Gumming Up the Works

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ~

The very craving of the lazy will put him to death, for his hands have refused to work.
~ Proverbs 21:25 ~

It is not everyday that a person will come to this blog to see verses from the Christian bible as the lead-off (with the exception of posts for the Tao Bible series). I picked these two from among many that underscore the idea that work is viewed as an important part of our lives. As the verse from 2 Thessalonians tells it, those who refuse to work shouldn't eat.

So, since we live in a nation that was built, in part, on a Christian sense of morality, why is it that earned income is taxed at a higher rate than unearned income?

The former comes from our direct labors. It comes from manufacturing things and/or providing services to others. It is the kind of work that the bible lauds.

The latter does not come from our direct labors. In modern society, unearned income can come from interest, rent, dividends, capital gains, and other types of revenue that are derived from something other than personal labor or service.

In the United States, unearned income is taxed at 15%, while earned income can be taxed as high as 35%. Shouldn't these rates be the other way around?

Needless to say, despite the supposed emphasis on Christian morality, there is a reason WHY we tax this way. The wealthy earn very little money from direct labor (around 10% of their income) and the wealthy don't like the idea of shared responsibilities. So, they have worked diligently to shield unearned income -- their lifeblood -- from the tax man.

The rest of us -- who perform the kind of work that the bible memorializes -- are taxed on our labors to make up for the lesser tax rate for those who don't. Here's the real kicker: it is conservative Christians who have not only created our current tax system but continue to work to enlarge this divide between earned and unearned income!

It makes no sense whatsoever within a Christian context!