Should only TAXPAYERS be allowed to VOTE?

[AviatorTom]

Government is funded by taxpayers, but both taxpayers and non-taxpayers can vote. Is is fair for someone who doesn't pay taxes to have a say in where tax money (that they don't contribute to) is spent or should that be limited to only taxpayers who have a say in how their taxes are spent?

So, the simple question...

Should only people who pay taxes be allowed to vote?

Note that in past history, many countries only allowed people who owned land to vote, so the concept of only having taxpayers vote is not that new..

YES, only taxpayers should vote

NO, everyone should be allowed to vote

Updates

+1 y

I am not advocating this. I have seen some people n social media suggest it and thought it would be interesting to see what GaG users would think about it. You have go admit... discussing this kind of election thing is a nice change from bashing candidates.

[sage2021]

If only tax payers were allowed to vote then it would not be a fair election which would render the election impossible.

I take it that you are unaware that people that are disabled don't have to pay taxes because they are low income.
So, would it be fair that because a person is disabled and is not obligated to pay taxes cannot vote?:
Wheather some people believe disabled people shouldn't even live, which I have read on this site, wheather you like it or not, they are human beings that have rights, more rights than the average person. They have a right to vote too.

Most people that are receiving their Social Security retirement benefits are considered low income and are not obligated to pay taxes. So, are you saying that people who have worked almost all of their life and paid taxes while working are now not allowed to vote because they are retired and have already put their time in litI did for 30 year's shouldn't be allowed to vote?

Tom, you really need to look beyond your myopia before asking questions like this.

I find it very offensive that you would only consider tax payers should get to vote.

You are an old man and probably retired should you get to vote since you don't work anymore?

[AviatorTom]

@sage2021 You might want to read the update to this question.

[DarkLegacy]

Good points, mine were the same

[monorprise]

@sage2021
Anyone can pay taxes, He is strongly implying everyone should pay taxs. Any group that allows politicians to wezel them into a freeloading position should at a minimum give up the right to vote for the same as to avoid being criminals that simply use elections as a means to steal and enslave other for their own benefit.

I think a poll tax should be reintroduced, at a minimum its asking a small fee to vote. Really only shows that the election matters enough to you to be worth spending some of your resources on.

Doesn't really even prove your paying your fair share.

[Siri137]

No, everyone should be allowed, because this isn't just about money, and besides, in some places (like Australia) we have what's known as a GST, and because of this everyone (including children, pensioners) pays tax.

[DarkLegacy]

But voting is mandatory anyway in Australia isn't it

[Siri137]

Thanks for the MHO <3

[Chazmatazz269]

Absolutely! I’d be in favor of more requirements than just being a taxpayer too.
Hey! Anyone else remember when the democrats were actually AGAINST people who don’t live here, work here, or have any vested interest in the success of our government and economy influencing our elections? I sure do. The democrats swore that Drumpf colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election.
Maybe it’s only wrong when their opponents take advantage of a broken system. Ell oh ell!
What better way to make sure only people who are vested in our success are voting than to expect them to be living here, paying taxes here, and they’re prepared to die for their overlords in involuntary military conscription? All documented, of course.

[handsomelad70]

Yes. They were called "Dixiecrats" and were racists.(Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Theodore Bilbo, etc.)

[JackBnymble]

@handsomelad70 ~ That weird look you get when you tell an colored guy that Abraham Lincoln was a REPUBLICAN... priceless.

[DrPepper12]

It's unanswerable as posed. Everyone including minors pays sales taxes. Non residents and "illegal" migrants pay income and property taxes. Corporations pay taxes.

If you mean FEDERAL INCOME TAXES BY BOTH CITIZENS AND NON CITIZENS then yes, everyone, including felons, should vote. It's still bullshit the kids don't get a vote, they pay sales and income taxes without any representation and IM PRETTY SURE we fought a war over that issue!

[JackBnymble]

""illegal" migrants pay income and property taxes."
Well that's not true. To pay taxes, an employee has to fill out a W-4, and that form requires a SSN. I can't submit a W-4 without a SSN. Without a SSN, I can't issue a W-2, and thus, the illegal hasn't paid income taxes.

Contrary to belief of the people who have never owned a business, I don't just stick the payroll deductions in my pocket. That money goes to the state/feds, and it's accountable by SSN. If you go to the SSA website, you can see how many credits you've earned for retirement/disability. Those "credits" are determined by how much income taxes you've paid over the years. To know that, the IRS has to have a SSN to match against your cumulative earnings.
Illegals don't get SSN's. Only citizens and green card holders are eligible for SSN's.

