“The current rate of exchange is around $1.50 to the pound. When I tell my American friends that anyone earning the equivalent of $66,900 a year in Britain pays income tax at 40 per cent, they don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Any American politician who suggested such a thing would be vaporised before he could make his first TV advert. Even Mr Obama, the most Left-wing president in a generation, would think it outrageous. In fact, he said last week, in a keynote flog-the-rich speech, that no one earning less than $250,000 a year (the majority of Americans, as he put it) should have his taxes raised. He presumably would not adopt the Cameron-Clegg-Miliband definition of “the wealthy” to mean anybody earning a bit more than the average. Just as a matter of interest, he also stated last week that one exemption that he would not tamper with was the tax relief on charitable giving. Even for a Left-wing president, that would be going too far.”
– Janet Daley
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Samizdata quote of the dayApril 15th, 2012 |
 10 comments to Samizdata quote of the day |
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Yeah, but we love it. And things are much more civilised here, thanks to the NHS and comprehensive welfare. Or haven’t her American friends noticed?
Yes, it always makes me chuckle at the notion that the UK is more ‘civilised’ or that the NHS is something to be proud of (that ‘envy of the world’ that for some strange reason very few first world nations have tried to emulate).
Hey, I still think that a great t-shirt slogan is- “The only goog tax…. is a dead one!”
Feel fre to replace ‘goog’ with ‘good’…..
Feel free to replace ‘fre’ with ‘free’… *sigh*
To be honest, being from the UK, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry either!
Hey! Nuke, I want a “Fre the goog” T-shirt! :p
“Even Mr Obama, the most Left-wing president in a generation, would think it outrageous. In fact, he said last week, in a keynote flog-the-rich speech, that no one earning less than $250,000 a year (the majority of Americans, as he put it) should have his taxes raised.” Actually, barring an act of Congress, we’ll all of us US income tax payers have our taxes raised next year. You see, when the Dems controlled the gov before the last election and after the one before that, they extended the “Bush tax cuts”, but that law expires with the current calendar year.
Yes Matt Cooper – Comrade Barack (called by Mr Cameron a “great moral example for the world”) is lying – as he does so often (on just about everything).
However, the point of the post remains valid.
For example, even if the cut in the top rate of income tax from 50% to 45% happens next year (my opinion is that the budget in 2013 will cancel the cut – due to the “emergency conditions”) the INCREASES in property taxation that are imposed will take FIVE TIMES MORE MONEY from the wealthy than the “tax cut” will “give back” (i.e. supposedly not take).
And if people find ways round the property tax increases?
Then the government will change the law with RETROSPECTIVE EFFECT to rob people anyway.
Do people understand now why I urged people who could to leave Britain?
Although with such international elite action as the regulation orgy (out to destroy private investing) currently being pushed through the Swiss Parliament does raise the question of “where do people run to?”
Back to Britain….
There are many other “little” taxes in the budget – such a as 20% tax (VAT) on church repairs (which will help destroy the independence of the churches).
And, of course, the 40% tax is being extended to people on incomes lower down the income chain.
All the while the media (like trained seals) are complaining about “tax cuts for the rich”.
And the “business newspaper”, the Financial Times, is saying that the American government should allow people to default on their mortgages (but keep the houses), and denounces Spain for even talking about reducing government spending.
I have often wondered how I would feel when things moved towards the end.
Would I (as some people suggested I would) feel a perverted pleasure at my predictions comming true?
Well I do not feel any such pleasure.
I feel empty, empty and tired.
I just want to go to sleep and not wake up.
Paul, forget the meme “moving towards the end” (for it is a meme used by those with an agenda- it engenders depression and is mostly not a useful idea)… anyway, end is just a beginning looked at from the wrong side, any end/beginning is always in the right here and now…
..rather look at it as a story in which you have been gifted an insight. Your insight makes visible to you all the nasty things that those who currently hold the strings of power work hard to keep hidden by the “narrative”. That in itself puts you in a unique position to make a difference by starting something.
Instead of going to sleep stay circumspect- awake and on the ball – and you will find ‘openings”, where a little bit of knowledge can be inserted to make “stuff” happen.
Why rail at being unable to cure the world- which is beyond any mere mortal – just kindle a little flame. For the smallest of flames is all it takes to start the largest of fires… provided you light it in the right time and place!
Keep your eyes open for where and how the littlest of your knowledge can be most effective.
And… May the wind be with you…
– Hmm‘bi wan kenobi 🙂
What Hmm said – well done, sir.