Horizontal equity is the idea that people with the same incomes should pay the same taxes. I’ve made some remarks here and there about horizontal equity when trying to explain my view on Pay It Forward. Pay It Forward is a way of funding free higher education by imposing a flat tax on college graduates.… Continue reading Horizontal Equity and Pay It Forward
Author: Matt Bruenig
No seriously, there is no non-political definition of “theft”
The correct view on the naturalness of distribution is that it isn’t natural. Who gets what is all made up and we can make it up how we want. That’s not to say it’s all arbitrary and all ways of doing it are equal. It is to say that you have to come up with… Continue reading No seriously, there is no non-political definition of “theft”
How does Wonkblog use “redistribution”?
I wrote a post today about Brad Plumer’s redistribution blindspot. The basic point is that Plumer uses the word “redistribution” in an ideological way that privileges an “everyday libertarian” baseline, deviations from which are considered redistribution. This set off the twitters, with primarily Dylan Matthews arguing back. I never did figure out what Plumer thought… Continue reading How does Wonkblog use “redistribution”?
A simpler rule for questions of when to interrupt speech
Some Brown students interrupted the speech of Ray Kelly, New York Police Chief. Then people argued about it on twitter. Then the Nation ran a point-counterpoint style forum for some of the key actors. Half think it is OK to interrupt and effectively shut down the speech. Half think it is not. Long time readers… Continue reading A simpler rule for questions of when to interrupt speech
Kati Haycock: wrong on Pay It Forward, wrong for America
I don’t actually know if Kati Haycock is wrong for America, but she is definitely wrong on Pay It Forward. Pay It Forward is a plan that levies a time-limited graduate tax to fund free tuition for Oregon public schools (so like, 3 percent of graduate income for 24 years or some such). Per the… Continue reading Kati Haycock: wrong on Pay It Forward, wrong for America