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“Such a uniquely blessed country can never lose in a fair contest of course. It can falter only when it is betrayed by its’ rulers.”
-Thomas Frank-
As long as there have been taxes the debate on equitable collection methods has accompanied it. A flat tax would easily eliminate a lot of problems for taxpayers, tax professionals, and the Internal Revenue Service. The U.S. tax system is incredibly complicated. Individuals/corporations employ armies of professionals to decode it. Tax related industries were created to help ordinary people/businesses maneuver through it. A user friendly system would be of invaluable help to all parties involved in revenue computation/collection. As a former H & R Block tax professional, I can attest to the difficulty computing taxes. I’ve had IRS auditors pay me to do their taxes! An across the board flat tax will save millions in lawyer, accountant and tax professional fees. You won’t worry about making IRS auditable errors on returns.
Another benefit is that the IRS would close its doors. Here’s the downside; the IRS employs thousands of people specially trained in the tax business. Think of all those auditors and other individuals who’d be unemployed because of flat taxation. What to do with the sudden surge of unemployed government workers: transfer them to other agencies who could use them; do what they do in Germany retain and retrain them for other lines of government work where they are sorely needed. We need competent teachers, loving concerned child care professionals and dedicated consumer rights legal activists.
Reader, if you earn $50,000.00 per annum and your neighbor rakes in $5,000,000.00 yearly both of you will wind up paying Uncle Sam at the same tax rate. However, the millionaire pays more taxes simply because his/her income is greater. It’s FAIR; a flat tax insures that everybody pays the same percent of their income to the government.
Some argue that flat taxation jeopardizes low income earners. Compared with the lopsided system we currently employ that appears to be pushing middle class wage earners back into poverty, your beloved writer still gives flat taxation a definite ‘go’ signal. Money saved from this system could go to anti-poverty programs, better schools, workable universal health care plans for all age groups. Why continue to send trillions overseas to go to third world clowns ‘leaders’ dressed like hotel doormen or pimps to enrich their families, equip their armies, set up mistresses or pad offshore bank accounts when all YOUR $$$$$ should be spent on domestic programs? A flat tax would help remedy this problem. Charity begins at home and love is ordered.
Reader, if you live in a foreign country you must pay United States and that country’s tax. A flat tax employs territorial taxation; the IRS can only tax you on monies generated within U.S. borders. Globalization implies that the United States could compete evenly in world markets. If overseas businesspeople aren’t burdened by double taxation think of the money saved and rolled back into their businesses; its’ a win-win for all. Why should your country of origin penalize you for being financially successful?
Others argue governments loss of revenues since the rich will pay less if flat taxed. Why should the well-off be penalized for achieving the so-called American Dream assuming they became wealthy by honorable methods? Wouldn’t we loose them if they’re overtaxed? Case in point: France’s Wealth Tax is driving their upper income citizens out of that country. A uniform tax rate treats individuals and businesses fairly though some say higher tax rates on the rich strengthens big government. I opine why should we the taxpayers have to have a government so domineering it overlaps its authority, jails/kills its’ opposition, invades other countries at will, and over-regulate the lives of its’ citizens and industries using YOUR tax dollars?
With flat taxation there’s no death tax, double taxation on savings, dividends, interest, other business related income, and that section of the tax code that’s against formation of capital. All fiscal minutiae are nixed which saves taxpayers time, money and trouble in figuring out who owes Uncle Sam. Over taxation led to the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Mongols getting kicked out of China, a prime reason for the Reformation and colonialist Great Britain’s causing the American colonies to revolt. Why modern governments ignore past historical precedents only to repeat their country killing errors beats me Reader.
Our taxes are enormously high though not nearly as high in other developed countries like Canada; only difference is that in countries like Germany and the Scandinavian nation’s people generally see what they pay for. Not so in the Land of the Free where 57% of the national budget goes to the military and other special interest groups. Why should the once envied American middle classes pay, pay, and pay some more? Why should the rich pay the least yet reap the most? Why tax people for being industrious while the lazy lap up luxury? A flat tax will insure that all taxpayers are taxed at the same percentage rate.
Nixing international sacred cows like terrorist harboring Pakistan (al Qaeda, Taliban, Chechen operatives), little Israel, the Congo and others who siphon off the struggling American workers is unfair not to mention counterproductive. Despite the immense amount of foreign aid doled out to these international parasites a tiny percentage has anything to show how YOUR money is spent. Their leaders use YOUR tax dollars to line their pockets, their families and friends. They educate their spoiled brats by flooding our top universities where they learn the finer points of tyranny. Perhaps this government should make it mandatory the countries receiving our precious tax dollars be made to join the ranks of the developed nations within a fair amount of time or be given the financial ax. Reader go to U.S. Foreign Aid Summary to see who gets what.
Baltic countries Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia have been using the flat tax method since 1994, 2005, 2009 respectively. These Baltic nations have taxed their citizens 24%, 25% and 21% also respectively. While they’ve reported a high rate of success at the onset they complain that collected tax revenues couldn’t cover payments made to low income households and government expenditures. However many political/financial analysts cited improper implementation of the flat tax system the key culprit not the program itself.
With the U.S. economy currently dragging bottom perhaps a more reasonably number of 15% tax per citizen would encourage spending, saving, longer vacations, investing, entrepreneurship, and other economic boosters to get the country off its butt and on its feet. Reader I can go on indefinitely but page space won’t permit. To learn more about flat taxation go to: ‘Pros & Cons of a Hierarchical Organizational Structure,’ ‘Flat Tax vs. Progressive Tax-Pros for the US,’ and ‘Pros and Cons of a Flat Tax’ by Colette L. Meehan major sources for this article.
Lent is almost here! ‘Deus lo volt’ or God wills it we’ll discuss the main issues troubling the scandal ridden Roman Catholic Church. During the most productive years of Christianity clerical marriage was the norm and many theologians argue that women were ordained deacons; do we need clerical celibacy; may God bless you.