I NEED TO QUIT GIVING THEM IDEAS: A week ago, I joked: “The new approach will be for them to just take your whole paycheck, and send you whatever’s left at the end of the month. . . .”

And already the British are running with it: UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First. “The UK’s tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer.”

Maybe I should suggest that all overweening statists be hanged from lampposts, instead, just to see what follows. . . .

UPDATE: Charlie Martin emails predicting a lamppost shortage. One way or another, statism and shortages always go together . . . .