NYCPHP Meetup

[sbeam]

On Thursday 14 August 2008 10:25, you wrote:
> Well, that may be good for corporations, but regular people usually don't
> change their residence permanently just lower their tax burden. 

Usually not, but there is an effect - especially among those who can afford to 
move, which are exactly they ones you would like not to, from a revenue 
maximization perspective.



> > Higher taxes do not correlate to better living standards, but free
> > commerce and rule of law do.
>
> Then how come that the standard of living in Western Europe is better than
> in the US?

Even if it does, by some measure, that does not prove correlation or 
causation. High or low tax rates do not cause a high or low standard of 
living. A high standard of living enables a country or state to levy high 
taxes.

Education is a much better correlate, and you easily see where the causation 
is in that.

Anyway, the Soviet Union had rather high tax rates... obviously at either 
extreme things tend to go haywire. In between we just hope they spend some of 
the haul on something useful, once in a while it even happens.


> And the US companies are the nemesis of
> standardization and the US is one of the worst tariff offenders (with the
> EU up there). I don't know if you meant it as a comparison, but if one
> compares US/EU they each end up being as bad.

You are right about that, I was just talking about the economic benefits of 
regulated commerce among the member states, not general international trade 
issues. Don't think we need to get into that unless there is a degree from 
the University of NYPHP waiting at the end of this discussion.


> Wow, another innocent developer question entirely derailed just due to my
> doing. Sorry about that.

I know when is Social Studies class over? :) 


regards,
Sam