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California is chasing wealth that has feet

293 points · 870 comments · idbnstra

  1. binlog · · focus · HN ↗
    Wealth taxes are a symptom of a broken tax system. If you let someone get to hundreds of billions in net worth and then realize they haven’t been appropriately paying back into the system, it’s already too late. Like the article says they can simply say “no” in a variety of ways, from fighting in court to simply leaving.
    1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
      If you let someone get to hundreds of billions in net worth and then realize they haven’t been appropriately paying back into the system, it’s already too late. Like the article says they can simply say “no” in a variety of ways, from fighting in court to simply leaving.

      It's only too late if you're timid and wimpy.

      1. pc86 · · focus · HN ↗
        And care about the rule of law. You cannot pass retroactive laws, you cannot pass laws that target individual people. If you pass a general law (which could very well have reasonable objections), people have to have a chance to leave.

        "I'm passing this law that is effective the exact millisecond I sign it, tough shit if you don't like it" is tyranny and despotism. But based on your comment I think you know that.

        1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
          > And care about the rule of law. You cannot pass retroactive laws, you cannot pass laws that target individual people. If you pass a general law...

          A wealth tax is not a retroactive law, nor something that targets an individual person. It's a "general law" in your parlance. Think about it.

          > If you pass a general law (which could very well have reasonable objections), people have to have a chance to leave.

          I don't think so. By what legal authority is that required?

          > "I'm passing this law that is effective the exact millisecond I sign it, tough shit if you don't like it" is tyranny and despotism. But based on your comment I think you know that.

          No, it's not, and don't be ridiculous. When they passed laws against date-rape, would you have judged it "tyranny and despotism" unless the law was delayed to give the date-rapers time to finish up the date-rapes they'd planned?

          There's no justice in giving the wealthy the maximum opportunity to pick and choose the laws that apply to them.

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