If it's wrong to tax people out of their homes...

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by freemkt

...why is it apparently okay to tax renters out of their homes?

What is it about being a renter you do not understand? obvioulsy you are not being billed for the property taxes, but yes, your monthly rent is, in part, based on the overall cost of running a business which includes taxes, just like your grocery bill is based on cost, including taxes, etc.

I don't know if you just enjoy stirring up things, if you are someone who seems to always look at the negative side of everything or if you would be happier not living in a capitalistic country. You have stated before, you think the government should build inexpensive homes so more people could be property owners, you want job guarantees, and now it is rent controls in essence. I don't remember what else you have mentioned isn't fair and you do not like to see anyone make any money. Did you know there ae countries that offer everything you want, these countries are called communistic and while they offer government benefits, they do not offer "freedom of speech" like we have here in our country.

Nita

[ilushka]

Originally Posted by nmnita

What is it about being a renter you do not understand? obvioulsy you are not being billed for the property taxes, but yes, your monthly rent is, in part, based on the overall cost of running a business which includes taxes, just like your grocery bill is based on cost, including taxes, etc.

I don't know if you just enjoy stirring up things, if you are someone who seems to always look at the negative side of everything or if you would be happier not living in a capitalistic country. You have stated before, you think the government should build inexpensive homes so more people could be property owners, you want job guarantees, and now it is rent controls in essence. I don't remember what else you have mentioned isn't fair and you do not like to see anyone make any money. Did you know there ae countries that offer everything you want, these countries are called communistic and while they offer government benefits, they do not offer "freedom of speech" like we have here in our country.

Nita

The lack of freedom of speech has never been a requirement for a socialist or even a communist state. What you see in those countries is a result of desire for power and fear of loosing control by the "leaders" and has nothing to do with their supposed sociopolitical ideology. In fact, I will claim that our world has never witnessed true communism and probably never will since it requires for unrealistic ideals adopted by all its participants. And that is OK, there are a number of countries with higher standards of living than US and with freedom of speech that succesfully practice a healthy mix of socialism and capitalism.

When I think about socialism vs. capitalism debate I think of it in terms of adjusting socioeconomic "ceilings" and "floors". Do you want to live in a country where the sky is the limit to how much wealth you can accumilate but at the same time will allow you to fall into a bottomless void during hard times? Or do you want to live in a place where wealth accumilation is completely hampered by the state, which at the same time gurantees all the necessities of life [shelter, food, health care, etc] to its citizens? You probably want something in between. Remember that wealth is, more or less, a finite resource, when one person gets some another person looses some, so there always be "losers" on the bottom.

-- ilya