I lounged on the couch, watching Luna fume over a thick book. So, seriously, she was one pissed off pony.
“This is ridiculous! How can the tax code have grown to fill an entire tome!?” she exclaimed, her ears folded back, her entire mane actually stirring more than its normal slight movement. It actually reminded me somewhat of her sisters right now.
Lowering my own book, a rather simple magic manual, I looked over at where she was sitting by her desk. “What was it before?”
“A simple ten percent tax for the entire population.”
I raised my eyebrows at that. “Well... I suppose that would be simpler. I'm not entirely sure that's fair to poorer ponies, however. Those ten percent might be what a poor pony requires to be comfortable while richer ponies could pay fifty percent without even really noticing.”
The Princess gave me an annoyed look, shaking the tome at me with her magic. “As that might be, that does not excuse five hundred pages of percentages, exceptions and exceptions to exceptions! There is a special tax on bread! Bread!!”
I couldn't quite help but agree with that. That did seem somewhat excessive.
She let out a frustrated sigh and dropped it back onto her desk with a thud. “I need to discuss this with 'Tia. There has to be some way to simplify this.”
Shrugging, I returned to my own book. “Don't ask me, I'm not an economist, I'm not even that good with numbers. And if I'll be honest, I'm pretty sure the tax code back home is even more complex.”
Luna gave the offending tome a glare before closing it, dropping it on the desk with a thud before she jumped off her chair. “Things were simpler in my time. Laws were simpler, taxes were simpler. Even the music was simpler!” she complained as she walked up to pick up an apple from a bowl on the table.
Closing my book, I just watched her as she took a bite from it.
“...But that world is never coming back.” she finished softly.
“No. We both have to adapt to this one.” I agreed.
If they had not figured out a way to get me back by now, they probably never would.
Sighing, Luna sat down on the floor, shaking her head. “...Sometimes I am unsure of who this is harder for. You or me.”
We stayed quiet for a moment before I chuckled. “Honestly? I think it might actually be harder for you. This world is rather different from mine, but you see parallels to how things used to be.”
She smiled faintly and shrugged. “Or the other way around. Like you said, at least some things are familiar for me.”
“There are some similarities to my own world as well.” I said with a grin, giving my own book a small wave. “Books, for one thing. Admittedly not about magical theory, but still.”
Luna chuckled and jumped onto the couch opposite to me, laying down facing me as she picked the book from my magic to read the title. “Elementary Transformations by Fire Cube.” she read aloud. “I have not read this one.”
“I think it's rather new.” I admitted. “I went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns yesterday and got their book list for first year students. Honestly, I should have thought about that earlier.”
Not that it would have helped much, I could still barely do the basic exercises.
Luna nodded and idly flipped through it. “Tia always did enjoy teaching.” she said and smiled, “Seems like an informative tome.”
“So... going to go to the summer sun celebration?” I asked, flicking my ears as I looked up at her.
The Princess hesitated and then shook her head. “Not this year. I believe we might have caused enough disruption during the last one. We do not wish to scare ponies this year.” she admitted before smiling again as she noticed my frown and adding; “I know what you wish to say, Page. Do not waste your breath. I have made up my mind.”
I gave her an annoyed look at that, but didn't say anything.
She sighed. “...We have planned to make a public appearance in a month.” she admitted. “We wish to turn Nightmare Night from a time of horror to a feast and celebration of the stars.”
“...Are you sure that would work? That's an old tradition right?”
Luna nodded. “From the time of my... exile. Hence the name and why we wish to change it. It is not who I am. I don't want the ponies for fear me and it seems like the best time to start. And we will begin in Ponyville where we will apologize to the inhabitants.”
I wasn't that sure that would work. Traditions are difficult to change. But she did seem to know what she was doing most of the time and she did have thousands of years of experience on me.
Chaos spirit containment not withstanding.
She frowned. “You look dubious. You don't believe they will see me as Princess Luna rather than Nightmare Moon?”
I quickly shook my head. “It's not that, Luna. If they can't see that, they are blind. It's rather the tradition itself. I don't know what they do on Nightmare Night, but I do know that traditions are difficult to change. Especially those that lasted as long as Nightmare Night, if it has indeed gone on since your exile.”
Luna looked thoughtful at that. “You may have a point.” as she shifted on the couch. “As I understand it, the tradition is dedicated to hiding from and appeasing Nightmare Moon. I have not yet experienced it myself... Last time I was not ready.”
“...I was not exactly paying attention either last time.” I admitted with a shrug before I smiled.
“Would you like to join me?” She asked with a smile. “Perhaps seeing somebody by my side who is not afraid will help.”
I couldn't help but smile back despite how little I liked this entire public thing. If she wanted me there, I would be. Besides, it might be fun.
“I would like that.”
Luna nodded and flipped open my magic book again. “Let's see what this book is teaching you. Perhaps I can give you some pointers.”
I think Luna would faint if she saw the American Tax Code over 77,000 pages of horror.
6303388 Cute irony here: the next chapter's word count is 1040
BTW, the 77000 pages you're talking about is just the Federal government. Don't forget about each of the states and local county/city tax codes, too.
True, most would not apply to everyone, but the fact they exist only adds to the nightmare. Together, they're at least as much as the Fed's.
6394577 Don't make the thought worse for Luna than it already is...
IDK about Equestria's tax laws, but in America, the IRS has admitted to not being 100% able to keep up with changes in tax law. It probably doesn't help that the IRS is shockingly underfunded. You'd think they'd be swimming in dough, apparently they aren't.
6505755
Wait, what. How does that work? And why?
