Geithner: Taxes on ‘Small Business’ Must Rise So Government Doesn’t ‘Shrink’

[auditor0007]

Overwhelmingly, the businesses back home and across the country continue to tell us that regulation, lack of access to capital, taxation, fear of taxation, and just the overwhelming uncertainties that our businesses face is keeping them from hiring

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

You mean to say that nobody will start a new business when they know that there won't be any demand for their product or service? Surely you jest? Sorry, but it boggles my mind that so few people here understand that demand is what drives business. Of course, they're still living in the Reagan years when the tax rates were 70% and tax cuts actually did some good. Now that tax rates for the very wealthy are under 20%, they want to cut them further. Maybe if we just stopped taxing everyone making over $100,000 per year entirely, and only taxed those making under $100,000 per year, that might get the economy moving again, lmao.

 

[auditor0007]

Overwhelmingly, the businesses back home and across the country continue to tell us that regulation, lack of access to capital, taxation, fear of taxation, and just the overwhelming uncertainties that our businesses face is keeping them from hiring

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Step away from the crack pipe mom. I'm just getting ready for quarterly taxes. Guess what I'm paying on? Wages and sales tax. Wages are a much larger portion by far.

Really? You must have extremely low sales taxes then, because your taxes on wages are only 7.65% of payroll and that is if everyone is under the $106,800. Please don't tell me you are including your employee's tax withholding as taxes that you have to pay. Those are taxes your employees must pay on their earnings and do not effect you other than the fact that you must withhold a certain amount from their paycheck for them and make the payment for them. It's not your money once you have paid them.

 

[oreo]

Overwhelmingly, the businesses back home and across the country continue to tell us that regulation, lack of access to capital, taxation, fear of taxation, and just the overwhelming uncertainties that our businesses face is keeping them from hiring

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

You mean to say that nobody will start a new business when they know that there won't be any demand for their product or service? Surely you jest? Sorry, but it boggles my mind that so few people here understand that demand is what drives business. Of course, they're still living in the Reagan years when the tax rates were 70% and tax cuts actually did some good. Now that tax rates for the very wealthy are under 20%, they want to cut them further. Maybe if we just stopped taxing everyone making over $100,000 per year entirely, and only taxed those making under $100,000 per year, that might get the economy moving again, lmao.

45% of the working class in this country pay no federal income taxes what-so-ever--and this same 45% only donate 2% to the national tax base each year. Only 5% of this nation make 250K per year--and only 1% of that make over 300K--whom pay 67% of the tax base in this country.

This putting the rich against the poor is getting very old. Republicans are on board with raising taxes on those that make over 500K per year--but Obama and his administration have continually threatened small business people in the 250K crowd--by raising their federal tax liability to 39%--(the same as large corporations.) When you add in state and local taxes--this same small business owner could be paying 50% of what he earns in taxes. Since small business is still the largest employer in this country it equates to small businesse's not expanding--therefore not hiring either.

This President has decided to attack the hardest working--most innovative people in this country with his 250K--39% tax bracket threat. Obama has taken away their incentive to risk investment--and expand their businesse's. They have tucked in like a turtle and will wait until the threat is gone.

 

[auditor0007]

Well folks, as I've been saying, we need to raise taxes. That is not to say that we do not also need to cut spending. I have no problem with this if there is at least an equal amount of spending cuts attached to any tax increase.

And by the way, while this may hurt a few businesses, most of them will just tack it on as a cost of doing business and raise their prices. Everyone is raising prices right now, so it shouldn't cost them in sales. It is however, going to help to contribute to greater inflationary pressures, and that would be my biggest concern.

That is just what the economy needs, higher prices across the board. While I agree we need to raise taxes in order to get a balanced budget the priority has to be reducing spending. Congress needs to justify every single penny it spends before it talks about raising taxes. Currently they act like they have to justify cutting spending. Why is there any argument about cutting spending on jet engines the Pentagon does not want or need?

