But what's "fair?"
A TV news segment yesterday covered an oddity: differing prices being charged for the exact same web-delivered service (online SAT tutoring), depending on where customers lived, possibly their ethnic background and possibly -- the reporter made particular mention of this -- "economic class."
It all seems hinky; if both the Smiths and Ramirezes receive the same web-tutoring, should one pay more and the other less simply because Dr. Ramirez lives in Chillicothe while Mrs. Smith scrubs floors in Elmira? Unfairness!
But try this on for unfairness: Smith's Janitorial pulls in a couple million profit a year, while Dr. Ramirez is still finishing his internship at City General and does well to keep the rent paid. Consequently, Mrs. Smith pays a higher percentage of her income in taxes than Doc does -- so not only does she pay more for the exact same amount of government he gets, they don't even pay the same proportion of their income for it. --And most people are okay with that; others might argue that a "flat tax" (both pay the same percentage -- ten or fifty percent, whatever) would be "fairer," and yet they'd still be paying different prices for the same service!
We're not okay with that when it's a business doing it. Why is it okay when a government puts a thumb on the scales?
But But But...."Fair share"!. Progressive taxes help the downtrodden. Path to success. Upward mobility.....Close the "wage gap".
ReplyDeleteI think I got all the slogans there.....
AMEN!
ReplyDeletegfa
ReplyDeleteClue me, please.
Now, did the company charge poorer customers less and wealthier customers more?
@B: You forgot "For the children!"
ReplyDelete:P
Anon: why is the one worse than the other? Is it okay to shortchange a rich guy but not okay to do the same to his pool boy?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete"Anon: why is the one worse than the other?"
I see what you're saying, it just seems kinda like reverse-discrimination to me...
Plain discrimination, reverse discrimination: it's still discrimination. It's still charging one guy one price and a different guy another price for the exact same goods and services -- and in a non-transparent, non-negotiable way.
ReplyDelete(A caveat: taxes are at least "transparent," and anyone on the steeper parts of the slope is mindful of "bracket creep" caused by bonuses or overtime pay. I wonder how often the very well off decide stop stop becoming better off, when the tax rate levels out their actual income? Are we to assume they're keeping their money in vast vaults like Scrooge McDuck?)