The Rent is too High!! Take the Poll! Voice your Opinion!
Day 1,103, 08:13
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Published in USA 
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by
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by Joe DaSmoe
Good Afternoon Everyone.
Please comment your opinions on this matter below
Please click here to fill out this public poll about taxes
The above poll can be found here as well, bookmark it, send it to your friends etc. Thanks Athanaric for making it.
The Halfing Times by Athanaric
Vote it up so people can view it!
So I guess I'm in Congress.
I logged in after the elections and found that I had been elected for Congress. I had signed up as a blocker for the Libs, but I hear that SEES possibly sniped me in to piss off the Feds, who were running a new up and comer named Zyria. She seems to be in the UK, not sure why, but I hope the loss didn't run her off. My apologies to you Zyria, I had no intention of winning.
So I find myself here again, and since I won, I feel obligated to do something for you, and I intend to try. People like to label me as a Populist, often stating it with a hint of cynicism as if it's a bad thing. I don't believe it is. One of the many problems we face in this broken eSociety is the fact that those of us who don't sit on here 24 hours a day are labeled as "two-clickers" Our system is set up to take from you and give to those who conform into the system. The reality of the matter is that these type of player far outnumbers the maybe 200ish Americans who spend far to much time on here. If the average player would stand up for themselves just once, the direction of this country could be pushed a different way.
So, since I'm a Populist, I plan on working for the people. I want to work in Congress to try and make the game more interesting for you, more profitable for you, and more fun for you. Many will say, Joe, it's all about the team. There was a time when I believed this and bought into it. Just read back through my paper. The longer I stick around, the more I realize that eRepublik's America has simply become a tax and damage machine. Those who get their money taken from them and those who are run out of business by America's tax system aren't considered part of the "team" You do not matter in the eyes of most super active players.
The forums which were once used to direct new players on ways to get more involved with our Country have devolved from what they once were, and many don't even bother to read there anymore. Our media is flooded with chicks in bikinis, top 5 articles are bought and paid for. And yet we wonder why people don't line up rank and file and do as the Government tells them. Why do we some no love to the new guy who finds eRep and wants to be a politico, it is a Geo-Political simulator after all.
Your Government will come at me like this America.
But I'm not drinkin the kool-aid anymore.
Change has to begin somewhere and I figure I'll start by trying to get more money into the pockets of the everyday player.
You currently pay 23% of your tiny daily income to the government. While its true that money is needed to run the military aspects of this game, the time has come to ease up on our citizens. I remember a time when this extreme tax would have been met with enormous public outcry. Now, people are just simply beaten into submission, basically encouraged to leave for wage chasing, or so disinterested in the culture the government has molded that they quit.
I'm going to propose that our income levels are lowered to 15% across the board. I will be met with almost unanimous resistance from those entrenched in government. It will be up to you America. Stand up and tell your elected officials that this tax is too high. We have tried this "nanny state" approach for far to long, its time that the people mattered again.
The Rent's too D*** High people,
Joe DaSmoe
Click below to join the Lib Writers Guild, Make your voice heard!
Wouldn't it be nice to hold onto a little bit more of this?
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Gimme my Money
invest on mine.
Joe DaSmoe 4 POTUS!
I like this tax talk, I'm with you on that. Good luck.
23%, dude. 23-flippin'-percent
As a karate expert, I will not talk about anyone up here.
Wow! I hope that you can succeed. I've argued for a lower tax rate for almost a year. I subscribed to you a while ago because it seemed like you were one of the more sensible of government elites.
You either won because enough people liked you, or it was because frustrated "two-clickers" had enough of these blocking shenanigans (sp?). In any case, congratulations.
If I win for CP,I promise to lower taxes to 20 percent.
Im already being ridiculed on the forums for this, bring it.
I've seen too many broken promises regarding taxes to honestly care about this article.. at all. Best of luck if you run for President. I don't expect tax reductions any time soon.
I support this message. Our Income Taxes are excruciatingly high and should be lowered; the eUSA could always slightly increase the Import tax to 2%. (Possibly higher for select finished goods mkts in order to promote expansion of the domestic manufacturing base.)
