Fair Tax

[VaYank5150]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

Oh please. How in the world could we afford the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, with an idea like this?

We can't afford it now

Oh, but we could before? Is that like being for something before you are against it?

 

[Big Black Dog]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

Oh please. How in the world could we afford the invaiosn and subsequent occupation of Iraq, with an idea like this?

I am sure in his little imaginary Republican fantasy world ruled by King Limbaugh a tax structure where the majority of the tax burden was on the shoulders on the poor is a perfectly sustainable system...

I think you're off your rock. For starters, I am an Independent. To further pop your balloon, I don't even listen to the Rush Limbaugh radio show. You're throwing your darts at the wrong target buttface. I believe taxes should be fair for all Americans and every American should be taxed at the same rate. I said nothing about a tax burden on the shoulders of the poor - however, everybody should be paying the same amount of taxes.

 

[uscitizen]

Oh please. How in the world could we afford the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, with an idea like this?

We can't afford it now

Oh, but we could before? Is that like being for something before you are against it?

That one year memory limit is a bitch.

 

[Againsheila]

Its fair, do you support it?

Naming it "fair" does not make it "fair".

 

[uscitizen]

Its fair, do you support it?

Naming it "fair" does not make it "fair".

As a matter of fact I have learned that laws and such that have real nice sounding names means to bend over and get the vaseline out.

 

[Some Guy]

One thing is for sure; we've got way too many people in this nation that have no tax burden at all. That's incredibly disturbing to me knowing that roughly 50% of the population gets to vote on how to spend tax dollars (albeit indirectly) when they don't contribute anything to be paid.

 

[SpidermanTuba]

Its fair, do you support it?

Of course I support it. Whatever it is doesn't matter, you gave it the name "fair tax", and I'm a sucker idiot, so I support it no matter how moronic it is.

 

[VaYank5150]

One thing is for sure; we've got way too many people in this nation that have no tax burden at all. That's incredibly disturbing to me knowing that roughly 50% of the population gets to vote on how to spend tax dollars (albeit indirectly) when they don't contribute anything to be paid.

I agree. Whatever did our government do with all of those American bank accounts that we got from the Swiss?

 

[SpidermanTuba]

One thing is for sure; we've got way too many people in this nation that have no tax burden at all.
That's incredibly disturbing to me knowing that roughly 50% of the population gets to vote on how to spend tax dollars (albeit indirectly) when they don't contribute anything to be paid.

I don't think that's actually true. It might be for the income tax by itself, but I'd assume that by the phrase "no tax burden at all" you mean exactly what you said. Anyone who buys gasoline, cigarettes, or beer pays federal taxes, for instance.

 

[Bill O'Olberman]

however, everybody should be paying the same amount of taxes.

So everyone should have to pay the same annual tax regardless of age, income, or any other factor?

And what is fair or isnt a fair tax structure is completely subjective. I believe a slightly progressive system is the best possible and fairest system. Poor people dont have much money anyways so taxing what little money they have helps increase tax revenue only marginally. Also necessary expenditures such as food, clothing, housing, etc make up a much larger portion of a relatively poor person's income than that of a relatively wealthy person. After the most basic living expenses the poor have no money left to really tax.

 

[Darkwind]

No, I don't support it, if anything, I'd love to see the 16th repealed with nothing to replace it or more of a VAT of 1 or 2% with no exemptions or all Federal taxes repealed and each State paying their apportioned share to the Federal government, raising the revenue as they wanted to.

That last is My preferred way of financing the federal government. Let the States 'tithe' their fair share to support defense and a few other programs that each of us can use and benefit from. The rest of governance should be done at the State level with appropriate funding levels decided upon by the citizens of that particular state.

That "tithing" is known as apportionment...It operates just fine without a direct tax on incomes, the 16th Amendment and the IRS.

Yes, I know.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

I've heard this talking point from many republicans and "conservatives" - but it's unfortunately not true. Everyone pays taxes - payroll taxes, sales taxes, etc etc. The people you're talking about make too little money, and therefore have no income tax liability. Do you really think it's wrong that someone who's raising a family on 20,000 a year has no income tax liability?

 

[Immanuel]

For all of you who don't like The Fair Tax because you think it is extra hard on the poor and unemployed, do you know that the Fair Tax Bill provides for a credit to be issued on a monthly basis to every household of the amount of tax that would be paid at the poverty level?

This would be used to offset the amount of taxes that every taxpayer will spend every month on taxes. So, if Mary Jones, a single mother of two, is working at McDonald's making minimum wage and barely surviving on her paycheck (Gross Wages-FWT-FICA-Medicare) today and the Fair Tax goes into effect on March 1, her checks after March 1 would be her Gross pay (no payroll taxes would be taken out) plus every month she would get a payment from the treasury of an amount equal to the taxes she would pay at the poverty level for a family of three (let's say that was $350/month) So she would get her full wages + $350/month. If she was frugal and bought only enough taxable items so that her fair share of the tax paid in March was only $275 she would earn a net gain of $75 for the Month of March.

In effect, she would be able to budget her spending to better suit her needs.

To top that off, things that are necessary for survival might actually be able to be set up to be "tax free" meaning food items like baby formula might be non-taxable (for everyone) while Fillet Mignon would be taxable. Meaning there again, that Mary would budget her purchases and tax bill to her needs. If, for instance, bread, peanut butter and jelly, and milk are non-taxable and Mary is short until the end of the month she can spend her money on non-taxable items. She could in effect budget her entire month's purchases to reduce her taxable purchases to almost nothing at all and receive the $350 every month as extra income. As she makes more money and can afford "luxury items" then she can increase her purchases so that her taxable purchases go up. When she becomes the night manager at McDonald's she can actually afford some of the things she chose to avoid in the past.