I have no beef with cutting spending. It has to be done. At the same time, revenue must be increased. If either side would seriously discuss doing both, maybe something would get done. Instead, the Dems refuse to even put forth any real spending cuts, and the Republicans insist that tax increases are off the board. Of course the Republicans want to reduce taxes even further which is completely absurd considering how low the rates are currently. Honestly, I'm sick of both sides, because it seems that all everyone wants to do is stick by their guns so that nothing gets done.

 

[auditor0007]

Overwhelmingly, the businesses back home and across the country continue to tell us that regulation, lack of access to capital, taxation, fear of taxation, and just the overwhelming uncertainties that our businesses face is keeping them from hiring

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Tell me something genius. How do you increase demand if people are not getting paid?

And therein lies the problem and is the reason it's going to be a long road before anything really improves. And here is truly the biggest problem that we face. It isn't just that people don't have the money, because a lot of people do have money to spend. What is happening is that the baby boomers are beginning to retire. They don't need or want half the shit they were buying over the last twenty years. These were the people driving the economy. They still have the money, but they're not spending it, and since our economy is consumer driven, it's killing us. On the other end, there are fewer younger people with the kind of incomes necessary to replace all that spending being lost by the baby boomers, and there are less of them than the numbers being lost from the baby boomers.

 

[Annie]

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Tell me something genius. How do you increase demand if people are not getting paid?

And therein lies the problem and is the reason it's going to be a long road before anything really improves. And here is truly the biggest problem that we face. It isn't just that people don't have the money, because a lot of people do have money to spend. What is happening is that the baby boomers are beginning to retire. They don't need or want half the shit they were buying over the last twenty years. These were the people driving the economy. They still have the money, but they're not spending it, and since our economy is consumer driven, it's killing us. On the other end, there are fewer younger people with the kind of incomes necessary to replace all that spending being lost by the baby boomers, and there are less of them than the numbers being lost from the baby boomers.

You've not a clue to what has occurred. Just a guess, not holding degrees in either sociology or econ, right?

 

[auditor0007]

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

You mean to say that nobody will start a new business when they know that there won't be any demand for their product or service? Surely you jest? Sorry, but it boggles my mind that so few people here understand that demand is what drives business. Of course, they're still living in the Reagan years when the tax rates were 70% and tax cuts actually did some good. Now that tax rates for the very wealthy are under 20%, they want to cut them further. Maybe if we just stopped taxing everyone making over $100,000 per year entirely, and only taxed those making under $100,000 per year, that might get the economy moving again, lmao.

45% of the working class in this country pay no federal income taxes what-so-ever--and this same 45% only donate 2% to the national tax base each year. Only 5% of this nation make 250K per year--and only 1% of that make over 300K--whom pay 67% of the tax base in this country.

This putting the rich against the poor is getting very old. Republicans are on board with raising taxes on those that make over 500K per year--but Obama and his administration have continually threatened small business people in the 250K crowd--by raising their federal tax liability to 39%--(the same as large corporations.) When you add in state and local taxes--this same small business owner could be paying 50% of what he earns in taxes. Since small business is still the largest employer in this country it equates to small businesse's not expanding--therefore not hiring either.

This President has decided to attack the hardest working--most innovative people in this country with his 250K--39% tax bracket threat. Obama has taken away their incentive to risk investment--and expand their businesse's. They have tucked in like a turtle and will wait until the threat is gone.

Truthfully, it's all BS. Raising tax rates does not stop people from starting new businesses. When tax rates were 70%, people started new businesses. The reason fewer are being created today is because demand is low. As far as a fairness issue, we have turned the tax system upside down where the wealthiest pay the least, next to the poor. The middle class is the group that takes the beating in the process. BTW, that 39% tax bracket you are talking about is currently 35%, yet the wealthiest of Americans don't pay anywhere near that. Last year, it was around 18%. Middle class Americans are paying a hell of a lot more than that.

 

[auditor0007]

Tell me something genius. How do you increase demand if people are not getting paid?

