# Why do the world's Joe the Plumbers think tax cuts for the rich benefit them? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 22, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-worlds-joe-the-plumbers-think-tax-cuts-for-the-rich-benefit-them/507334 "2009-08-22T18:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 153
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-worlds-joe-the-plumbers-think-tax-cuts-for-the-rich-benefit-them/507334/153 "2009-08-24T01:52:29Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > And I’m reasonably sure the rich want the services that the government offers them. They want police and fire protection of their homes, offices and factories. They want highways so they can transport their goods to market. They want records of the fruits of their “exceptional talent” by means of copyright and patent records, and enforcement of their rights in the courts. The problem is that you want to attach a disproportionate value to social services and roads when it comes to the rich, based on the notion that they take more from society than everyone else. My argument is: number one, they don’t “take” money from society, society “gives” it to them in return for whatever it is that they are offering and which society wants badly enough to part with its hard-earned money for; and two, under a flat tax system they would already be paying their fair share for police and fire services, highways, etc. It’s when you tax them disproportionately and excuse that by claiming that they have somehow profited disproportionately as a result of the benefits provided by the society they live in that it becomes unfair, socialistic and confiscatorial. > [@Robot Arm](#): > > The government has something that rich people want. That ain’t easy, and not many governments can do it. Why shouldn’t the government get PAID, by people who want what it provides? They do. But it’s disproportionate and therefore unfair. A flat tax would insure that rich people pay their fair share. More than that is classist, socialistic and confiscatorial, as I said just above. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-worlds-joe-the-plumbers-think-tax-cuts-for-the-rich-benefit-them/507334)._