FairTax Summit in Florida

August 20th, 2004 | AFFT

[Remember_Salamis]

Hello!

With the recent national media attention on tax reform alternatives we believe we are quite close to the tipping point on fundamental tax replacement. Our website has taken thousands of hits. Our 800 number is ringing off the wall. There is no question the time for positive action is now. We are working with both Presidential candidates staff and expect to get a senior surrogate speaker from both Bush and Kerry. The American people demand a fair and simple federal income and Social Security tax system. Come to Florida and make your views known.

We intend to keep this fire alive.
So we are having a conference, in Florida, in September, when the press will be crawling all over the state due to the hotly contested presidential and senatorial elections. And we'd like you there with us.

2004 Tax Policy & Jobs National Leadership Conference
September 17 through 19, 2004
Orlando, Florida
An invitation to attend

Why? Grassroots leadership is the key to actually moving reform forward. This conference brings together the top national, regional, and state leaders in tax policy, job growth, and economic development. We will examine the current alternatives to educate the grassroots and Congress in tax systems that make our country's goods more competitive at home and abroad, and provide sufficient funding for the reform and assurance of our Social Security system, while ensuring economic opportunities and stability for, and the welfare of, low-, lower middle-, and fixed-income Americans.

Our current tax system exports American jobs rather than American products.

The current income tax system drives up the cost of American manufactured goods and agricultural commodities, to say nothing of its complex, intrusive, inefficient, special-interest-driven nature. Not only does the current system decrease our competitiveness overseas, it increases domestic prices for those who can least afford to pay. Funding Social Security reform is almost as daunting as reform itself. The Social Security system is supported by a narrow, regressive payroll tax, levied heavily on low- and lower middle-income Americans. While Social Security system reform is clearly necessary, this is not the purpose of this conference. Determining a responsible, long-term funding solution for Social Security reform is a purpose for this conference.

Result? Bring job creation and Social Security reform-friendly tax policy to the forefront of our national economic debate.

Who? The Tax Policy & Jobs Conference is sponsored by National Tax Research Committee.

When? September 17 through 19, 2004

Where? Gaylord Palms Resort & Visitors Center, Interstate 4 @ Osceola Parkway East (Exit 65), Kissimmee (Orlando), Florida, right across the freeway from Disney World

Data for attendees

• Registration is $100.
• This conference is a summit. It is intended for leaders who move federal and state income and payroll tax policy and these tax systems' effects on job creation/competitiveness in the United States.
• This event is educational, nonpartisan, and will offer all viewpoints on tax reform where supporters are willing to present in person.
• Due to the media attention focused on Florida from both the presidential and the Florida senate race, it will be held there to heighten interest in the policy of these issues.
• There will be individual speakers and panels to educate attendees during general sessions.
• There will be booths available where attendees will learn more between general sessions.
• Register on line at https://secure.fairtaxvolunteer.org/registration/.

Very best regards,
Tom


Thomas A. