The views and opinions of this article may not reflect the views of The Rapid City Post, its affiliates, or advertisers.
Let’s put to rest this question: Why do people vote against their own interests? The question first arose in public awareness with the book “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” written about 20 years ago by Thomas Frank.
The question is an old one, but it still has legs, and it’s time to kill it.
Supposedly, in voting for conservatives, small states such as Kansas — and for sure South Dakota — defeat their own interests by voting against big government and the kind of spending that could help them.
So why would anyone do that? The answer isn’t hard. People often choose what they think is good for the country over what they think is good for them. Conservative people, such as most South Dakotans, believe that limited government, individual autonomy, lower taxes are all good for the country as a whole even if it makes their lives a little harder.
That’s a virtue.
I don’t agree with them, but they are being consistent with their values.
Progressives like me don’t seem to ask themselves that same question. If you are a fairly well-off liberal, you think taxes that are spent on programs for those who need them are for the good of the country, even if they’re a drag on your own income. Also a virtue, but you don’t hear us questioning our own reasoning.
South Dakota’s tax system is a case in point. We are one of the lowest-taxed states in the nation (ranked in the mid to high 40s, depending on how it’s counted) but also get less back from our government than most states. Yet we rigidly stick to a tax system that puts the burden most heavily on those who can least afford it. Property tax rates do not vary by the amount a home is worth, and sales tax rates don’t vary depending on how much you earn, the way a progressive income tax would.
Still we keep electing people who refuse to challenge the status quo.
We aren’t taxed too much; we’re taxed too unfairly.
Every year brings bills that would tweak the system, but there’s little proposed to really transform it and make it more fair.
Some ideas are better than others. One bill in the latest legislative session would raise the sales tax rate but remove it from food. That would help lower-income people, but not much.
Another idea that did not get considered is a progressive property tax, which would charge a higher percentage to those whose homes are more expensive.
Also not before the Legislature, and treated like stink by most South Dakotans, are income taxes on corporations and big earners.
Those are taxes that would be more fare, benefit most individuals AND be good for the whole, also a virtue.
The views and opinions of this article may not reflect the views of The Rapid City Post, its affiliates, or advertisers.
