Create a New Forum Admin Login Member Login Contribute to Voyager Search VoyForums Help Desk VoyForums Exchange VoyForums Directory/Categories VoyForums Homepage VoyForums News FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

05/18/26 8:18:14pm

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5 ]

Subject: taxes as a tool Author: krz [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 11/ 8/04 10:54:10am In reply to: tzz, all-knowing moderator 's message, "i moved your post here, krz [healthcare]" on 11/ 7/04 8:28:00pm still working off the original link from tjm... If the argument is that imposing a 'use tax' is not a way to influence behavior (doesn't force change because the 'cost' isn't enough), does the opposite hold? That is, do tax breaks act as a reward for good behavior? Here's my conundrum... It would seem to me the logic that underlies the argument for imposing use taxes is that taxing in general is not an effective means of behavior modification (in part, too small a 'hit' to influence choice behaviors because the impact is so distributed). If this assumption holds, then rewards for good behavior should also be off the table (like tax incentives to buy energy efficient appliances, tax breaks for establishing health care spending accounts or child care accounts). I understand the difference between a distributed tax, and a taxing reward is the imposition of a tax on those who may not participate in the behavior in question - and then would be viewed as an unfair punishment. But, from a behavioral psychology perspective, aren't we talking about 2 faces of the same coin? In behavioral psych terms - negative reinforcement (the removal of something you like - such as money) and positive reinforcement (the addition of something you like - such as money) are both used to reinforce change, and the 'laws' that govern these approaches seem to be rather similar. I do believe rewarding behavior (especially making small business risk less financially adverse) through the tax code is considered a meaningful tool of the Bush administration. Is this the start of the flat tax argument? [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Subject Author Date Re: cost of health krz 11/ 8/04 11:01:04am could you explain this again. slower? [the taxes as tool post] (NT) tjm 11/ 9/04 9:29:10pm 2nd attempt at taxes -- krz, 11/10/04 2:26:01pm t-h-a-n-k y-o-u. that was slow enough for me. -- tjm, 11/11/04 9:40:16am