Thursday, March 09, 2006

Sen. Brownback Floats Flat Tax 'Experiment'

What do we think of this?
It seems good to me? It seems like everyone would pay the same, the way it should be. I know there are some people who like the socialist tax system we have now, but in fairness, everyone should pay the same percentage of their income.

22 comments:

jhbowden said...

We need to cut spending, especially Social Security and Medicare, before we even give more tax cuts a look.

Anonymous said...

It doesnt work that way, though. It takes X dollars to live on, and you cant take a flat tax away when it may put minimum wage workers below the X mark. Find a way to make it all work out, and I would agree, though.

jhbowden said...

My bad. I just read the article, and Brownback wants to have the District of Columbia go on a flat tax.

Rhyno--

I share your concerns, but couldn't one build something like Milton Friedman's negative income tax into the proposal?

Jim said...

I like sales tax better. That way, savings is encouraged and those that have it AND SPEND IT pay tax.

Anonymous said...

I'll look into that jason.

The Game said...

Jim, are you saying get rid of federal income tax and only have a higher sales tax?

Mike M said...

Check out the Fair Tax plan. Seriously, I'm in the middle of the book now, and it's exactly what we need. It's a sales tax system like Jim mentioned, and NOBODY pays taxes on the basic necessities of life in the form of a monthly preemptive rebate for the tax consumers would spend on the basics based on a simple calculation of household size... So people living at or below the poverty level would pay no tax at all, and things like savings, inheritance, capital gains, and investment wouldn't be taxed.

Don't dismiss this idea without completely reading it, because most "knee jerk" oppositions to it are explained more fully and accounted for in the bill... HR-25 in the House of Reps.

www.fairtax.org

Mike M said...

Rhyno's right, too... a flat tax would never work because deductions would just creep back in and we'd end up with our current system all over again... Wasn't it 1960something that we actually HAD a flat tax? or am I thinking of something else... at any rate, a flat tax would screw the poor, and inflame class warfare because of the rich "not paying enough" and all that drivel.

Read the Fair Tax book. It's the best idea anyone's come up with yet as far as tax reform is concerned. Nothing to do with raising or lowering taxes, that's a whole different ball of wax, the Fair Tax only changes the way taxes are collected and makes everyone's lives easier...Imagine, April 15th being just like every other day...

The Game said...

I don't see how everyone paying the same % of their income is not fair...and how does that not solve the crazy tax codes

Anonymous said...

I already explained it, game.

Jim said...

Game,

Hear it is in George W. Bush terms:

If the flat tax rate is 25% and you make $40,000 a year, you have $30,000 left to live on.

When you make $1,000,000 a year, you have $750,000 left to live on.

Mike M said...

Another thing, a flat tax would add to the tax burden of the nation's poor. Under the current system, most don't pay any income tax anyway, some even collect others' hard earned money in the form of Earned Income Tax Credits.

So what then? Add an exemption? At what level do you put the deduction? How do you apply it? what happens when someone just below the line gets a raise into the full flat tax bracket, and after his "raise" now takes home 20% less than before? How is that "fair"?

No, the answer is House Bill 25, (also Senate bill 25), otherwise known as the Fair Tax Plan.

The Game said...

But Jim, that is fair....you make more money, you get to have more money. Its like you hate people because they make money...I might be jelous but I understand since they have a higher standard of living and 25% of what you have is more fair than 33% for one and 15% for another.

IF you don't like how much you make, you should get more skills, new skills, get a new job...if you like your job and you don't make a lot, you are better off than someone who is rich and hates their job...

Jim said...

Fair? Is it right? Is it moral?

To you the solution is for the family man earning $40,000 a year should get a better job?

I don't hate people who make money. I make good money, I know lot's of people who make good money. I don't mind paying a larger percentage of my income than a family of 4 making $40,000.

Make more money, keep more money? Of course. $700,000 (30% tax) is a hell of a lot more than $30,000.

Do you think Bill Gates should pay the same tax rate as you? He probably pays A LOT LESS than you.

