I now support a consumption tax over a flat tax......

[Rocko]

Any success stories to point to?

Any failures to point to?

Idiot.

 

[2aguy]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

A consumption tax automatically works because we keep all the money we make and spend it as we want to, not the greedy, corrupt politicians.....I'll listen to more details, but that is the greatest selling point.......it limits how much the assholes can increase taxes since everyone, everyone will feel it.....

 

[Brain357]

The economist who wrote this book.....

Popular Economics What the Rolling Stones Downton Abbey and LeBron James Can Teach You about Economics John Tamny 9781621573371 Amazon.com Books

...was on the Dennis Prager radio show today.....he once again pointed out the advantages of a consumption tax over a flat tax...and of course it makes sense....you get all your money that you work for, and only get taxed on the things you buy.....he pointed out that this way the government doesn't know how much you make, and it is a great way to cut off how much money the government can take from us in taxes.....

the whole point for me is that we need to starve the beast....giving them more tax money doesn't fix the problem....

It's an interesting idea. In theory the rich pay more because they spend more. Poor pay less because they spend less. Would be a big change for people to accept.

Actually the problem is that poor people spend a far greater portion of their income than the wealthy do.

The poor pay less now in absolute terms and in percentage terms- a consumption tax would still have the poor paying less- but they would pay a far greater amount of their income- and their disposable income than the wealthy would.

Those are good points. I would think the rate of consumption tax would depend on type of purchase? Like essentials lower than luxury items?

 

[Brain357]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

A consumption tax automatically works because we keep all the money we make and spend it as we want to, not the greedy, corrupt politicians.....I'll listen to more details, but that is the greatest selling point.......it limits how much the assholes can increase taxes since everyone, everyone will feel it.....

My worry would be addin a consumption tax rather than replacing income tax with it.

 

[2aguy]

The economist who wrote this book.....

Popular Economics What the Rolling Stones Downton Abbey and LeBron James Can Teach You about Economics John Tamny 9781621573371 Amazon.com Books

...was on the Dennis Prager radio show today.....he once again pointed out the advantages of a consumption tax over a flat tax...and of course it makes sense....you get all your money that you work for, and only get taxed on the things you buy.....he pointed out that this way the government doesn't know how much you make, and it is a great way to cut off how much money the government can take from us in taxes.....

the whole point for me is that we need to starve the beast....giving them more tax money doesn't fix the problem....

It's an interesting idea. In theory the rich pay more because they spend more. Poor pay less because they spend less. Would be a big change for people to accept.

Actually the problem is that poor people spend a far greater portion of their income than the wealthy do.

The poor pay less now in absolute terms and in percentage terms- a consumption tax would still have the poor paying less- but they would pay a far greater amount of their income- and their disposable income than the wealthy would.

Those are good points. I would think the rate of consumption tax would depend on type of purchase? Like essentials lower than luxury items?

I have heard economists talk about exempting medicine and basic foods....

 

[2aguy]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

A consumption tax automatically works because we keep all the money we make and spend it as we want to, not the greedy, corrupt politicians.....I'll listen to more details, but that is the greatest selling point.......it limits how much the assholes can increase taxes since everyone, everyone will feel it.....

My worry would be addin a consumption tax rather than replacing income tax with it.

Yeah, that is the problem with all of these ideas...have to get rid of the income tax first or we get stuck with both....

 

[Pop23]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

And the income tax has worked so well that we are 18+ trillion in debt.

Pardon while I chuckle

 

[LoneLaugher]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

And the income tax has worked so well that we are 18+ trillion in debt.

Pardon while I chuckle

Debt doesn't matter. That's a canard to frighten idiots.

 

[S.J.]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

And the income tax has worked so well that we are 18+ trillion in debt.

Pardon while I chuckle

Debt doesn't matter. That's a canard to frighten idiots.

Did you have to go to school to learn how to be that stupid?

 

[LoneLaugher]

What's the rate going to be, dummy?

Have you any exempted purchases?

Have you a place that you can point to where a consumption tax
Has worked?

And the income tax has worked so well that we are 18+ trillion in debt.

Pardon while I chuckle

Debt doesn't matter. That's a canard to frighten idiots.

Did you have to go to school to learn how to be that stupid?

Nope. Learned it by listening to economists who have gotten it right. Especially, Dean Baker.

