An à la carte tax system. How about it?

[Rikurzhen]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

 

[Clementine]

I'm for anything that would stop the ridiculous spending by congress and keep the people in control.

We have a right to know where our money goes. If we were given a tax bill each payday with a somewhat itemized list of where our money was going, people would be shocked. Not just at the crazy stuff they spend it on, but paying a bill would make everyone realize just how much they are taking.

 

[Mr. H.]

If I spend my money to make more money, I shouldn't be taxed on that money.
Case closed and get the fuck out of my face.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

there is NOWAY that would work

The solution here is simple and three fold

Number One.

Let's just go ahead and flip to a national sales tax 10% at the consumer level.

Number Two

Let's make it illegal to add riders to a bill. Laws should be simple enough that a lay person can read them , understand them, and see what kind of money is involved. If Cogressman Smith from Florida wants a frog farm he should have to introduce a separate bill that involved ONLY that frog farm, not slip a rider into a highway bill.

Number Three

There should be a website where everyone can go look at every single budget item and see exactly what it is costing to implement the bill, updated hourly. I should be able log on at any time and see what my $106K investment is doing.

 

[Rikurzhen]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

there is NOWAY that would work

For the benefit of us slow people who aren't inclined to simply take your word for it, care to explain why you hold this position?

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

there is NOWAY that would work

For the benefit of us slow people who aren't inclined to simply take your word for it, care to explain why you hold this position?

Because, no one and I mean NO ONE is going to check the box for any "entitlement" program, just for starters

On the real though, too many would simply not be bothered to fill out a form, they wouldn't do it, too much effort, so you'd have what maybe 10% of taxpayers taking the time to give thoughtful consideration to each program? It would fail on that basis alone.[/QUOTE]

 

[Agit8r]

One can already give money to charities, or to houses of worship, or to the spooky PAC of their choice, and write it off on their taxes. So it is pretty a la carte already.

 

[Flopper]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

Voters would give so little money to IRS, it would have to run on the honor system.

 

[Flopper]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

The IRS would get so little money, it would have run on the honor system.

 

[Grandma]

Why are there members of Congress?

To represent the people in their states/districts.

I know it's too much of a concept for some to grasp, but the fact is that it's easier to count 435 votes that 150,000,000.

If you don't like where your tax money goes then elect a new Representative.

By the way, do you have the slightest clue how many people the IRS would have to hire just to count all the votes? Do you know how much that would cost?

Don't waste my taxpayer money. Elect a responsible Representative

 

[Two Thumbs]

uhm, no

why

b/c pretty names and lies would be listed to get your money

plus the overwhelming amount of shit the Fed wastes money on would send like 3 liberals over the the conservative side of thinking.

 

[blastoff]

Damn near anything would be an improvement over the bloated, complicated, confusing, and mind-bending tax code.

Another good suggestion I've heard is to move tax day from April 15 to early November each year, specifically on national election days every other year. Something about voting for the various bloodsuckers on the same day one bends over to grab one's ankles is appealing to me.

 

[Flopper]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

I think you probably know why the system you propose wouldn't work. Congress creates legislation and allocated the funds needed to implement the legislation. If tax payers allocated funds based on what programs they liked and disliked, programs would be grossly over and under allocated.

How much the public likes or dislikes a program has nothing to do with the funds needed to operated it.
.

 

[chikenwing]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

I think you probably know why the system you propose wouldn't work. Congress creates legislation and allocated the funds needed to implement the legislation. If tax payers allocated funds based on what programs they liked and disliked, programs would be grossly over and under allocated.

How much the public likes or dislikes a program has nothing to do with the funds needed to operated it.
.

 

[chikenwing]

Well thats kinda a problem for many,not having any control over unwanted programs,Now you can't please everyone all the time,there is a level of control that needs to be returned to the masses. I know elect a better rep.If we could just find some.

 

[g5000]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

The federal budget is thousands of pages. Do you really think any American is going to go through that and pick the budgetary items to which they want to allocate their income taxes?

 

[Flopper]

I've long toyed with this idea but I'm curious how others feel about it. When it comes time to do your taxes you can fill out a short form, or traditional form, like we do today, or you can fill out the long form and take 50% of your taxes and allocate as you please to the programs that you favor. There would be a long list of every single federal department and you put a dollar figure by each program you choose to support.

The ratio you put down is how your spending is allocated for the next 2 years. Even number SS taxpayers elect on even years and odd SS taxpayers elect on odd years. This allows a bit of smoothing out, to address the fluctuations which will arise as programs become popular or unpopular or to counteract trends where too many choose not to fund in one year so next year others step up and correct.

One aspect that I like is that it removes a lot of power from Congressman and their bad earmarking and pork spending habits. Now they only get 50% of the tax revenue to spend and a good portion of that will be to smooth over the disparities which arise from citizen choice on funding.

So, any thoughts?

The federal budget is thousands of pages. Do you really think any American is going to go through that and pick the budgetary items to which they want to allocate their income taxes?

No one really knows exactly how many programs there are since many do not appear as line items in the budget. I good guess would be several thousand. If they were all listed, it would be far too complex for a tax payer to decide which ones he likes or dislikes. Besides, tax payers have no ideal what it cost to run a program.