And therein lies the problem and is the reason it's going to be a long road before anything really improves. And here is truly the biggest problem that we face. It isn't just that people don't have the money, because a lot of people do have money to spend. What is happening is that the baby boomers are beginning to retire. They don't need or want half the shit they were buying over the last twenty years. These were the people driving the economy. They still have the money, but they're not spending it, and since our economy is consumer driven, it's killing us. On the other end, there are fewer younger people with the kind of incomes necessary to replace all that spending being lost by the baby boomers, and there are less of them than the numbers being lost from the baby boomers.

You've not a clue to what has occurred. Just a guess, not holding degrees in either sociology or econ, right?

It's simple demographics Annie, and if you can't figure it out, then it shows your true intelligence level. What do you think caused Japan's stagnant economy? The same exact thing, except their situation is actually worse because not only is the percentage of retirees increasing, their overall population is decreasing. It's so bad, the government is paying young people to have babies.

 

[Gadawg73]

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Tell me something genius. How do you increase demand if people are not getting paid?

And therein lies the problem and is the reason it's going to be a long road before anything really improves. And here is truly the biggest problem that we face. It isn't just that people don't have the money, because a lot of people do have money to spend. What is happening is that the baby boomers are beginning to retire. They don't need or want half the shit they were buying over the last twenty years. These were the people driving the economy. They still have the money, but they're not spending it, and since our economy is consumer driven, it's killing us. On the other end, there are fewer younger people with the kind of incomes necessary to replace all that spending being lost by the baby boomers, and there are less of them than the numbers being lost from the baby boomers.

Well said. Amazing to me that if we focus on these issues instead of the boogeyman issues maybe we can get something done.
I like the debate that you and QW have taken here. Both of you have done well and very interesting with many facts debated.
Good job.

 

[Gadawg73]

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Are you nuts? Small businesses pay payroll taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and the costs of compliance for inane government programs. San Francisco has its very own special payroll tax. There is now the threat of ObamaCare fines/taxes (take your pick) to make it even worse.

As you have consistently shown yourself to be a complete economic illiterate, it's not worth explaining to you how much of a small business owner's time and money is taken upon regulatory compliance.

You betcha.
Any business over 2-3 employees MUST pay tax lawyers, employee law organizations, payroll companies, accountants etc. etc. etc. - to be SURE you are following regulations. The IRS will not hesitate to put a company in bankruptcy and threaten closure because an owner made a simple mistake when figuring taxes.
Also something the clueless never think about - a company pays sales tax/property tax/etc. etc. - even when the company LOSES money. The government "gets theirs" even when you have nothing to give them.
If a business has to close, and sell it's assets to pay taxes - employees lose their jobs and get unemployent (that might be more that the taxes owed btw) - then so be it. The IRS shutters businesses everyday for back taxes.
The government considers it FAAAAR more important that they get every penny "owed" to them than keeping people employed.

I do not pay tax lawyers.
I read the regulations.
Why would IRS want me in bankruptcy?
I agree with most of the rest of your post.

 

[Gadawg73]

Are you nuts? Small businesses pay payroll taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and the costs of compliance for inane government programs. San Francisco has its very own special payroll tax. There is now the threat of ObamaCare fines/taxes (take your pick) to make it even worse.

As you have consistently shown yourself to be a complete economic illiterate, it's not worth explaining to you how much of a small business owner's time and money is taken upon regulatory compliance.

You betcha.
Any business over 2-3 employees MUST pay tax lawyers, employee law organizations, payroll companies, accountants etc. etc. etc. - to be SURE you are following regulations. The IRS will not hesitate to put a company in bankruptcy and threaten closure because an owner made a simple mistake when figuring taxes.
Also something the clueless never think about - a company pays sales tax/property tax/etc. etc. - even when the company LOSES money. The government "gets theirs" even when you have nothing to give them.
If a business has to close, and sell it's assets to pay taxes - employees lose their jobs and get unemployent (that might be more that the taxes owed btw) - then so be it. The IRS shutters businesses everyday for back taxes.
The government considers it FAAAAR more important that they get every penny "owed" to them than keeping people employed.

At my small company, one of the sales reps did a tiny deal for a federal agency. Due to that, we have had to go through an excruciating and expensive contractor compliance audit. They found absolutely nothing wrong, but that audit cost us 10 times more in legal and accounting fees that the revenue we received.