Sales tax isn't a federal tax, it;s a state and county tax. That money goes to the state and county. Thus comparing federal voting to any sales tax is moot. Some states (Texas, Nevada, Florida, to name a few) don't have state or property tax. So those unemployed in those states don't pay taxes.

Which war did we fight over income tax?

[DrPepper12]

@JackBnymble oh jack... You don't need a ss# for property tax assessment.

Successful application for citizenship often requires back taxes.

Revolutionary war over various, but not income taxes

[JackBnymble]

You're right about property levies, at least in my state you don't have to have a SSN to buy property. However, property levies do not go to the federal government. They are fees imposed by the state/county/city government. A moot point in the federal voting debate. You do however, have to have a SSN to lawfully OPERATE motor vehicles on the public highway in all states.

[DarkLegacy]

No they shouldn't. That would be discrimination against the disabled who cannot work and those that lose their job. Would you include old people in that as well. I find it funny how you Americans make a point of saying your country is the most free and democratic yet you are the only people in a democracy that would restrict the right to vote.

[Daniela1982]

@DarkLegacy Good one! Next you will be saying illegal immigrants should be able to vote too.

[DarkLegacy]

@Daniela1982 No they should not. that has got fuck all to do with it, it is undemocratic that you would deny your own citizens a vote. People who do not work should definitely be allowed to vote. It would be typical of Americans to say otherwise as you such a backward country. You would never be able to deny people the vote anyway because of the UN and your own Constitution.

[Daniela1982]

@DarkLegacy Don't forget, they didn't allow women to vote until 1922, and blacks could not vote either I believe. So where was your non-democratic thoughts be on that?

[DarkLegacy]

@Daniela1982 Nice try at switching this onto something woke, but the poll was should only taxpayers vote. And seeing as more then half the workforce are women and black people also can work it is irrelevant. People saying yes would be default be discriminatory towards the disabled if they cannot work and old people who have retired.

[DarkLegacy]

@Daniela1982 I find it interesting that you quickly move it onto blacks, women as soon as disability is mentioned. It is irrelevant because of what i said about disabled people not being able to work so they do not pay taxes. Plus disabled people are significantly more discriminated against then women and blacks.

[Daniela1982]

Why the fuck do you even care what happens in the US? Stick to your own country forums.

[handsomelad70]

RIGHT ON, DARK LEGACY !!!

[handsomelad70]

Because of Yankee hypocrisy. Remember, whites were prattling about US "freedom" while we blacks were enslaved, then following manumission, oppressed (kept out of all but menial jobs regardless of our education, denied proper schools South AND North, denied suffrage, and even the right to enter any "white areas" [buses, public accomodations, etc. ]by law-South and/or custom-North, under penalty of landing in jail or prison for frivolous reasons-vagrancy especially-or even lynched).

[Daniela1982]

@handsomelad70 Face it, either North or South, we are all enslaved and work 40 hrs a week to pay taxes so illegals can get all their freebies.

[handsomelad70]

They did it to us blacks until 1965, when I was 12.

[goaded]

@JackBnymble It's a democratic republic. A representative democracy, just like every other democratic country in the world.

[ApplePie409]

Yes. Absolutely. Not only that, I would put everything to a referendum vote. Should there be term limits for politicians? Yes. Does Congress deserve a pay raise. No. Should Joey the clown send 40 million to Pakistan for gender studies? No. Can you just imagine what our debt would be if the clown show was cut out of the loop? How are we even in debt? Debt for what?

[Daniela1982]

Debt for sending money to every country in need, even at our own citizen's expense for starters. Then you have the illegals sucking cities dry. And Biden is still secretly flying them in from other countries.

[ApplePie409]

@Daniela1982
I know about that. and it's hard to believe that the worthless Republicans haven't impeached Joey. I posted a question about impeaching Biden, and the stupid dorks on this site posted the obvious that impeachment wouldn't remove him from office. No fucking shit. But they did it twice to Trump! Biden should have been impeached 10 times by now, but the Republicans don't like to fight fire with fire. Republicans just like to be doormats.

[JackBnymble]

@Daniela1982 ~ Amen sister.

If America would stop giving 300 billion dollars a year to me-he-co, ukraine, iraq, iran, saudi arabia, israel, palestine, germany, spain, guam, korea, japan, vietnam, and the rest of the world, we could give every American a decent house, a 4-year college education, free health care, and still have money left over.