The rich are not going to buy non-taxable items just to avoid paying the tax. So they will pay their fair share of the taxes. Yes, the rich get the monthly credit too, but they will more than spend that every month. Just by doing the things that they do.

I lost my job on the 29th of January. I have done a lot of cutting of monthly payments over the last couple of weeks. Under the fair tax, I would have an additional $400 or so based on my family size (If I remember right the amount for a family of four (there are five in mine) was estimated at something like $400/month) to look forward to on March 1. Believe me when I say that would help a lot.

To make things even better, people who do not pay taxes now on their income... i.e. drug dealers, illegal aliens, visitors to the country and people who work "under the table" would no longer be able to avoid taxes altogether at least not in any way that would be different from Mary Jones. They would actually pay the tax every time they purchased items from a taxable entity. Buy a Washing Machine... pay your tax. Buy gasoline... pay your tax. Pay rent on a condo... pay your tax. Pay rent on Section 8 housing... um, guess what, Section 8 housing could be set up as non-taxable and you don't pay taxes on that rent.

The "flat tax" although better than today's income tax fiasco, would not incorporate all those who avoid paying taxes by not declaring income. Drug dealers and illegal aliens would still avoid paying taxes because they are not going to declare their income. People who do not declare income, today, are not going to start declaring income simply because of the flat tax.

The "Fair Tax" is not perfect, but it is a hell of a lot better than the current income tax disaster we have today and in my humble opinion is better than the "Flat Tax" proposal which would only promote more people hiding their income especially those who can do so... the rich.

Immie

 

[Gadawg73]

I support it.
It is the only way to go. Current system is political and not enough Americans pay taxes.

 

[GHook93]

Oh man I wish I had more time to write on this.

The fair tax is what will make America strong again. One of America's biggest disadvantages in the world economy is shockingly our tax system. Businesses are taxed 2 primary ways which depends on the type. Its a flow through taxation (taxed at the owner level) or dual taxation (C-Corps via the Corporate tax). The only business entity that has the dual taxation is the C-Corps.

What the fair tax does is removes the corporate taxes (we have the 2nd highest in the world), payroll tax (one of the only countries that has it and it a small business killer), capital gains taxes (would be a huge benefit to investing in American Corps over Foreign Corps), the Estate tax (which is a illogical and unjust tax altogether) and the Income Tax (this would be a HUGE benefit to small businesses and people in general) ==> this is exchange for 1 large consumption tax (sales tax).

Naysayer will say the consumption tax will prohibit consumers from buying. That will not be the case. With all the taxes removed on business there will be a boom in Corporations forming and GROWING. Heck we will even see a boom in the manufacturing sector. More jobs mean more money in the American pockets. We are a consumer nation. In fact we spend more than any other nation. That won't stop with the Fair Tax. In fact it will increase, with the boom in employment, especially in high paying jobs.

The fair tax is what is needed to get us an edge over China, Mexico and the 3rd world.

 

[Nonelitist]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

I've heard this talking point from many republicans and "conservatives" - but it's unfortunately not true. Everyone pays taxes - payroll taxes, sales taxes, etc etc. The people you're talking about make too little money, and therefore have no income tax liability. Do you really think it's wrong that someone who's raising a family on 20,000 a year has no income tax liability?

I think that it is irresponsible in the first place or someone to have 4 children without a job making more than 20,000/year. Don't have the kids if you can't afford it.
I also think it irresponsible to not seek a job making more money than that when you have a family of 4.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Oh please. How in the world could we afford the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, with an idea like this?

We can't afford it now

Oh, but we could before? Is that like being for something before you are against it?

You're retarded, aren't you?

 

[Wry Catcher]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

Consider the consequences of too much wealth in too few hands. That surely follows from a 'fair tax' wherein great wealth will accumulate in too few families. Our founders rejected Kings and Nobilities for a good reason - and what good would follow from such a tax?

 

[Nosmo King]

Yep a flat % tax on ALL personal income. NO deduction, etc.

That hurts the poor worse than anyone else. Perhaps a national sales tax rather than an income tax. No payroll deductions, no forms on April 15 to submit.

But a flat rate really smacks the poorest the hardest.

 

[Nosmo King]

I believe that every American should be paying the same amount of tax as anybody else. Makes no difference if you are the poorest man or the richest man, the taxes should be the same. Everybody, regardless of who they are should be paying income taxes. I've heard that approximately 50% of all Americans pay no taxes at all. I think that is wrong. If you make a dollar it should be taxed just the same as the man who makes a million dollars - no difference. It makes absolutely no sense for people to not pay the same amount of taxes as their fellow Americans. We are all in this together - not just the rich.

I've heard this talking point from many republicans and "conservatives" - but it's unfortunately not true. Everyone pays taxes - payroll taxes, sales taxes, etc etc. The people you're talking about make too little money, and therefore have no income tax liability. Do you really think it's wrong that someone who's raising a family on 20,000 a year has no income tax liability?

I think that it is irresponsible in the first place or someone to have 4 children without a job making more than 20,000/year. Don't have the kids if you can't afford it.
I also think it irresponsible to not seek a job making more money than that when you have a family of 4.

Easy to say, isn't it? Wlak in someone else's mocassins and come back with a more pragmatic, less dogmatic idea.

Sure you think it's irresponsible. And, from the perspective of the casual observer such a deduction could be drawn. But if you live someplace where the major employer shuts down and moves to say Singapore, jobs in that community become hardewr to find. then, you might say move away and seek your fortune elsewhere. Fine. Come buy my house so I can have a fresh start someplace where housing prioces aren't so depressed due to a glutted housing market. There are other folks in the neighborhood wanting to pull up stakes and are stuck similarly because they would have to abandon their largest investment.

Flippant comments like yours sure salve your soul. But the reality bites.