Never again. We will not renew the deal.

I used to work for a few government agencies.
I quit that because of the paper work.
No one forced me to work for them and it was easy to quit.

 

[xsited1]

Are you nuts? Small businesses pay payroll taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and the costs of compliance for inane government programs. San Francisco has its very own special payroll tax. There is now the threat of ObamaCare fines/taxes (take your pick) to make it even worse.

As you have consistently shown yourself to be a complete economic illiterate, it's not worth explaining to you how much of a small business owner's time and money is taken upon regulatory compliance.

You betcha.
Any business over 2-3 employees MUST pay tax lawyers, employee law organizations, payroll companies, accountants etc. etc. etc. - to be SURE you are following regulations. The IRS will not hesitate to put a company in bankruptcy and threaten closure because an owner made a simple mistake when figuring taxes.
Also something the clueless never think about - a company pays sales tax/property tax/etc. etc. - even when the company LOSES money. The government "gets theirs" even when you have nothing to give them.
If a business has to close, and sell it's assets to pay taxes - employees lose their jobs and get unemployent (that might be more that the taxes owed btw) - then so be it. The IRS shutters businesses everyday for back taxes.
The government considers it FAAAAR more important that they get every penny "owed" to them than keeping people employed.

I do not pay tax lawyers.
I read the regulations.
Why would IRS want me in bankruptcy?
I agree with most of the rest of your post.

The IRS doesn't care one way or another whether you go bankrupt. They just want what they consider to be "their" money.

 

[AmericanFirst]

And this in a nutshell is why Obamanomics is an Epic Job Destroying Fail:

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the House Small Business Committee on Wednesday that the Obama administration believes taxes on small business must increase so the administration does not have to “shrink the overall size of government programs.”

The administration’s plan to raise the tax rate on small businesses is part of its plan to raise taxes on all Americans who make more than $250,000 per year—including businesses that file taxes the same way individuals and families do.

n came in an exchange with first-term Rep. Renee Ellmers (R.-N.C.). Ellmers, a nurse, decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010 after she became active in the grass-roots opposition to President Barack Obama’s proposed health-care reform plan in 2009.

“Overwhelmingly, the businesses back home and across the country continue to tell us that regulation, lack of access to capital, taxation, fear of taxation, and just the overwhelming uncertainties that our businesses face is keeping them from hiring,” Ellmers told Geithner. “They just simply cannot.”

She then challenged Geithner on the administration’s tax plan.

“Looking into the future, you are supporting the idea of taxation, increasing taxes on those who make $250,000 or more. Those are our business owners,” said Ellmers.

Geithner initially responded by saying that the administration’s planned tax increase would hit “three percent of your small businesses.”

Ellmers then said: “Sixty-four percent of jobs that are created in this country are for small business.”

Geithner conceded the point, but then suggested the administration’s planned tax increase on small businesses would be “good for growth.”

“No, that's right. I agree with that,” said Geithner. “But just to put it in perspective, it's important to recognize why are we doing this. You know, our deficits are 10 percent of GDP, higher than they've been since any time in the postwar period really. We have a big hole to dig out of, and we have to figure out how to do that in a way that's balanced, good for growth, fair to people as a whole.”

Geithner, continuing, argued that if the administration did not extract a trillion dollars in new revenue from its plan to increase taxes on people earning more than $250,000, including small businesses, the government would in effect “finance” what he called a “tax benefit” for those people....

Geithner: Taxes on

He is living up to his reputation of being a first class idiot.

 

[AmericanFirst]

Small businesses don't get taxed. Their owners get taxed on the net profit like any other ordinary income that's 1099. Any moron radio show host that keeps talking about taxing small businesses either doesn't know what he's talking about or he's a moron. C Corporations get taxed corporately and unless you have 400 or more employees, or want to go public, then you don't need to be a C-Corp.

What a ridiculous silly little meaningless talking pointless.

If Joe owns a small business, and he gets taxed on the net profits, then whether it's the business that gets taxed or he himself that carries the burden, the net effect is EXACTLY the same.