All these countries talking junk about America, but they won't quit sucking the American taxpayers titty.

[Daniela1982]

@applepie409 I agree. Biden sucks!

[ApplePie409]

@Daniela1982

He probably doesn't even know he's the president, but he will probably be in that position for 4 more years.

My phone will read anything I ask it to read. Why can't we just have a talking teleprompter? Wouldn't that make more sense than Biden?

[Daniela1982]

@JackBnymble Damn, so that is why my boobs hurt! 😅😂

[JackBnymble]

@Daniela1982 Sorry 'bout your boobs. :) :)

[Static_In_The_Attic]

I VOTE NO! Anyone who buys something where sales tax is taken out is a taxpayer.

Citizens or citizens in good standing should be the only individuals allowed to vote.

[Anonymous]

Counter-question: should all taxpayers be allowed to vote? I worked and paid taxes for 3 years before I was allowed to vote. Most teenagers do nowadays. Do you think the minimum voting age should be abolished?

[AviatorTom]

It would still be worthwhile to keep an age limit. Some people put businesses in their children's names, so you have 2 year-olds paying taxes.,

[Opinion Owner]

Sounds like the solution to that should be an age limit to be able to own a business, not to vote. A 2 year old can't run a business anyway its all their parents doing it.

[northerngal]

What defines a taxpayer? A worker who is in poverty and ends up not paying taxes? How about some one who is ultra rich but uses loopholes to avoid tax? Its not a workable way to determine voting status. Citizenship works just fine.

[MicroJ]

All "LEGAL" non felon, US citizens 18 years of age or older with proper proof of Identification should be allowed to vote, whether they pay taxes or not.

The whole who pays their fair share of taxes is a topic for another day.

[JackBnymble]

I believe a felon should be allowed to vote once he/she has done his/her time. If he/she has repaid his/her debt to society and is good enough to be turned back out amongst the public to be a productive citizen, why shouldn't he/she be allowed to vote? If he/she can't be trusted to vote, then he/she shouldn't be let out of prison yet.

Change my mind.

[strateguy632]

correct it is not fair. this the first reasonable suggestion for limiting votes that sways my "everybody vote" democracy iddea. not limit based on age or iq etc. but only if pay taxes and even small income does pay salary income tax in u. s. in contrast to some countries. the first tax bracket starts from zero!

[SaoirseS]

No, all citizens who are 18 years old or older should be allowed to vote.

[Avicenna]

I think it's a bad idea- you'd have some non-citizens voting while disabled and non-resident citizens would be deprived of the right to vote.

[DarkLegacy]

Very good, exactly what i said

[OtterMan68]

income taxes?

sales taxes?

Property taxes?

[AviatorTom]

@OtterMan68 The social media I saw didn't specify but I think they were referring to income taxes.

[purplepoppy]

The problem with that argument is it then leads to should higher tax payers get a bigger vote.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if your not paying to support the system you have no right to command those who are as slaves.

The only grounds is they have no right to command your obedience otherwise therefore the solution is everyone who votes should pay taxes.

[exitseven]

Neither choice is correct. No, but only citizens should be allowed to vote.

[John_Cobretti]

Yes stay at home moms, don't come to the polling booth

[John_Cobretti]

Cook a meal for him as he returns from the long day at booth

[Jersey2]

I said no. BUT, I could be convinced that only veterans be allowed to vote.

[andreasderjuengere]

Only Clergy and the Nobility should have a say about how to exploit the Peasants.

[Kathy1111]

if i am a taxpayer dos i get to vote at my age

[DarkLegacy]

Good point

[Kathy1111]

@DarkLegacy thank you

[JesseP1nk]

Everyone are taxpayers. Sales tax is also a tax...

[JackBnymble]

There is no such thing as a "sales tax". The only legal tax in America is the income tax. Sales tax and property tax are what the law calls a "levy". Of course our broken public education system doesn't teach that. They're too busy teaching about abortion and condom use and how to have sex anal sex and how to be gender-neutral. .

A levy is a "fee" imposed by a state or local government. States and cities and counties don't have authority to make "taxes". Only Congress has the authority to impose a "tax". You can read the US Constitution free online.

Sales tax, highway use tax, franchise tax, property tax, are all levies, not taxes. They man calls them that because he knows you'll question a "levy", but you'll pay your "taxes".