The Game said...

I agree with you too much lately...I must have something wrong with me....

I only agree with the end...rich get out of paying too much tax with all the loop holes...get rid of those, everyone pay a percentage and thats it...

and we simply disagree about the percentage...gates earned that money, he does not have to give it to the government. you describe a socialist state...

Mike M said...

Actually, Jim, "a highly progressive or graduated income tax" is item number 2 in the Communist Manifesto.

The Game said...

Ummmmmm.....yes Jim, it does. Takes the shit out of the people who earn the most money and give it to people who are to lazy and stupid to earn anything.

Jim said...

Well it also describes a capitalist democracy.

According to Wikipedia, the first federal income tax was imposed by Congress in 1862. That income tax was progressive in that higher incomes were taxed at a higher rate. The income tax was later struck down by the Supreme Court.

As a result, the 16th Amendment was passed in 1913 that allowed for a federal income tax. That tax was a progressive tax. I don't recall any US history where the Communists ever had any legislative or executive power in this country, and yet we have had a progressive income tax from the beginning.

So who cares what the Communist Manefesto says? It's irrelevant.

Your conclusion apparently is: The amount of money one makes is inversely proportional to one's laziness.

Is that about right?

Mike M said...

Yep, that's exactly the point. The people who make the most money are those who have paid a price in blood, sweat and money to educate themselves, make themselves good at something, and make themselves useful to others (ie, consumers).

Whereas people who drop out of school, destroy themselves with drugs and alcohol, act like sociopathic idiots, join gangs, slack off at work and get fired...end up poor.

There is nothing capitalist about income tax. The fact that our economy is loosely capitalistic, and we happen to have a socialist income tax does not make the income tax a descriptor of a capitalist economy any more than saying that the 16th century Catholic practice of selling indulgences for forgiveness of sins is a descriptor of Christianity.

The United States isn't, never has been, and was never intended to be a democracy. We are a representative republic. Go educate yourself before commenting further on this matter.

The fact that "the communist party" has never been in power doesn't have anything to do with socialist ideas that people who ARE in power have or had in the past. Hillary Clinton is a prominant socialist in "legislative...power in this country" today, and she's just one of many. Socialism is a philosophy, not a political party.

Jim said...

Hillary Clinton is not a socialist. By what measure could you possibly call her a socialist? Facts please.

I know the difference between Democracy and Republic. That's your argument? That I supposedly don't know what a representative republic is? I'm a fairly educated person, so up yours!

The median income for a family of four in this country is $65k. Is everybody below the median a drug addicted alcoholic?

Does Paris Hilton earn her money through blood and sweat? Does John Smith working 60 hours a week at minimum wage not?

Are you an elite snob?

The Game said...

Jim, you don't have a clue, do you?

There are some that do not have it as good as others...some have to work harder and get less...but anyone who works hard will be able to support themselves...they will not need constant support of the government. Yes, the govt should have temporary services when people have trouble, but your side has created a permanent underclass of losers.

And maybe Paris Hilton did nothing, but her parents sure did, so boooo hoooo, she got the luck of the draw..

I teach hundreds of lazy losers who you feel are picked on...people on the Left who have no clue think that it is not their fault they can't read and write and don't come to school, and could give a fuck about being a productive citizen.

Just know it is your lack of understanding that will keep minorities poor forever. They will continue to take the hand-outs and listen to all of you make excuses for them...

Mike M said...

Sure, does "universal healthcare" mean anything to you? Someone has to pay for it, and it sure as heck isn't gonna be the "poor," right?

Too bad it's probably inevitable in this country, even if Hillary won't be the vehicle that brings it.

Oh, and what's Hillary's record with regard to government schools? Is she not in favor of even more government oversight and tighter control of all aspects of education? That's item number ten in the Communist Manifesto. Too bad that's already mostly a reality.

Want me to keep going? I've given you already two "measures" of Hillary's socialism. This is actually kinda fun.