Author | Lightnews

Hunt The Economist

@hunttheeconomist.bsky.social

1.8K followers 760 following 2.2K posts

Same profile as I had on Twitter. Local Government Officer. Economist. Left Leaning. Politically engaged. Cat owner. Fish owner. Lego enthusiast. Video Gamer. Board Gamer. My receptions are more exquisite than the Ambassador’s. Not much else to say.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 4m

If they all end up on a tax haven island, with nowhere to run and nowhere willing to play their game, their “wealth” becomes no more valuable than Monopoly money.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 6m

I completely agree. I think it can make sense for small start-ups as a short term measure, but it should be seen as a business subsidy, not a benefit for individuals, and it should taper off over time.

Any business making huge profits while staff receive WTCs should also be made to pay them back.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 8m

Precisely.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 9m

I’m in the U.K., and we don’t want them fleeing to here when the uprising happens 😆

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 10m

Precisely.

The excuses we hear every time this issue gets raised, are so flimsy.

I think they’re scared that populations are catching on to this, and that their house of cards is going to come down, one way or another.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 11m

Precisely.

I hate when politicians choose the status quo because change requires a bit of hard work for them.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 13m

If they use havens, I would sanction the individual by banning them from (in my case) the U.K. and impose sanctions on any assets they use in the U.K. that channel money through those countries.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 16m

There would probably need to be significant work done to close down existing tax loopholes.

But I’m sick of politicians trying to maintain the status quo because radical change involves hard work.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 20m

It starts with a wealth tax (a tax on assets).

In parallel, I would start the process of simplifying our tax system. Loopholes need to be removed.

I would get those things in place and see the impact.

Then I would ramp it up and have asset forfeits and fines for leaving without contributing.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 28m

If the billionaires left and took their businesses with them, ethical entrepreneurs could rise up in the gaps left in the market.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 28m

They can’t take the assets with them.

In my model, they would either have to pay a tax on them, or forfeit them.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 29m

Wherever they go, we would need to impose huge sanctions on them and refuse re-entry unless they contribute sufficiently.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 30m

Anyone who ends up hoarding more wealth than they could ever spend, is nothing more than a parasite to society.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 37m

He can’t take his assets with him if he leaves.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 38m

I would like them to take their businesses with them if they don’t want to pay any tax, and create gaps in the market for ethical entrepreneurs to take their places.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 39m

They have their tendrils in so much stuff that it’s almost impossible. But it’s always worth trying.

We need to start electing people who aren’t simply trying to prop up the current economic system.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 41m

It doesn’t even have to be everywhere. We just need to make it clear that if they don’t comply, that our countries will cut all ties with them and they won’t be allowed to hold assets or run businesses here etc. even through proxies.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 43m

I mean, I would, but that’s a shit load of tat to help them load onto their jets. Let them do it themselves. 😆

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 46m

Much of it will be tied up in assets which can’t be removed.

Wealth should be taxed as much as, if not more than, income.

And sanctions can be placed on tax havens.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 48m

Even if a few countries went down this path it would have a huge impact.

They can’t move their assets.

If they close or remove their businesses from a country, it creates an opportunity for ethical entrepreneurs to take their place.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 49m

All fighting over a crown, while their island crumbles around them.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 50m

Then we need to put economic sanctions on those places.

Closing loopholes is hard but not impossible.

And assets can’t be easily shifted.

Our focus should be on the assets.

If they close their businesses, it creates an opportunity for an ethical entrepreneur to take their place.

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 52m

A few countries need to bite the bullet. With political polarisation there is as much of an opportunity for the left to take forward a coherent economic strategy as there is for the right.

Although the right wing media will fight tooth and nail to demonise the left.

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Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 54m

And we can then put economic sanctions on that place, and ban flights from those places.

To the point that their money is as valuable as fairground tokens and they’re trapped to fight among themselves for “power” of the island😆

Hunt The Economist @hunttheeconomist.bsky.social · 1h

We can take all of their money, and give them a medal saying “you won capitalism” to replace it.