given me more money! Seriously though, it’s kind of sleazy to hide behind God when raising taxes. I am against raising taxes at any level, especially in an economy like this.
Perhaps it’s good spiritual food for this psuedo-Republican, but it’s going to be reallllll bad for re-election.
“…equality of wealth can only be acheived through enormous inequality of power. A few men must be given more power than others- which inevitably means coercive power over those others.” Joseph Sobaran
Taking money from some by force or threat of imprisonment and giving it to others is evil. As Christians we are obligated to help those in need; with our own money. Let the politician get out his own checkbook if he wants to help the poor. But it is wrong to use his power to force others to do the same.
The quote is by Joseph “SOBRAN”. Sorry, Joe!
When the Israelites were demanding a king, Samuel gave them this stern warning: “He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants… He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves…” (1 Sam. 8:15-18). THAT was the doomsday, worst-case scenario Samuel gave to the people: TEN PERCENT! I wonder if THAT will make it into Gov. Riley’s budget.