bank secrets

[kandrathe]

But we are talking about swiss bank accounts so income tax is not the issue here. I think people taking out bigger loans than they could cope with together with bankers prevent people from becoming wealthy. Anyway, I don't think a too low amount of wealthy people is the biggest problem of the US.

What do you think people deposit in Swiss banks? Chocolate?

We have been discussing this more often but generally the countries with the biggest tax burden are the richest and most developed (except of course for Switzerland, but we know where they get their money from). On a structural basis it is impossible to 'run' a state with little or no taxing. It can go fine for a country that is just founded and that has an incredibly huge piece of land for the taking with all its natural riches, or for the old colonial power that just got all there riches using slavery and stealing from other countries...but for the rest impossible.

I'm not advocating zero, just reasonable (like <10% of GDP,or no more than $1 trillion). The fundamental question still remains; "What is the purpose of the Federal government?" I believe that is defined in the Constitution. Everything else is a burden that should be resolved at the State level.

The imports and exports from the US amount to many (like 20) trillions of dollars, yet we tax them very little in the name of "free" trade. Foremost, the US federal government needs to go on a diet and lose about $1.5 trillion. This means that States will need to step up and provide social services, if they want them. This is a much fairer way of handling taxation. Regional issues will remain a local funding issue.