NationStates Jolt Archive

Brains of NSG pick this apart if you will.

I have long thought that a good idea for taxing corparations would be a voluntary mixed cash, stock or services tax.

Example:

The NHS worthy beast that it is, is in trouble again because of the 'postcode' lottery on drugs and health services.

Some drugs we are told are far to expensive to proscribe to some suffers, why then not take some taxes from some drug companies in the form of these drugs?

The goverment could create quite a stockpile, and offer them to us, cheaper, or indeed at not cost.

Railway upgrdades to expensive because of the cost of steel, why not take some tax from some steel manufactures in the form of steel.

Social houseing too expensive to build, why not take tax from some of the largest building firms in the form of services, equipment, and stock?

Okay that's the premise, good idea bad idea?

It's actually done on a local level sometimes. My local council made a condition of a developer getting planning permission for an estate them building a center for disabled children.

But it'd be complicated to implement, from a storage and logistics point of view, and that is the major failing of such a system on a large scale.

Railway upgrdades to expensive because of the cost of steel, why not take some tax from some steel manufactures in the form of steel.
How is it any better than taking their money, giving it to railroad companies, and letting them buy the steel?


Some drugs we are told are far to expensive to proscribe to some suffers
US healthcare system consists of all possible forms of corruption put together into a monopolistic complex. It's not even the cost of producing the drugs which is the issue.

How is it any better than taking their money, giving it to railroad companies, and letting them buy the steel?

The idea is to build up a stock pile of ummm stock. If you already have the steel, then no need to buy it at whatever the current market price is.



US healthcare system consists of all possible forms of corruption put together into a monopolistic complex. It's not even the cost of producing the drugs which is the issue.

I'm talking exclusivly about the UK, our NHS, drug companies and the prices they charge for said drugs.

Sounds sensible, dare i say obvious, to me though that pretty much guarantees that its in reality a load of nonsense

The idea is to build up a stock pile of ummm stock. If you already have the steel, then no need to buy it at whatever the current market price is.
And what's the favorable difference from taking the exact same amount in money and buying steel for it?



The huge problem with your system is waste. What if the government takes more steel than it needs? It will just lie there and rust.

But well, steel doesn't spoil fast. What about perishable food? What about taking what gov't has no possible use for? Like pro-anarchy posters.

How is it any better than taking their money, giving it to railroad companies, and letting them buy the steel?
Because then there's more opportunities for corruption and overcharging.

Because then there's more opportunities for corruption and overcharging.
Fine, but what if the 25% of steel the gov't takes away to be not enough? Back to buying?

What if 25% of whiskey it takes turns out to be too much?

And what's the favorable difference from taking the exact same amount in money and buying steel for it?

What if the price of steel goes up?



The huge problem with your system is waste. What if the government takes more steel than it needs? It will just lie there and rust.

But well, steel doesn't spoil fast. What about perishable food? What about taking what gov't has no possible use for? Like pro-anarchy posters.

Read the words 'voluntary' and 'some' in the OP.;)

Fine, but what if the 25% of steel the gov't takes away to be not enough? Back to buying?

What if 25% of whiskey it takes turns out to be too much?

As I said the idea is to build up a stockpile of useful items.

Fine, but what if the 25% of steel the gov't takes away to be not enough? Back to buying?
Or digging into old stores.
What if 25% of whiskey it takes turns out to be too much?
Presumably those companies that manufacture items without any practical use (like alcohol or luxury cars) would still pay their taxes in currency.
And you can never have "too much" hard liquor, as it will keep forever and requires only a place out of the sun to be stored.