What is the chance a flat tax could be put into effect?

[Amelia]

Does anyone who promotes a flat tax really believe that Republicans will be better at getting past Democratic opposition than Democrats have been at getting past Republican opposition?

Does a flat tax have a better chance than Cap & Trade had, for example?





.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

There is no chance unless we kick the democrats to the curb in the House, the Senate and the White House.

 

[Amelia]

So would they have to get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate?

Having that virtual majority in 2008 bit the Democrats in the butt. Made them think they didn't need any Republican support and that attitude galvanized the opposition.


So ... would Republicans need to have 60+ in the Senate and need to make sure they kept tight control on the moderates? Or would they have a better chance with 51 to 59 and a commitment to making a strong case for the proposal?



Simpler version of the question: ARE enough Republicans in agreement on the wisdom of a flat tax to make it happen even with Republican majorities.

 

[NYcarbineer]

None. Every flat tax proposal is - relatively speaking - a tax cut for the wealthy at the expense of the not-wealthy.

That is not popular enough to ever get passed.

 

[Amelia]

None. Every flat tax proposal is - relatively speaking - a tax cut for the wealthy at the expense of the not-wealthy.

That is not popular enough to ever get passed.

That sure is what they look like to me. I haven't heard a credible defense yet saying otherwise.

 

[Oddball]

The original income tax was a flat tax*.

*Meaning no deductions, credits or exemptions for anyone...There were 7 brackets.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html

Turns out that all the social engineers and tinkerers just cant resist fudging the code to reward "correct" behavior and punish "incorrect" behavior, up to and including earning "too much" money.

 

[Greenbeard]

Flat taxes don't have brackets.

 

[Immanuel]

None. Congress (regardless of which party controls it) will never allow a flat tax as it eliminates their power to control us by using their taxing "authority".

Immie

 

[Oddball]

Flat taxes don't have brackets.

The rates were flat and had no deductions, exemptions or credits, tovarich.....That there were several rate scales -which, incidentally, only applied to those making very high incomes- doesn't change the fact.

But please, go ahead with ignoring these little facts in favor of your class warmongering and envy baiting.

 

[Greenbeard]

Flat taxes don't have brackets.

The rates were flat and had no deductions, exemptions or credits, tovarich.....That there were several rate scales -which, incidentally, only applied to those making very high incomes- doesn't change the fact.

I'll repeat it for you: flat taxes don't have brackets. Hence the name. For a flat tax, the marginal tax rate doesn't vary across slices of income, e.g. with the marginal rate increasing as you move up the income ladder-- if it did, that, of course, would be the hallmark of a progressive tax.

 

[Amelia]

Interesting link, in any case. Thanks.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Tax shenanigans are how the congresscritters hold up donors for funds. A flat no loop hole tax is a tax the congress can't manipulate for their own ends.

not a chance.

 

[Toro]

Who voted 61%-80%?

lol

 

[Toro]

The original income tax was a flat tax*.

*Meaning no deductions, credits or exemptions for anyone...There were 7 brackets.

The Tax Foundation - U.S. Federal Individual Income Tax Rates History, 1913-2011 (Nominal and Inflation-Adjusted Brackets)

Turns out that all the social engineers and tinkerers just cant resist fudging the code to reward "correct" behavior and punish "incorrect" behavior, up to and including earning "too much" money.

That's not a flat tax.

 

[Oddball]

That's not "THE" flat tax as proposed today....Admitted.

Nonetheless, all the rates were flat and there were no deductions, exemptions and/or credits.

 

[ladyliberal]

I could see someone claiming to have passed a flat tax in Washington. However, that would depend on a fairly flexible definition of "flat". Even serious economic literature refers to what I would call a progressive tax as "flat" (so long as it is flatter than our current income tax) so there is some leeway here. It also depends on whether we're talking about passing a bill through one chamber of the legislature or passing an actual law, as well as on what time frame we're talking about.

I don't see anything like what I'd call a true flat tax becoming law in the future. Flat taxes aren't a crazy idea in the abstract (plenty of state income taxes are flat) but they'd be a huge change from our current system. Under any scenario, a large portion of the electorate would realize a flat tax was bad for them, and oppose it.