[GeronL]

The FAIR tax plan I read was inspid and a socialist dream.

The whole “prebate” thing is a joke, what kind of bureaucracy will that require?? Massive. Who gets refunds? Those who paid nothing still get them from those who get to pay higher taxes.

It’s still progressive in other words.

I can already see Democrats running on the plan to raise the prebates for the “poor and middle class” while bashing those greedy Republicans.

Silly.

[Kellis91789]

Exactly right.

Not to mention the way it attempts to completely shift the burden for SS/M entirely onto the rich. I say “attempts” because the rich would flee the country since the FairTax gives them that legal option. The rich spending their money elsewhere would leave a $500B/yr hole in the “projected” FT revenues. That fact alone guarantees the FairTax rate would need to be much higher than 23%.

[Defend Liberty]

The whole “prebate” thing is a joke, what kind of bureaucracy will that require??

Far less bureaucracy than what the prebate will replace and is required to keep track of the multitude of income tax forms requiring people to fill out quarterly or annually.

Who gets refunds?

Anyone who wants to file for the prebate. It won't be mandatory.

I can already see Democrats running on the plan to raise the prebates for the “poor and middle class” while bashing those greedy Republicans.

I wish that were the case. The fact is they have fought against The Fair Tax because they realize it will take power away from the federal government by allowing people to decide when and how often they are taxed instead of the federal government confiscating the people's hard earned money before people get their paychecks.

[Froggie]

I certainly agree the prebate concept is not ideal, but is borne from arguement the libs would launch about the unfair burden that would be placed on lower income people who are buying necessities of life. The bureacracy would be much less that the current IRS bureacracy as every legitimate social security holder would get a check equal to the estimated tax on “essential goods” however that would be defined.
You will never be able to find a tax plan that does away with bureaucracy - but the Fair Tax would most certainly do away with punitive IRS actions. Honest tax payers would not deal with fear of prosecution for overzealous audits or not following the insanely voluminous IRS rules/laws/regulations that no one could possibly know.

[Froggie]

I certainly agree the prebate concept is not ideal, but is borne from arguement the libs would launch about the unfair burden that would be placed on lower income people who are buying necessities of life. The bureacracy would be much less that the current IRS bureacracy as every legitimate social security holder would get a check equal to the estimated tax on “essential goods” however that would be defined.
You will never be able to find a tax plan that does away with bureaucracy - but the Fair Tax would most certainly do away with punitive IRS actions. Honest tax payers would not deal with fear of prosecution for overzealous audits or not following the insanely voluminous IRS rules/laws/regulations that no one could possibly know.