[jshm2]

No, as the American system works by electoral college votes and not first past the post. So taxpayer or not is immaterial.

[DJB72]

Which tax are you referring to? Anyone who buys pretty much anything has a portion of the price as a sales tax, therefore everyone is a taxpayer.

[msc545]

Since government affects everyone everyone should be allowed to vote regardless of whether or not they pay taxes. To tie these things together is outrageous and gives over importance to paying taxes.

[MrDaveAPSI]

So, if that were the case

Trump, would not only be not allowed to vote, he wouldn't be allowed to run for president

He doesn't pay taxes, after all

[JackBnymble]

If you wanna dance that dance, neither do most "low income" families. I have a tenant who brags that she pays $800 in income tax, but with her "earned income credit" and the money us taxpayers giver her kids by 4 different baby-daddies, she got a "refund" of $3200.00.
It's logically impossible to be "refunded" something you didn't "fund" to begin with.

I only went to Harvard for two semesters, but even at the community college $800.00 minus $3,200 = -$2,400.
So she didn't "pay" $800 in taxes. She actually sucks the taxpayer teat for $2,400 each year.

If you open a bank account and deposit $800, then you can't withdraw $3,200. You can only withdraw $800.

[Anonymous]

yes and voters must be drafted into the military too. no exceptions

[goaded]

Everybody pays some kind of tax.

[DrPepper12]

But not everybody gets a vote. Funny like that!

[JackBnymble]

Only people who earn taxable income pay an income tax. Everyone else pays a levy.

Oh wait. I stand corrected. There is a 15% federal spearfishing tax on any spearfishing gear purchased in the United States. That was voted by Congress (the only entity in America that has authority to impose a tax), so it is a tax, not a levy.

[goaded]

@JackBnymble Sales tax. Property tax.

[goaded]

@JackBnymble But I expect you'd really prefer voting to be limited to people eligible for inheritance tax.

[RedInnocent69]

If you buy anything, you’re a taxpayer…

[DrPepper12]

Yup!!

[JackBnymble]

Another uneducated American.

There is no such thing as a "sales tax". The only legal tax in America is the income tax. Sales tax and property tax are what the law calls a "levy". Of course our broken public education system doesn't teach that. They're too busy teaching about abortion and condom use and how to have sex anal sex and how to be gender-neutral. .

A levy is a "fee" imposed by a state or local government. States and cities and counties don't have authority to make "taxes". Only Congress has the authority to impose a "tax". You can read the US Constitution free online.

Sales tax, highway use tax, franchise tax, property tax, are all levies, not taxes. They man calls them that because he knows you'll question a "levy", but you'll pay your "taxes".

[RedInnocent69]

@JackBnymble pedantry… Besides, import tariffs get passed on to consumers.

[JackBnymble]

Pedantry? Could be. Tomay-toe tomah-toe?, pee-can pe-cahn?

Rampant pedantry is usually indicative that a civilization has been dumbed down below the education level of it's citizens. Some argue that "they're" , "there" , and "their" doesn't matter, "you know what I meant anyway".

As for import tariffs, yes they do. But instead of financing the Chinese Communist Party and building China's Navy (which by the way, launched the largest and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier last year that the world has ever seen), we should be supporting the American worker.
By the time people wake up and realize China owns 40% of America, it'll be too late.
I just negotiated a deal for a client who owns 18 cell towers in North Carolina. He sold them to a company in California that is owned by a Chinese corporation. They're buying up cell phone towers all over America... with money from selling Americans cheap crap by the cargo ship load. EMP? Not needed. The Chinese don't have to nuke us. All the Chinese Communist Party has to do it turn off the switch and the cell phones go dead. They own the towers. Even the local police/fire/EMS systems are on those towers.

Some say "20 or fewer items" and "20 items or less" is pedantic, you now what the checkout sign means regardless. As an attorney, I understand grammar matters. Entire cases have hinged on "shall issue" or "may issue". We had a case here where the sheriff claimed he was not required by state law to issue concealed handgun permits, that "shall issue" meant it was up to his discretion. The State Supreme Court ruled that "shall issue" meant he had no choice in the matter.

I used to think the teacher was being a smart ass when I raised my hand and asked if I could go to the bathroom and she replied with the, "I'm sure you can". As I got older and a PhD, I realized she was right.

I'm sure it's just that I'm Pedantic. But if more people were pedantic, there would be more free men.

Respectfully,
Jack