Alex Marsh is a researcher at a London publisher and blogs under the guise of Nought Point Zero.
I believe strongly in the moral case for low taxation. Many of those reading this will take the same view, I’m sure. But so often this important argument is not even considered by the mainstream media. I would not mind so much if it were given a cursory glance and then dismissed. But it is not even mentioned.
Recent discussions of various sin taxes on chocolate and alcohol demonstrate this. The discussion concentrates on whether the taxes would work – “work” in the sense of disincentivising purchasers – rather than whether they should be implemented even if they do work.
The vast majority of debate won't change your mind. When was the last time anyone significantly altered your opinion during a debate, particularly regarding an issue on which you already had a strong opinion? Once during the last year? Twice at the most? The fact is that most people simply don't change their minds. And there's nothing intrinsically wrong with that. So why bother debating at all?
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