Talk about RAISING taxes on small business MIGHT properly be re-cast as raising the personal INCOME tax of small business-men and small business-women. But it's effect is to TAKE more of the money EARNED by the wealth producers FROM them which leaves them with LESS money to do that "bidness thang." SO, INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY? NAH. CAN'T AFFORD THAT SHIT. GOTTA PAY MY HIGHER TAXES.

HIRE SOME POOR UNEMPLOYED FELLOW AMERICAN? NAH. Gotta instead pay my higher taxes.

Too bad we can't SHRINK the fuckin' overly graspy government instead.

When a liberal idiot tries to explain something they only make it worse.

 

[Gadawg73]

You betcha.
Any business over 2-3 employees MUST pay tax lawyers, employee law organizations, payroll companies, accountants etc. etc. etc. - to be SURE you are following regulations. The IRS will not hesitate to put a company in bankruptcy and threaten closure because an owner made a simple mistake when figuring taxes.
Also something the clueless never think about - a company pays sales tax/property tax/etc. etc. - even when the company LOSES money. The government "gets theirs" even when you have nothing to give them.
If a business has to close, and sell it's assets to pay taxes - employees lose their jobs and get unemployent (that might be more that the taxes owed btw) - then so be it. The IRS shutters businesses everyday for back taxes.
The government considers it FAAAAR more important that they get every penny "owed" to them than keeping people employed.

I do not pay tax lawyers.
I read the regulations.
Why would IRS want me in bankruptcy?
I agree with most of the rest of your post.

The IRS doesn't care one way or another whether you go bankrupt. They just want what they consider to be "their" money.

If you have no $$ they do not care.
Bankruptcy lawyers are 100 times smarter than IRS agents and the government knows it.
IRS settles most of the time before, during or after the bankruptcy. They prefer to settle before and pennies on the dollar. They could care less about the small guy like you say but in the big cases, they would rather the company stay active which = more revenue.
Bankruptcy Judges and Trustees know now it works and they can tie up a case 2+ years. IRS have little patience.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

That's what they are telling ya.

But they are lying.

Lack of demand is the only thing that keeps a business from hiring. You do realize all costs from salaries and benefits are not what business gets taxed on.

Step away from the crack pipe mom. I'm just getting ready for quarterly taxes. Guess what I'm paying on? Wages and sales tax. Wages are a much larger portion by far.

Really? You must have extremely low sales taxes then, because your taxes on wages are only 7.65% of payroll and that is if everyone is under the $106,800. Please don't tell me you are including your employee's tax withholding as taxes that you have to pay. Those are taxes your employees must pay on their earnings and do not effect you other than the fact that you must withhold a certain amount from their paycheck for them and make the payment for them. It's not your money once you have paid them.

Did you forget about state, and sometimes city, income taxes?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Well folks, as I've been saying, we need to raise taxes. That is not to say that we do not also need to cut spending. I have no problem with this if there is at least an equal amount of spending cuts attached to any tax increase.

And by the way, while this may hurt a few businesses, most of them will just tack it on as a cost of doing business and raise their prices. Everyone is raising prices right now, so it shouldn't cost them in sales. It is however, going to help to contribute to greater inflationary pressures, and that would be my biggest concern.

That is just what the economy needs, higher prices across the board. While I agree we need to raise taxes in order to get a balanced budget the priority has to be reducing spending. Congress needs to justify every single penny it spends before it talks about raising taxes. Currently they act like they have to justify cutting spending. Why is there any argument about cutting spending on jet engines the Pentagon does not want or need?

I have no beef with cutting spending. It has to be done. At the same time, revenue must be increased. If either side would seriously discuss doing both, maybe something would get done. Instead, the Dems refuse to even put forth any real spending cuts, and the Republicans insist that tax increases are off the board. Of course the Republicans want to reduce taxes even further which is completely absurd considering how low the rates are currently. Honestly, I'm sick of both sides, because it seems that all everyone wants to do is stick by their guns so that nothing gets done.

Here is the process I want to see.

1. Reduce spending.
2. Simplify the tax code.
3. Expand the tax base.
4. Vote separately on every bit of spending.
5. Prove that tax increases are needed to provide the bare bones of government services.

