Comments on: Dworkin on Taxes and Legitimacy http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/ The Sweet Release of Reason Tue, 22 May 2012 20:28:45 +0000 hourly 1 By: Will Wilkinson http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17843 Will Wilkinson Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:29:41 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17843 Right! So it's also ridiculous to claim we're not spending enough. SS and medicare need not eat up an increasing portion of the budget. Forced savings into personal retirement and medical accounts can play most of Dworkin's social insurance function perfectly well while, over time, taking most of those costs off the budget. Meanwhile, there's all that money we're spending on helicopters. Right! So it's also ridiculous to claim we're not spending enough. SS and medicare need not eat up an increasing portion of the budget. Forced savings into personal retirement and medical accounts can play most of Dworkin's social insurance function perfectly well while, over time, taking most of those costs off the budget. Meanwhile, there's all that money we're spending on helicopters.

]]> By: Will Wilkinson http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17842 Will Wilkinson Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:29:41 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17842 Right! So it's also ridiculous to claim we're not spending enough. SS and medicare need not eat up an increasing portion of the budget. Forced savings into personal retirement and medical accounts can play most of Dworkin's social insurance function perfectly well while, over time, taking most of those costs off the budget. Meanwhile, there's all that money we're spending on helicopters. Right! So it's also ridiculous to claim we're not spending enough. SS and medicare need not eat up an increasing portion of the budget. Forced savings into personal retirement and medical accounts can play most of Dworkin's social insurance function perfectly well while, over time, taking most of those costs off the budget. Meanwhile, there's all that money we're spending on helicopters.

]]> By: GU http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17841 GU Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:39:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17841 Social Security + Medicare + Welfare/Unemployment + Medicaid = ~53% of U.S. Federal spending in 2008. <br><br><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fy2008spendingbycategory.png" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fy2008spendi...</a><br><br>We could certainly administer our wealth redistribution in a more efficient manner. Something like Friedman's Negative Income Tax, or Murray/Van Parijs's guaranteed minimum income would probably increase benefits paid out at a lower cost, while giving the poor better incentives to be productive. Social Security + Medicare + Welfare/Unemployment + Medicaid = ~53% of U.S. Federal spending in 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fy2008spendi…

We could certainly administer our wealth redistribution in a more efficient manner. Something like Friedman's Negative Income Tax, or Murray/Van Parijs's guaranteed minimum income would probably increase benefits paid out at a lower cost, while giving the poor better incentives to be productive.

]]> By: Alab Gunn http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17840 Alab Gunn Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:32:46 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17840 All of Dworkin's work reaches the same conclusion: Fundamental principles of morality require whatever the Democrats are currently asking for. This is a very popular line in academic circles, and Dworkin has done well there. All of Dworkin's work reaches the same conclusion: Fundamental principles of morality require whatever the Democrats are currently asking for. This is a very popular line in academic circles, and Dworkin has done well there.

]]> By: Andrew N http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17839 Andrew N Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:17:23 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17839 Maybe you've written about this elsewhere, but why is it that reducing military spending appeals to what could be termed the radical left AND the radical right (not in the focus on the family sense, but, mainly libertarian), and seemingly no one in between. (Though McCain made some vague comments about military contracts during the debate.)<br><br>Does this imply the possibility of some kind of future re-alignment between those who are either morally opposed to excessive intervention or opposed on economic/budget reasons? And, is there a name for this sort of movement? <br><br>Anyway, I like checking in with your blog on occasion, tired as I am with the mainstream discourse. Maybe you've written about this elsewhere, but why is it that reducing military spending appeals to what could be termed the radical left AND the radical right (not in the focus on the family sense, but, mainly libertarian), and seemingly no one in between. (Though McCain made some vague comments about military contracts during the debate.)

Does this imply the possibility of some kind of future re-alignment between those who are either morally opposed to excessive intervention or opposed on economic/budget reasons? And, is there a name for this sort of movement?

Anyway, I like checking in with your blog on occasion, tired as I am with the mainstream discourse.

]]> By: Jack http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/10/09/dworkin-on-taxes-and-legitimacy/#comment-17838 Jack Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:41:08 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1963#comment-17838 I don't think reducing military spending, in a any dramatic way is nearly as political viable as the legalization of all recreational drugs.<br><br>Maybe Dworkin is just being realistic? I don't think reducing military spending, in a any dramatic way is nearly as political viable as the legalization of all recreational drugs.

Maybe Dworkin is just being realistic?

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