In article ,
"Stormin Mormon" wrote:

Of course I am also paying an added cost for
Contractor 1 because
someone has to make up the taxes that he ain't paying.

CY: I disagree. I know of no department that says "Well,
Contractor 1 should have collected $72 in taxes from that
consumer, so we'll have to increase the other guys taxes
that much". My view is that government expands faster than
the rate of tax increase. So, I do what I can to encourage
people to pay less taxes.


All of them do exactly that in practice and in theory. They
base their alleged budgets on what they think is coming in. To the
extent that others don't pay, the shortfall has to be made up somewhere
and that is through higher taxes (or more money printed which is
essentially the same thing). As you pointed out, you are advocating the
punishment of the person who person who obeys the law.
Just out of personal curiosity (real honest question). How do you
feel about illegal aliens being used by contractors?



Of course, this is a debate completely separate from
whether the
taxes themselves are a good thing.

CY: We could add the "good thing" discussion, if you wish.
I was trying my best to avoid it, which is why I separated it (g).

--
"Distracting a politician from governing
is like distracting a bear from eating your baby."

--PJ O'Rourke