Items 2 and 3 will increase the revenue stream. After we get a government that only does what it needs to do, not what people want it to, we can talk about tax increases.

 

[auditor0007]

Step away from the crack pipe mom. I'm just getting ready for quarterly taxes. Guess what I'm paying on? Wages and sales tax. Wages are a much larger portion by far.

Really? You must have extremely low sales taxes then, because your taxes on wages are only 7.65% of payroll and that is if everyone is under the $106,800. Please don't tell me you are including your employee's tax withholding as taxes that you have to pay. Those are taxes your employees must pay on their earnings and do not effect you other than the fact that you must withhold a certain amount from their paycheck for them and make the payment for them. It's not your money once you have paid them.

Why don't you run a business and try telling the employees that they are responsible for paying their own taxes sometime. How long do you think it will take for the IRS to come knocking at your door and remind you that you are supposed to withhold employee taxes from their pay?

Did you also forget about state, and sometimes city, income taxes?

You are obviously missing the point. And yes, I do pay these taxes for my employees, but it isn't my money; it's theirs. The same goes for sales taxes, which I do not have in my business. Business owners collect sales taxes from customers and make the payments to the government. It isn't the business owners money and it never was. They are just making the payment.

If you want to discuss how making those payments adds costs to the business, then you have a point, but in truth, that amount is fairly small. However, saying that you have to pay all this money in taxes is extremely misleading, because you are just the middle man who collects the taxes from either your employees or customers and then pays the taxes to the government. Other than your share of FICA taxes, these are not monies coming out of your profit margin.

 

[auditor0007]

That is just what the economy needs, higher prices across the board. While I agree we need to raise taxes in order to get a balanced budget the priority has to be reducing spending. Congress needs to justify every single penny it spends before it talks about raising taxes. Currently they act like they have to justify cutting spending. Why is there any argument about cutting spending on jet engines the Pentagon does not want or need?

I have no beef with cutting spending. It has to be done. At the same time, revenue must be increased. If either side would seriously discuss doing both, maybe something would get done. Instead, the Dems refuse to even put forth any real spending cuts, and the Republicans insist that tax increases are off the board. Of course the Republicans want to reduce taxes even further which is completely absurd considering how low the rates are currently. Honestly, I'm sick of both sides, because it seems that all everyone wants to do is stick by their guns so that nothing gets done.

Here is the process I want to see.

1. Reduce spending.
2. Simplify the tax code.
3. Expand the tax base.
4. Vote separately on every bit of spending.
5. Prove that tax increases are needed to provide the bare bones of government services.

Items 2 and 3 will increase the revenue stream. After we get a government that only does what it needs to do, not what people want it to, we can talk about tax increases.

So we should end Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and every other program out there. The only thing government should do is pay for our defense. Is this what you truly believe? If the majority of the people want government to support certain programs, should the government then not do so?

 

[The T]

That is just what the economy needs, higher prices across the board. While I agree we need to raise taxes in order to get a balanced budget the priority has to be reducing spending. Congress needs to justify every single penny it spends before it talks about raising taxes. Currently they act like they have to justify cutting spending. Why is there any argument about cutting spending on jet engines the Pentagon does not want or need?

I have no beef with cutting spending. It has to be done. At the same time, revenue must be increased. If either side would seriously discuss doing both, maybe something would get done. Instead, the Dems refuse to even put forth any real spending cuts, and the Republicans insist that tax increases are off the board. Of course the Republicans want to reduce taxes even further which is completely absurd considering how low the rates are currently. Honestly, I'm sick of both sides, because it seems that all everyone wants to do is stick by their guns so that nothing gets done.

Here is the process I want to see.

1. Reduce spending.
2. Simplify the tax code.
3. Expand the tax base.
4. Vote separately on every bit of spending.
5. Prove that tax increases are needed to provide the bare bones of government services.

Items 2 and 3 will increase the revenue stream. After we get a government that only does what it needs to do, not what people want it to, we can talk about tax increases.

All good and a Balanced Budget Amendment would seal the deal.