We hear a lot these days about tax relief. Talk of taxes is often a real downer, especially at Christmas time. And yet, the very first Christmas was embroiled in the subject of taxation. Caesar Augustus set out to take a census of the world over which he reigned, no doubt in large part to get a more accurate assessment for the purposes of imposing taxes. The Roman Empire and its census for taxation loomed large at Jesus’ birth (Refer here and here), as reflected in the following account from Luke’s Gospel:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:1-7; ESV).
Empires often flexed their muscles and strengthened their muscles by taxing their conquered subjects. While Rome sometimes poured resources into infrastructure throughout the empire, the taxes they gathered often went to enrich Rome and strengthen the Pax Romana.
The Jewish people felt the full weight of taxation. In addition to taxation bound up with Jewish law, Temple and order, the people in Israel had to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” to borrow a line from Jesus (Matthew 22:21; ESV).
It is not always the case that taxes can weigh heavily on a people. So, too, can tax cuts. While there will always be partisan debates on raising and lowering taxes, it is always important to ask who or what will benefit from the final decision, as with votes in Congress. Billionaire businessman and former (Democrat turned Republican) Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg and others have weighed in on the recent vote in Congress that will dramatically lower corporate taxes (Refer here, here, here, here, and here). Bloomberg calls the corporate tax cut a “trillion-dollar blunder” that puts partisan interests above smart governance. Here’s Bloomberg:
CEOs aren’t waiting on a tax cut to “jump-start the economy” — a favorite phrase of politicians who have never run a company — or to hand out raises. It’s pure fantasy to think that the tax bill will lead to significantly higher wages and growth, as Republicans have promised. Had Congress actually listened to executives, or economists who study these issues carefully, it might have realized that.
Please note. Bloomberg is not against reducing corporate taxes. Days before the ‘historic’ vote, Bloomberg wrote in the same article, “To be clear: I’m in favor of reducing the 35 percent corporate tax rate as part of a revenue-neutral tax reform effort.” But he reasons that a corporate tax cut is not a solitary matter or solution. Among other things, Bloomberg recommends expanding the earned income tax credit. He also differs from the Republican-controlled Congress on their decision to eliminate “the requirement that individuals buy health insurance,” which will cause “health insurance premiums to rise for everyone else,” as “many young and healthy people will drop out of the marketplace.” So, what does the tax bill that was just passed achieve? Here’s Bloomberg’s assessment:
In effect, the tax bill achieves four main things:
- It takes money away from schools and students.
- It restricts our ability to invest in infrastructure.
- It does nothing to boost real wages while making health insurance more expensive.
- It makes it harder to control the costs of Medicare and Social Security without cutting defense and other spending — or further exploding the deficit.
To what end? To hand corporations big tax cuts they don’t need, while lowering the tax rate paid by those of us in the top bracket, and allowing the wealthy to shelter more of their estates.
It is often the case that empires and the peace that they establish benefit the ruling class before or rather than the masses, whether it be their own citizens or the conquered subjects of other nations.
For Bloomberg and many others, the outcome of Congress’s vote was a real downer. Raising or lowering taxes can be very taxing and discouraging, depending on where you and I stand. Some tax cuts are good; others are bad, very bad. In the midst of the political and partisan turmoil of the Pax Americana, we can look back to that first Christmas. The holy family was caught up in the turmoil and travail of the Roman Peace or Pax Romana. We can find some measure of relief in knowing that while the Roman Empire loomed large at Jesus’ birth, the babe in the manger would eventually win out over the emperor on his throne. Empires will come and go, but Jesus’ reign which brings the mighty down and exalts the poor and humble in spirit will last forever. Live in light of that day, as we sing this Christmas “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” As Mother Mary declares,
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty (Luke 1:51-53; ESV).
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