General Discussion

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts)

11. How do you measure rich?

Thu Apr 23, 2015, 05:35 PM

Apr 2015

It's the same problem as with taxation.

In many ways, it would probably be fairer, and possibly more economical as well, to tax wealth rather than income. But it's much harder to quantify it, so we have income taxes instead.

Similarly, you could easily scale traffic fines, and other fines as well, with income, but it's much harder to do so with wealth.

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Should the rich pay more for traffic tickets based on a sliding scale? [View all] Trillo Apr 2015 OP

Yeah! bemildred Apr 2015 #1

They do this in some other countries. Comrade Grumpy Apr 2015 #2

...which don't have 100's of separate jurisdictions jberryhill Apr 2015 #14

No. former9thward Apr 2015 #3

But isn't a ticket a means to alter one's behavior? KansDem Apr 2015 #6

Please ask any policeman if he is trying to alter behavior with tickets. former9thward Apr 2015 #9

+1. nt NutmegYankee Apr 2015 #20

Since when do we ask cops about social policy? merrily Apr 2015 #56

The purpose of tickets is to raise revenue for state or local government. former9thward Apr 2015 #59

The reason I won't ask a cop or meter maid is that their answer is irrelevant to social policy. merrily Apr 2015 #62

If that started happening, you know what would quickly follow jmowreader Apr 2015 #7

Republicans are the only ones who speed? former9thward Apr 2015 #10

Of course not jmowreader Apr 2015 #44

How would they verify annual salary? yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #4

Not to mention those who never worked a day in their lives. arcane1 Apr 2015 #8

If it could be done fairly, I'd have no problem with it. arcane1 Apr 2015 #5

How do you measure rich? Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2015 #11

I suspect you go with the will of the people...put up a progressive scale that's moderate HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #25

A scale of what? Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2015 #28

A progressive scale would gradually increase with income HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #32

OK, so you're talking about income, not wealth. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2015 #34

No system is going to be perfect...what I suggested was only to answer the question about progressiv HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #37

I'm not giving my financial information to some Podunk town jberryhill Apr 2015 #12

Only to the Podunk town/state bvf Apr 2015 #22

I've gotten tickets in unfamiliar places jberryhill Apr 2015 #42

Um... bvf Apr 2015 #45

Who said anything about business? jberryhill Apr 2015 #47

Deflect much? bvf Apr 2015 #55

So, you have no real answer jberryhill Apr 2015 #64

You're really grasping at straws here. bvf Apr 2015 #65

Upset? jberryhill Apr 2015 #67

Excellent harangue. bvf Apr 2015 #68

The rich are given traffic tickets??? nt valerief Apr 2015 #13

You gotta point. Hoyt Apr 2015 #43

Yep. Nye Bevan Apr 2015 #48

Finland, Home of the $103,000 Speeding Ticket Mosby Apr 2015 #15

People getting treated special, because obviously they thimk they are . orpupilofnature57 Apr 2015 #35

Maybe the value of the fine Sheepshank Apr 2015 #16

You mean the limo and jet set? They have other people drive them around. nt Rex Apr 2015 #17

Pretty much the rich should have a sliding scale on prices on about everything they buy madokie Apr 2015 #18

You've got to be kidding n/t SickOfTheOnePct Apr 2015 #24

Not one fucking bit madokie Apr 2015 #33

To each his or her own n/t SickOfTheOnePct Apr 2015 #38

How's that going to work exactly? philosslayer Apr 2015 #72

What about prison sentences? Shrek Apr 2015 #19

Yes, and lose driving privileges if they don't learn Ilsa Apr 2015 #21

Yes, without a doubt. n/t. bvf Apr 2015 #23

No... sendero Apr 2015 #26

And those taxes should pay state, county and municipal budgets. Hassin Bin Sober Apr 2015 #54

^this^ truebluegreen Apr 2015 #60

No n/t SickOfTheOnePct Apr 2015 #27

No. JaneyVee Apr 2015 #29

no lame54 Apr 2015 #30

Let me think a seco YES . orpupilofnature57 Apr 2015 #31

Since traffic fines are meant to be punitive.. Yes! annabanana Apr 2015 #36

Why? Bad driving is not criminal. That used to be the concept about Cleita Apr 2015 #58

NO! Politicalboi Apr 2015 #39

Why not push for both? bvf Apr 2015 #49

Now you have to do the traffic school and pay the fine. Cleita Apr 2015 #61

Oh hell yes. hunter Apr 2015 #40

No. If a rich person gets too many tickets he'll get his license yanked NightWatcher Apr 2015 #41

What about qualifying for discounted rates instead? daredtowork Apr 2015 #46

Yes. If you want justice rather than privilege. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2015 #50

What billionaires are eating Cheese Sandwich Apr 2015 #70

Yes, it should be a flat fee plus percentage of income. NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #51

LOL... No VScott Apr 2015 #52

We'd just be screwing over their drivers. Poor bastards would get fired if the big boss had to brewens Apr 2015 #53

Happened to me. I'm on Social Security and a traffic ticket cost me almost Cleita Apr 2015 #57

I figured as much, though guessed $300. Trillo Apr 2015 #63

Nope. Iggo Apr 2015 #66

What a concept. I think a guy we call Jesus would have thought Cleita Apr 2015 #69

No. flvegan Apr 2015 #71