The Best Tax Proposal in the History of the World

[Sparko]

re: a sales tax would be regressive.

Most countries already have a VAT, like Europe and New Zealand. Most states already have a sales tax.

Why is this not regressive and stopped by the liberals?

But given that most states already have a sales tax and we still have income tax (state and federal) what makes anyone think you could replace the Federal Income tax with a sales tax? We already have one and we still have the federal income tax too. Nothing would change.

[Jedidiah]

re: a sales tax would be regressive.

Most countries already have a VAT, like Europe and New Zealand. Most states already have a sales tax.

Why is this not regressive and stopped by the liberals?

But given that most states already have a sales tax and we still have income tax (state and federal) what makes anyone think you could replace the Federal Income tax with a sales tax? We already have one and we still have the federal income tax too. Nothing would change.

The Fair Tax eliminates the IRS and income tax, it is not an addition but a replacement.

[Sparko]

The Fair Tax eliminates the IRS and income tax, it is not an addition but a replacement.

Have you ever seen the government give UP a source of money? They will find a way to have both.

But considering the sales tax is already between 6 and 10 percent and that it does nothing to reduce even the STATE income tax of each person, how high would the fair tax have to be to cover both state and federal? On the order of 90%?

[rogue06]

Priceless

[Starlight]

Most countries already have a VAT, like Europe and New Zealand. Most states already have a sales tax.

Why is this not regressive and stopped by the liberals?

It was introduced by a right-wing government, and then increased by a right-wing government. I, as a liberal, want it scrapped.

Unfortunately rich people love sales taxes precisely because they're so regressive and so they pay economists and think-tanks to say that sales taxes are great and one of the best forms of taxation. So there is quite a lot of entrenched 'accepted wisdom' that they are good and hence opposition to their removal. But act now and appoint me dictator of the world and I will remove them.

[carpedm9587]

re: a sales tax would be regressive.

Most countries already have a VAT, like Europe and New Zealand. Most states already have a sales tax.

Why is this not regressive and stopped by the liberals?

But given that most states already have a sales tax and we still have income tax (state and federal) what makes anyone think you could replace the Federal Income tax with a sales tax? We already have one and we still have the federal income tax too. Nothing would change.

I, for one, think all sales taxes should be eliminated and shifted to either just income tax or a combination of income and property taxes.

I also agree, if they add a federal sales tax, we'll end up with both. The only goods I would consider taxing are those that do harm that affects the larger community (e.g., cigarettes, etc.). But note I say "consider." I have concerns about where the line gets drawn on these so-called "sin taxes," I have concerns that the funds do not go to help alleviate the problem these products create (e.g., health-related), and I have concerns about being able to draw a straight-line relationship between the product and the health issue.

[Sparko]

It was introduced by a right-wing government, and then increased by a right-wing government. I, as a liberal, want it scrapped.

Unfortunately rich people love sales taxes precisely because they're so regressive and so they pay economists and think-tanks to say that sales taxes are great and one of the best forms of taxation. So there is quite a lot of entrenched 'accepted wisdom' that they are good and hence opposition to their removal. But act now and appoint me dictator of the world and I will remove them.

So, all of these liberal socialistic political paradises you keep going on about being better than the USA all have VATs that help fund all those social programs you like, and you want it scrapped and blame it all on "right-wing government"

Go on, pull the other one!

[Jedidiah]

I, for one, think all sales taxes should be eliminated and shifted to either just income tax or a combination of income and property taxes.

I think property tax is immoral.

[carpedm9587]

I think property tax is immoral.

Curious. Why?

[Cow Poke]

Curious. Why?

Taxing property owned cheats those who don't own property of paying their fair share!

[Jedidiah]

Curious. Why?

If I am the owner of a piece of property why should I have to continue to pay rent (effectively) to the government. It is on the same level, which I also consider immoral, as taxing savings. Let everyone pay their own way, don't make them dependent on property owners.

[carpedm9587]

If I am the owner of a piece of property why should I have to continue to pay rent (effectively) to the government. It is on the same level, which I also consider immoral, as taxing savings. Let everyone pay their own way, don't make them dependent on property owners.

I'm going to have to think about this one...

[Starlight]

If I am the owner of a piece of property why should I have to continue to pay rent (effectively) to the government.

In my country a property tax is paid to the local council, who in exchange for that provides services to the property such as water on tap, sewerage piped away and treated, roads around the town and to your front door, and garbage collection. So it's not like the property owner is renting their property, it's like they're paying for services they're receiving.

I would also add that due to my socialistic streak / sympathy towards the ideas of native tribes who saw humans as caretakers of land and not the owners of it, I am not totally sold on the idea of people being able to 'own' land and wonder if long-term leases isn't economically a better system anyway.

It is on the same level, which I also consider immoral, as taxing savings.

I personally think savings should be taxed. Given that the government has to fund its services through taxation, it seems like you're best to tax the money people aren't using (i.e. savings taxes) as opposed to the money the are using (i.e. VAT taxes). Can you explain why you would view taxing savings as immoral?

[Jedidiah]

In my country a property tax is paid to the local council, who in exchange for that provides services to the property such as water on tap, sewerage piped away and treated, roads around the town and to your front door, and garbage collection. So it's not like the property owner is renting their property, it's like they're paying for services they're receiving.

I would also add that due to my socialistic streak / sympathy towards the ideas of native tribes who saw humans as caretakers of land and not the owners of it, I am not totally sold on the idea of people being able to 'own' land and wonder if long-term leases isn't economically a better system anyway.

I personally think savings should be taxed. Given that the government has to fund its services through taxation, it seems like you're best to tax the money people aren't using (i.e. savings taxes) as opposed to the money the are using (i.e. VAT taxes). Can you explain why you would view taxing savings as immoral?

Well of course this does not mean much to me since I already see you as immoral.

[Tassman]

Well of course this does not mean much to me since I already see you as immoral.

No doubt about you judgemental Evangelicals is there? So funny!