Monday, August 8, 2011

Taxation

Governments need taxes to keep working. It is amoral, it is wrong, but it is a small evil we have to live with.

How much they tax is a question that should be discussed.

I think they should only tax the better-off with no more than 20% (usually 10-15%). That money should go to police and courts, that are the only branches of the government who actually do government duty (Which is to protect the individual citizens). Of course, some believe that education and transportation (among others) should also be government tasks. That doesn't mean we have the right to force people to pay for them.

I think that for those kind of services there should be an Opt-Out tax. That means, unless you explicitly say you wish to give no money to pay for, for example children education (Shame on you) you'd have to pay for it. I think most people would gladly pay for it, but it is important that the choice remains theirs. For without choice, we are no better than savages.

My views on government

Throughout life, Humanity has been used to have very powerful governments, be that monarchs, dictators, or whatever name they prefer. It is no coincidence, that the smaller (less powerful) the governments have become, the better off their citizens have been. Governments usually accomplish wars, destruction, theft, corruption, and little else.

I strongly believe governments ought to be as little as possible. Their only duty is to allow people to pursuit happiness and their interests without interfering, and protect them from others, by means of Police and Courts, who may wish to interfere.

No group of individuals may tell somebody else how to live their life. They may beg or implore them, but the choice is up to them.
That means that the government should not be able to prohibit anything to anyone (provided it causes no harm to others).

Governments don't own money. They use money of productive people by means of coercion. As it is not their money, they tend to think of it as unlimited (If they want to pay for X, just take more away from Y.) That means that they make first the plans AND THEN see how to get the money (Let me stress out, money that's not theirs!) That's why they take debt. To pay for it, either they take more money from more people, or just let human beings that have not been born pay for it.

I think governments should make their plans ACCORDING to their budget (Not spend more money than they should). To get the money, they have to tax citizens. These taxes ought to be as small as possible. If they don't mess with the economy, it will grow. It is more to have 10% of 1000 than to have 50% of 100. In other words, By lower taxes, the tax revenues will grow, and the government can afford to pay the police men,teachers, judges, etc.
If by any chance, some natural resources monopoly (For example Oil) is already in hands of the government, they should keep it that way, running it as a for-profit organization with the government as shareholder. And then don't charge taxes at all.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Liberty and Tolerance

Our only goal in life is the pursuit of happiness (while living in proximity to other human beings).

That means that we ought to do as we wish as long as we don't interfere with others. Simple Logic. Common sense.

But somehow this basic principle keeps being perverted. Majorities often limit the liberty of individuals even if they're just 'minding their own business'. We see these things everyday and think they're ok. Be that excessive taxes, illegality of drugs, or gay relationships being forbidden.

On what grounds, may I ask? According to whom? What standards?

How is It that your work doesn't belong to you?

Who is to tell you that you can't use your body as you will, or use substances you believe, will increase your happiness?

and since when can someone decide who can you love or spend your life with?


Tolerance doesn't imply you have to like something. Just that you have to let it be. The only thing that a society ought to do is protect you right to do whatever you want.

Libros que he leido

Estos son los libros que me he leido hasta el momento. los recomiendo todos. No estan en el orden que me los lei.

1 The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
2 Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
3 Anthem - Ayn Rand
4 We the Living - Ayn Rand
5 For the New Intellectual - Ayn Rand
6 Philosophy: Who needs It - Ayn Rand
7 Harry Potter II
8 Harry Potter III
9 Harry Potter IV
10 Harry Potter V
11 Harry Potter VI
12 Harry Potter VII
13 Luces Del Norte
14 La Daga
15 El Catalejo Lacado
16 Alexandros I
17 Alexandros II
18 Alexandros III
19 Rey Arturo
20 Rey Arturo II
21 La Momia - Anne Rice
22 Entrevista con El Vampiro
23 El Santuario
24 Armand, el vampiro
25 La Reina de los Condenados
26 Los Reyes Malditos I
27 Los Reyes Malditos II
28 Los Reyes Malditos III
29 Los Reyes Malditos IV
30 Atila, El Azote de Dios
31 La Espada de Atila
32 El tirano (de Siracusa)
33 La Ultima Legion
34 The Catcher In the Rye
35 A Long Way gone
36 Pedro Paramo
37 Llano en Llamas
38 Aura
39 Anibal
40 El Tunel - Sabato
41 100 años de soledad
42 EL Hobbit
43 La Conspiracion
44 Angeles y Demonios
45 El Codigo Da Vinci
46 El Psicoanalista
47 Animal Farm
48 The importance of Being Ernest
49 Wicked
50 EL Zorro
51 La ciudad de Las Bestias
52 El reino del Dragon de Oro
53 El bosque de los Pigmeos
54 Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
55 El Mundo de Sofia
56 Ilicito
57 El Arte de La Guerra
58 What I learned at HBS
59 El pistolero
60 El Regreso del Idiota
61 Marco Polo
62 Marco Polo II
63 Facebook for Business
64 El Principe
65 Freedom
66 El Retrato de Dorian Grey
67 El alquimista
68 El Inquisidor
69 Cleopatra
70 Freakonomics
71 Crazy
72 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
73 The Girl who played with Fire
74 Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest
75 Game of Thrones
76 Clash of Kings
77 Storm of Words
78 A feast for Crows
79 Morality of Capitalism
80 Dance With Dragons
81 Cuando quiero llorar no lloro
82 Austrian Economics, A primer
83 Anti-Capitalistic Mentality
84 War and Peace
85 Road to Serfdom
86 Catching Fire
87 Mockingjay
88 Undercover Economist
89 Economics in One Lesson
90 Condensed wealth of Nations
91 El Poder del ahora
92 Das Verlorene Symbol
93 El Sueño del Celta
94 Beyond Politics
95 The Lean-Startup
96 Living Economics
97 Relato de un Naufrago