@FirstLaw, I agree with your premise regarding frustrated two clickers. Those who work train and perhaps fight each day represent an sizeable portion of the economy. Media/Political and the Millitary *DO* represent an active core of players, but are nonetheless a minority of eRepublik's Citizenry.
Rent is too damn low!
The Rent is too damned High! My Bread Company pays 6+ Gold Per week in "rent" on behalf of its workers by itself. (Gross Wages - Net Wages = INCOME TA😵
Cut the ePork! Income Tax to 20% is a fair first step.
Or you could move to Canada. 15% income tax, high wages, and a valuable currency
\o/
just move to Spain
Those 200 active players happen to be the ones who volunteer to help run government programs, run government giveaways, take on mentees, offer out education articles, inform the civilians...yes lets bash them
Why are we punishing our own ppl with 23 income tax? i think even 15 percent is too high. I never understood why our politicians have a need to punish our domestic manufacturers. I think import tax at-least needs to be 15 percent.
Considering that the real life "real" tax rate is close to 50%, 23% is mild, but I'm always up for some more money in my pocket 😛
You will notice how people are already suggesting citizens move to a more profitable country. Sure is retention up in here.
SGG, there comes a time when this kinda stuff has to be said. Its true, we over tax, everyone knows it. Our revenues have tripled. Yet we continue to take one quarter of people's money. Might not matter to you all, but to a guy who only makes 10 busks a day, losing 2.50 of it means less food he can buy, which means less consumption in the economy, less fights for the average guy and overtime a weaker base of citizens for America.
With my wages, every 7 days I pay the government roughly 1 gold in taxes 😑
For lower citizens, governemnt programs such as Arm America (which is funded by these taxes) give them much more in food/weps than the 10% they would get back (or approx $1). There are positives to these taxes for people across the board.
Yeah provided the sign up SGG, which many don't. What happens to the excess I wonder?
Good Article.
We could save a few bucks and take a little bit of the burden off the people if we removed funding from most of the Militias out there. Seeing as they are political armies they should be funded by the parties that spawned them and not the tax payers.
Really though, I dont see this going far until either the eUS Populace starts running for congress to get the numbers needed to vote in change or until the current crop of "We know better than you" politicians grow tired of the game and quit.
Better Question Still. Where is the Polish Rent for our states every Month? Montana is back in American hands... Are they still paying 3,000 Gold per Month? or did they get a discount?
@SGGHays, 200 Represent 10,000; All we seek *is* representation... perfectly fair given all the Taxation going on I'd Think.
@Tiamati, 200 representing 10,000 happens in every country in this game and in real life..it's how they help the masses that matters. While yes, taxes are high in this country, we use them efficiently and in the best way possible to improve the situation of our country and our citizens in general
@Joe
You are on the money man. Calling for a lower tax for all eAmericans will get many to come out against you. Many talk about this in private but few will talk openly in public in fear of a mounting backlash as you stated they are doing on the forum against you Joe. Keep this banner high my friend!
@SGGHays,
2 Words for you: eGovernment Transparancy.
We "2 Clickers" Want the inventory of your splendid Eliteist Cakes, after all, we make the grain in them to begin with.
I've thought exactly this for quite a while, even before I left for 6 months. Sadly, I think this game has been decimated not only in terms of population, but also in terms of drive and willpower of the individual citizen since the V2 failure. Good luck attempting a change, but there is simply too much power in the hands of the government and too little interest in the general population to ever enact a successful redirect in the direction of eUS policy.
I wish you the best of luck.
eAmerica has been an economic nightmare since around the time of Scrabman (I think).
SURE IS FREE TRADE IN HERE
YES!!!
Dude I love you
the the platonic Bro sense of the word
Import taxes are a terrible idea, and anyone who proposes them should get properly educated on the matter. They will not increase revenue in any meaningful way, but will significantly decrease the purchasing power of the average citizen.
There, now that I've said that bit...good luck, Joe. I've personally thought for a while that the budget could stand a cut to 20% at least. Politicians love raising taxes, but they never seem to lower them.
When i go to work but i found out 25% of my salary go to government! Tax should be lower,More fun we have! More foods we have! I'm tired of work everyday while watching my hard-earned money go to govenrment!
