More Tax or Less Tax?

February 13, 2010 by  
Filed under Super Earners

In representative democracies, tax policy, and public policy, generally, are a function of opinion and partisan
control of government.

policy formula

where O is opinion and I is partisan control of government. According to a CBS News opinion poll, 74% of US earners support higher taxes on super earners to redress inequality. Financial Times / Harris polling shows similar sentiment for the UK (56%), France(51%), Italy(59%), Spain(65%), Germany(64%), China(60%) and Japan(77%). US top tax rates are near historic lows. Given historical cyclicality - the Great Recession and war - the Federal deficit, and the mood amongst the earning public, top tax rates are very likely to rise. Only 1 question remains: What's the most important action you can take to mitigate the rise? Action 1: Influence partisan control. Contribute to the political party or candidate of your choice. Efficacy: Reversible change. Whatever your party achieves today can be undone tomorrow by the next party in power. Breadth of change is limited to your country. Action 2: Influence opinion. Contribute a recommended minimum 3% of your pay to the earning public using Open Pay. Efficacy: Permanent change. Like Facebook's shifting of attitudes towards privacy, Open Pay shifts attitudes towards inequality and the need for increased taxes on super earners like you. Breadth of change spans the globe. top US tax rates Action 2 makes trickle down REAL for earners. Either action is tax deductible in the US. But, only action 2 enhances your reputation for social responsibility, improves the economy, and helps ameliorate many social ills like violence, lack of trust and mental illness, which all rise in proportion to inequality. Action 2 is preemptive, strategic and 4X as efficient as taxation at reducing inequality by putting money directly into earner's pockets based on merit (relative person to person influence). So, it will mean less less taxation for you in the years to come. Chances are you've tried action 1, and observed, first hand, the limits of partisanship. Instead, why not gain instant street credibility with earners, and dampen the call for higher taxes by opening your pay? Maximize your impact on the world by joining your super earning peers in explosive action that gives you the biggest bang for the buck, for only slightly more than what you're probably donating, on average, to charity today. Last, but not least, action 2 feels better than action 1. So, feel better and sign up!