No More Taxes #
April 15th, 2008 | In Worth Considering
In a bit more tax-day fun, Richard Coniff argues for the abolition of taxes:
I propose we stop saying “taxes” and start calling them “dues.”
Yes, this is a little sneaky. Some conservatives may even call it Orwellian, and they ought to know. But the word “dues” also plays into the psychology of group identity, and that can work to the benefit of conservatives and liberals alike. Consider that “tax” comes from the Latin for “appraise” with punitive overtones of “censure” or “fault,” as if wage-earners have done something wrong by their labors. “Dues,” in contrast, is rooted in social obligation and duty.