Do yourself a favor. Read everything he writes. It will help you.

 

[EverCurious]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

 

[Brain357]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

 

[S.J.]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

It's been discussed many times. Food would not be taxed. If you're poor, you don't buy luxury and non-essential items anyway. If you have enough money to buy booze, you have enough money to pay the tax on it. If you don't, you have no business buying it in the first place.

 

[EverCurious]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

It's been discussed many times. Food would not be taxed. If you're poor, you don't buy luxury and non-essential items anyway. If you have enough money to buy booze, you have enough money to pay the tax on it. If you don't, you have no business buying it in the first place.

Personally I'd want to know if stuff like cellphones, cable, internet, clothes (Like the $200 sneakers and $300 purses my employees would always buy while complaining that they're not getting paid enough, and simultaneously refusing to work full time, or even additional hours lol), getting your nails done, and so forth would be included as "non-essentials." I'd also be curious to know how that would work with personal sales, like if I sell my car to someone, do they pay a consumption tax or is the tax only paid on new car purchases? What about leasing a car...

Would we end up with black market "tax free" sales for hair extension's and Gucci handbags on street corners? (I loved wandering through the Mexican flee markets, heh)

 

[Brain357]

The economist who wrote this book.....

Popular Economics What the Rolling Stones Downton Abbey and LeBron James Can Teach You about Economics John Tamny 9781621573371 Amazon.com Books

...was on the Dennis Prager radio show today.....he once again pointed out the advantages of a consumption tax over a flat tax...and of course it makes sense....you get all your money that you work for, and only get taxed on the things you buy.....he pointed out that this way the government doesn't know how much you make, and it is a great way to cut off how much money the government can take from us in taxes.....

the whole point for me is that we need to starve the beast....giving them more tax money doesn't fix the problem....

Would this help criminals? I was thinking of all the criminals caught for tax evasion. And I would think they would like not telling how much they make.

 

[Brain357]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

It's been discussed many times. Food would not be taxed. If you're poor, you don't buy luxury and non-essential items anyway. If you have enough money to buy booze, you have enough money to pay the tax on it. If you don't, you have no business buying it in the first place.

How many different rates would a business have to keep track of? I'm assuming it would be calculated at checkout.

 

[S.J.]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

It's been discussed many times. Food would not be taxed. If you're poor, you don't buy luxury and non-essential items anyway. If you have enough money to buy booze, you have enough money to pay the tax on it. If you don't, you have no business buying it in the first place.

Personally I'd want to know if stuff like cellphones, cable, internet, clothes (Like the $200 sneakers and $300 purses my employees would always buy while complaining that they're not getting paid enough, and simultaneously refusing to work full time, or even additional hours lol), getting your nails done, and so forth would be included as "non-essentials." I'd also be curious to know how that would work with personal sales, like if I sell my car to someone, do they pay a consumption tax or is the tax only paid on new car purchases? What about leasing a car...

Would we end up with black market "tax free" sales for hair extension's and Gucci handbags on street corners? (I loved wandering through the Mexican flee markets, heh)

Of course those things are non-essentials. Food is necessary to live, cable is not. Can we be serious?

 

[S.J.]

hmm, on the surface I'd say I'd support a consumption tax.

Sadly I don't see it flying because of the rate it would have to be set at to cover our current expenses would likely be pretty crazy sounding. Plus all those people who pay no federal tax now, would have to pay "extra"; they'd be pissed and they outnumber us...

Yes it would be interesting to see a rate. And since the lowest income people pay nothing now I don't see how they could pay nothing with a consumption tax. So it would have to be a tax increase for the poorest.

It's been discussed many times. Food would not be taxed. If you're poor, you don't buy luxury and non-essential items anyway. If you have enough money to buy booze, you have enough money to pay the tax on it. If you don't, you have no business buying it in the first place.

How many different rates would a business have to keep track of? I'm assuming it would be calculated at checkout.

It would be a federal tax. There might be state taxes too but there would only be one rate for the federal.

 

[Nutz]

So you want to punish the rich with a consumption tax...or are you already thinkng of ways to give breaks for high priced luxury items?

 

[S.J.]

So you want to punish the rich with a consumption tax...or are you already thinkng of ways to give breaks for high priced luxury items?

They already pay most of the taxes anyway, how would a consumption tax be a punishment? They could just not buy as much if they thought they were paying too much.