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I realize that you’re arguing a bigger point, but I’m arguing a prudent point. The problem with your argument is where to draw the line. Where does an organization become big enough to “afford” itself. And how to draw that line within the confines of justice. The Red Cross is a big organization. The American Cancer Society is a big organization. I’m sure both could support themselves with donations, at the sacrifice of some other things. Just like how Princeton could support itself at the sacrifice of research funding. You’re seeking to redefine the tax system, which is not happening anytime soon. The closest we got was Herman Cain and look what happened to him. </p>
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You must make small steps before being ready to take the big leap. Or else you fall flat on your face. Everybody who makes huge discoveries has written a long chain of “obscure” articles that were relatively nonsignificant. But those are small steps to the bigger discoveries. For instance, my own research is going to be published in a small journal and will maybe get ten or twenty views, if I’m lucky. But that was never the point of it. The point was to push on, one step at a time, to finding a viable cure for cancer. And my “obscure” research was able to elucidate one mechanism in which, if drugs are inserted at a crucial step, cancer can be stopped. Unless you’ve had significant experience in research, I would not belittle people who have devoted their lives to taking those small steps in the right direction. Better than others who don’t take steps at all. </p>
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Simple math. Increased expense means less money in the bank. That trickles down to the research funds, financial aid awards, etc. </p>
<p>I am also interested in this: given you arguments, why should we not tax public institutions of higher learning too? They use public services and they also have property on which they make money. Especially the basketball/football powerhouses. They make money every year selling season passes and concessions. Since they are publicly funded, any attempt to tax them would result in the absurd notion of the government taxing itself.</p>