Agreed
v&s, Joe.
20% was supposed to have been temporary, over a year ago.
good luck with this, Joe... lotta Kool-Aid drinkers out there got their heels dug in hard.
Joe DaSmoe 4 POTUS!
It's simple, really.
Lower the tax rate will improve retention and consumption so that tax revenues increase.
I'm tired of government employees taking kickbacks courtesy of the American tax payer.
Peace has collapsed. There's no better time to lower the tax rate than now.
In the meantime, you can increase the import tax to protect American markets so American businesses can grow. I'm tired of the free-for-all that exists in the Market place.
My apartment rent is too high too. If you can do something about that, I'd appreciate it.
Lol....i must be in the wrong spot for the free kickbacks
After actually reading this, I like the ideas. I, too, am a populist I suppose. I am all for the "2-Clickers" and always have been. With that said, and a fellow Libertarian, I am here to help our majority of players.
Firstlaw is right; the import taxes are too low; crippling the domestic market by driving most eAmerican businesses into the ground... thereby artifically creating the "need" for low import taxes.
@Claire, If you can't haggle the rent; consult a realtor / property mgmt company.
IRL income tax is not 50%... unless you live in socialist europe.
Tariffs, even at relatively low levels, have the effect of pushing away importers. This reduces the supply level of goods on our market. Less supply means less competition, and so prices rise. The forced increased reliance on domestic goods will indeed cause a rise in wages. However, this rise will not match the increase in prices. This is because the foreign companies who compete on our market, are able to do so because they are more efficient than domestic companies. Their costs of production are lower. If they were not, they simply would not be on our market, as domestic competition would force them out.
So, purchasing power takes a hit. Wages do not go as far. Everybody who buys things, from the average citizen to the military, cannot afford to buy as much as they could without tariffs.
Also, the higher wages hurt the competitiveness of our companies. Costs of production are now higher, and our companies that export now face reduced margins, or outright unprofitability.
Who actually benefits from tariffs? Really only the domestic companies which would not be profitable in a competitive environment. These are companies which are either poorly managed, or are operating in unprofitable industries. Tariffs may prop them up, and give them profits they do not deserve. And of course every company which is in a bad industry, is taking up workers which could be working in strong companies in strong industries.
TLDR: Tariffs reduce purchasing power, and cause overall harm to the economy.
Devoid is wise.
Joe, leave America. Come back to the Glorious Sands of Pakistan.
Devoid,
Lower the income taxes and raise the tariffs, and you might be surprised. The current tax structure is completely backwards.
I'll explain why:
Instead of giving myself a competative wage for working in my company, I give myself the minimum. I simply don't want to pay anymore taxes than a have to so some soldier can get his hero medal and keep the gold (a kickback). So I pay myself the minimum and get what I need, tax free, on the monetery market by trading dollars for gold between me and my company. Now my businesses make some money, but I need to compete with foriegn companies who can list goods in our market for virtually nothing. And take their profit to their own country and invest it in a foreign military, hence jeapordizing our security. Raise the tarrifs to keep them out and I'll open other businesses to meet the demand, knowing that I can list products at a fair price and be profitable enough to open additional businesses.
The income tax could be lowered. The loss could be offset by not touching imports or enacting a VAT, but by raising the USD peg higher than 0.020.
Come to Canada - the beer is colder and the women are hotter.
Populist rage FTW. To hell with efficiency.
FirstLaw, there's a couple major problems with that.
First off, if you're worried about foreigners profiting from our economy, there's simply no way to stop it. Indonesians and Hungarians and whoever else can simply run companies within the US. I know as an American, I have previously operated a number of companies in PHX territory. Also, who says they're going to withdraw profits to invest in a foreign military? I think that's a strawman. Nearly all of the business owners I know, myself included, don't spend their profits on military affairs. Many reinvest in the economy, to make further profits. And when it comes right down to it, so long as America is benefitting, what's the big deal?
Also worth noting is that labor is limited. A country with tariffs is one that limits its consumption to only what can be produced by its domestic workers. This makes a nation weak. The nation is far stronger if it has access to a range of goods beyond what can be domestically produced, especially in times of increased demand. Like war.