Originally Posted by
nextbigthing
el Z, If National want to build infrastructure and can do it for 33% tax instead of 39% then that sounds like a good deal. So the rest is Labour deciding 'what's fair' and the whole idea of them deciding what's fair isn't fair!!! If National spend the rest on hospitals and schools as you say, that's probably fine by 95% on Nzers.
I see what you're saying about minimum wage reducing taxpayer support - but it doesn't add up economically. I know DC pointed at some studies claiming it's not true, but almost every single economist argues it is true. And just apply some logic, do you think people would hire a worker for 5c an hour? Do you think they'd hire one for $1000 an hour? Of course the rate you pay someone affects job losses/creation. Minimum wage increase cannot be done by the stroke of a pen. An entry level economics paper at Uni will demostrate this. So that's unfortunately a myth. $18 would be great, don't get me wrong.
Regarding Musicians, yes NZ would be dull if you couldn't see live music at the weekend. But that's a hobby for people. Don't tax me 39% so people can enjoy their hobby. I like aviation. How would you like it if you were taxed 42% so that I could enjoy cheaper flying at the weekends subsidised by you? Sure it's not a hobby for the musicians, but once again, they have a choice!!! Don't tax me more so they can choose to be musicians!!!
Interesting you bring up cover charges at pubs. I completely agree that's a great way to do it. Musician gets paid more and people only pay if they want music. But that is very very interesting, because (please keep an open mind on this) - the solution you have just come up with is user pays! Freedom of choice and the individual. That is a fundamental point of the centre right - I hope from this you see that the National way of doing it isn't that bad! Tax only what we have to for schools, hospitals, those who can't help themselves etc and then let people decide what they want to do with their money and lives etc.
Yes there's a place for Government, but not for a Government telling us how to live. National provides the balance between protecting those who need help and providing services like hospitals, but not socially engineering. Labour tinkers with society, ACT probably doesn't have enough of a safety net. National is the happy medium.