You think you have it bad with an unnecessary complex tax system?
Somewhat between 60% to 80% of the world's literature on taxes is published in German/Germany.
Our tax system might be rather fair but it is direly in need of some simplification to make it run more smoothly.
6505755 Oh my god that's amazing. I would so use that, just walk up to someone and say: "Hi! I'm legally dead! And you're speaking with a zombie! Well, have a nice day!" And just leaving.
6505755 Technically, you're a ghoul, not a zombie. A zombie is someone who's been stripped of their free will or ability to think beyond a haze of dull instinct. A ghoul is a reanimated corpse.
6505755 Welcome to the horde.
6505755 Okay, how does that work?
Did your heart stop for a bit when you were born or something?
reminds me of a scene in a book, "executive orders" by Tom Clancy. a table collapses under the weight of all the tax books! after deliberately causing this, someone talks about the importance of simplifying the tax code.
Everyone needs the money that the greedy federal government steals from its citizens. The simple solution? Abolish the IRS!
Income taxes are illegal.
8731696
yay! disband the military! fire the government! ANARCHY FOR EVERYONE
*SARCASM*
Cant wait for there first date
8731696
Why do I get the feeling your 16 dislikes are from IRS employees? lol
The fact that he said might be in regards to taxes indicates that he never did them.
8731696
I am liking this comment to spite the 18 dislikes
And because I agree
Dude.... are you a commie?! I dont see how taxing "rich" peps would be better: if you tax that much to a "rich guy"(most likely hard working and intelligent merchant.) he wont be able to keep his company(s) running effectively and he would only be forced to pay even less to his work force only to keep income above red numbers which ends up affecting the poor even worst. I know there are some rich peps that have kids that end up brats but just because of a few of them doesn't mean the rest are doing stupid shit: money doesn't grow on trees and no matter how rich you are those bills will run out eventually. We need that tax code long and explicit due to the vast variety of ways of income one can partake in, you cannot apply the same rule to the next guy due to the difference of the nature of their work and what is their role in commerce. Its all economical balance really.
8731696
lol good luck trying to call 911 emergency when it not funded. or finding a hospital with working facilities, or highways without pot holes, got robbed? well too bad because there is no police and no court that could process your case. Truth is we need this comunity money pools to have a better quality of life. If you dont like taxes then sit your butt down and ask for the list of where are your tax dollars going and you will find that they are all going to things you take for granted but need constant upkeep. If you dont like something learn about it thoroughly before tossing it out.
10357452
It would only be taxing his income, which is separate from his business income. Just because someone owns a business doesn’t mean that their money and their company’s money are the same thing, at least legally. I do agree that tax code does have to be long and well defined to a certain extent.
10357452
Money is a social construct and has no real physical usefulness.
10438292
If you want to live alone out in the woods, then yes, money has no physical use besides something to blow your nose on. But, say, if you wanted a modern convenience like solar panels or a computer with internet access, then money fulfills a very real role in allowing you to trade easily with strangers for them.
Money is a tool that becomes useful in the presence of civilization. To deny that is to deny that a hammer becomes useful when you want to hit a nail. Both are physical, and both have a use in their respective context.
Among friends, money can become irrelevant when replaced with gifts and favors. Its real use is in trade beyond your immediate community/friend group. A generally accepted currency can significantly cut down on the time it takes to make a trade. This is because bartering requires an understanding of what the other person wants and values. Such things take some time to learn for each individual you trade with and can have many unforeseen complications involved.
Also, taxes are simply transactions where the individual pays for the upkeep and usage of public services. I think that's an interesting interpretation of them that doesn't just call them evil.
10357452
You tax the profits, not the gross income. The higher you go, the higher the tax, and let's say cap it off on 50% profit tax.
To entice people to keep on looking for money, there should be benefits for the rich too, for example ease of international travel or papers' pardons.
Me in a nutshell
Why they dont ask the Sister or the Elements users?
I've heard they do something like this in Germany, called a bread stamp. But the official name for it is a gluten tag
.............
I'll see myself out.....
10992475
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/657/039/7fa.jpg
10992475
😂😂😂😂
That wasn't funny
It was horrible
Shame on youuuu
That's not how that works.
11588549
But it is how it works.
US federal minimum wage before tax is 15K/year for a 40 hour job. 1K out of that is a huge chunk of change considering rent would eat up damn all of the monthly as it is. (that 1K would be the equivalent to 1 month rent for me as it is)
$14.50/hr (double minimum wage) is 29K. 2.9k out of that every year in taxes comparatively isn't as harmful to that person's potential income.
Once you get to the people making 100K/year (6.6x minimum wage) you're still looking at 90K left over after that 10% tax, which is 6x what the minimum wage individual is making BEFORE tax. That 10% suddenly means very little for the 100K's income for making a comfortable life.
What about those making 10x minimum wage, or 20x? Those people won't even miss that 10% and would be paying in tax as much if not more than the minimum wage earner even makes while having so much left over they'd be extremely comfortable. And yet you think that 10% flat doesn't harm the poor more than the rich?
11588636
Any taxation will hurt more those tgat have few tgan those that have much. The comparison is numb in it's premise and that is before taking in consideration that the have few are still gaining from the use of taxes morr than have much while contribuing way less.
10% flat is stupid and no goverment would be able to qork with such taxation for long but the reason for it to be a bad idea is not that it is unfair to low income people.
“Things were simpler in my time. Laws were simpler, taxes were simpler. Even the music was simpler!”
Powercreep, Luna. Powercreep.
Preparation and information gathering is key, let's hope they know this 101 rule book.
This is why tax evasion exists