A PK Question

Readers of this blog have noted the comments the PK makes from time to time. I find them always insightful and helpful. They expand and clarify subjects I raise and gently correct things. One of the comments my friend PK made at one time was that we need to just get rid of corporation taxes as they are just passed on to consumers anyway. I hope I have that right. He convinced me that this was true, but I then reflected on a news article where a group of young people may be suffering from a toxic spill 47 years ago and Erin Brockovich is in the news again.

Here is my question. When companies are irresponsible or ignorant causing: automobiles to be recalled, children’s crib’s malfunctioning, oil spills and pollution, fracking issues, addiction to prescriptive medicine, gambling addictions stimulated by casinos, toxic spills, and a host of other things that cost the public money, should they, corporations, not be taxed to cover such contingencies?

Now I realize that many companies do cover these expenses when they occur but inevitably the government has to get involved to force them to do these things and to make sure they are carried out. This all takes tax dollars. And the problems are directly corporate related. Of course, the costs will be passed on to consumers. But somehow these costs seem inequitable in the application.

I hate raising issues where I don’t have a possible solution. But in this case I will as I believe my friend PK, or others, might have a reasonable response that I and others would like to hear.