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We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

propublica.org

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Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#31

Post by xutopia »

failwhaleshark wrote: post #21
bwestergard wrote: post #7

In Finland, everyone's taxable income is a matter of public record. One theoretical benefit of such a policy is that it eliminates information asymmetries between workers and employers in wage bargaining.

That makes the lives of gold-diggers easier too. If it were opt-in that would be fine, otherwise it's an invasion of privacy of most people who aren't rich. It's almost as bad as having medical conditions and STIs test results listed publicly. Facilitating public exposure of counting other people's money doesn't help anyone except the rich to know if you can fight them in court or how much to bribe them. Fight wealth…

Funny thing my STI results are shared with my sexual partners and their partners too. It doesn't bother me one bit.

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#32

Post by user3939382 »

mlac wrote: post #24

I would really just like a flat tax. No loopholes or deductions. Very simple. It should not take a masters degree to understand the tax code. I recognize this is one of the main ways Policy is implemented (incentives can drive certain behavior), but we’ve got hundreds of years of complexity going on and I wouldn’t mind simplifying this. I don’t know where to start though.

Unfortunately Intuit (Turbotax) and the CPA trade groups lobby against any tax simplification whenever it comes up. Regulatory capture of our political process has corrupted it at every turn.

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#33

Post by nicoburns »

bko wrote: post #8
exotree wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are not private individuals. They are individuals that are of public interest (much like celebrities) and hold significant sway over communities (much like public officials). This is pretty standard legal precedent.

So privacy is only for those that aren't celebrities? Do you have some barometer for what makes a "celebrity"? Blue check mark? Right to privacy is a human right. Do you agree? If so, are there classes of human rights that aren't applicable to some groups of individuals?

> Right to privacy is a human right. Do you agree? If so, are there classes of human rights that aren't applicable to some groups of individuals?

Yes, but right to extreme wealth isn't. I don't think people should be able to control this amount of wealth at all, but while they can I think public scrutiny over their finances is entirely reasonable.

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#34

Post by eplanit »

Large grain of salt required. But, at least they were honest enough to state (in the middle of the article), that the information on which this is based is suspect:

"We do not know the identity of our source. We did not solicit the information they sent us. The source says they were motivated by our previous coverage of issues surrounding the IRS and tax enforcement, but we do not know for certain that is true. We have considered the possibility that information we have received could have come from a state actor hostile to American interests."

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#35

Post by sokoloff »

xutopia wrote: post #31
failwhaleshark wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That makes the lives of gold-diggers easier too. If it were opt-in that would be fine, otherwise it's an invasion of privacy of most people who aren't rich. It's almost as bad as having medical conditions and STIs test results listed publicly. Facilitating public exposure of counting other people's money doesn't help anyone except the rich to know if you can fight them in court or how much to bribe them. Fight wealth…

Funny thing my STI results are shared with my sexual partners and their partners too. It doesn't bother me one bit.

By you and them? Laudable and sensible.

By the government? What business is it of the government to even know who my sexual partner(s) is/are (especially for a negative test result)?

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#36

Post by anovikov »

bwestergard wrote: post #7

In Finland, everyone's taxable income is a matter of public record. One theoretical benefit of such a policy is that it eliminates information asymmetries between workers and employers in wage bargaining.

You mean that workers know incomes of other workers in the same company and role and thus there is no way to negotiate wages with people individually basically linking them to their negotiation skills?

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#37

Post by jeffreyrogers »

bwestergard wrote: post #7

In Finland, everyone's taxable income is a matter of public record. One theoretical benefit of such a policy is that it eliminates information asymmetries between workers and employers in wage bargaining.

Interesting. It seems to work for Finland. In some countries it would probably make you a kidnapping target.

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#38

Post by dnautics »

deeblering4 wrote: post #22
bko wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it's just as unethical in that case as well

Are you suggesting that the top “earners” who manipulate their taxes are acting ethically? These people deserve (and can afford) every ounce of scrutiny they receive.

Suppose I like to donate to nonprofits supporting political dissidents of another nation and that makes me an assassination target, or hell political or adjacent orgs in this country (BLM, PP, NRA) and that makes me a harassment target

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#39

Post by anovikov »

lmilcin wrote: post #28
mlac wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would also think that this makes neighborhoods less financially diverse. I can’t see someone with a higher than average income moving into a neighborhood knowing that their neighbors might make 1/4th as much. It puts a target on them.

You obviously haven't been to Finland. In Scandinavia, the approach to other person earning couple of times more than you could be summarized by "good for you".

But earning couple of times less lol? ) I don't think anyone at all wants live in a place where most people earn a lot less than themselves.

Re: We are publishing the tax secrets of the .001%

#40

Post by mistrial9 »

bwestergard wrote: post #7

In Finland, everyone's taxable income is a matter of public record. One theoretical benefit of such a policy is that it eliminates information asymmetries between workers and employers in wage bargaining.

some countries have a social "fabric" .. the USA is a geographic location with English-style law, and a lot of people who are very divided and increasingly antagonistic.. Try to build the Roman Empire, and you get Roman Empire problems in your population..
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