For Good And Evil: The Teaching Of Charles Adams Lesson 5

November 22, 2021 - Participants Include:

John Richardson - @Expatriationlaw

Jimmy Sexton - @JimmySextonLLM

 

Continuing our podcast series:

For Good And Evil Podcast 1 - October 25, 2021

For Good And Evil Podcast 2 - November 1, 2021

For Good And Evil Podcast 3 - November 8, 2021

For Good And Evil Podcast 4 - November 15, 2021

 

In this episode we continue with The Teaching of Charles Adams Lesson 5:

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5. "When wars or other great emergencies demand great revenues, then all citizens should be taxed according to what they are worth by equitable principles, not odious arbitrariness."

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Interestingly Mr. Adams uses the word "citizens". I doubt that this is an endorsement of citizenship-based taxation. Yet it does reflect a common assumption (especially when the book was published 30 years ago) that citizens are residents and that residents are citizens.

In this episode we extend our discussion into the world of the covid-19 epidemic. Surely this would qualify as an example of "other great emergencies". What is meant by "equitable principles"? What is "odious arbitrariness"?

- is a "citizenship taxation" the equivalent of a "poll tax"?

- is the taxation of Americans abroad while refusing to provide covid-19 vaccines to Americans abroad an example of  arbitrariness which follows or violates the principle of "equitable principles"?

- the United States has different tax systems for different kinds of people and these systems are examples of the "separate but equal" principle. Is the establishment of different tax systems for different groups a violation of the principle of equality or an enhancement of the principle of equality?