There's a Reason I Love Polly So Much

No, really, I do. As my shtick as a blogger is to search out economic and logical errors in the writings of others I know I'll never be short of material as long as she is writing. Today she says:

Yesterday, June 2, was what the Adam Smith Institute calls "Tax Freedom Day - the day in the year we stop working for the government and start working for ourselves". It looks pretty shocking, doesn't it? You toil for five months for HM Revenue and Customs like a serf in the feudal fields before you start farming your own meagre strips. Except, of course, it's a nonsense average as if we all paid the same tax. As with everything in this most unequal country, it all depends on who you are.

Now yes, I should mention that I am linked to the ASI (I'm a Fellow there) but what she's deliberately avoiding is that income tax is not the only tax that is paid. Indeed, it's actually true that the poor pay a higher proportion of their incomes in tax than do the rich, for many of the taxes other than income tax are in fact regressive. As one particular journalist has been known to mention.

Here:

A speech like that would warm the cockles of the 90% of voters who earn too little to enter the 40% tax bracket - under £35,000 - yet still pay more of their earnings in tax.

Here:

What about "fairness" in taxes - rebalanced so those at the bottom don't pay more of their income than those at the top?

Here:

What happened this week accelerates the need for a Turner-type inquiry into tax. Choices need to be aired so people can understand and support a fairer system where the poorest no longer pay a higher proportion than the rich.

Here:

The bottom 10% are taxed more than the top 10%, VAT at such a high rate is deeply regressive,

Here:

What is more, "double taxation" is paid in VAT, on petrol, alcohol and council tax, all paid out of taxed money.

And, of course, here:

So when the Adam Smith Institute issues its annual bleat about "tax freedom day" falling on June 1 this year - the theoretical moment when citizens stop working for the state and start working for themselves - they never say how much earlier that day comes for top City tax avoiders than for those on average pay.

I'll leave it to you to work out which journalist it is that pays such attention to this issue, shall I?

Truly a national treasure don't you think?

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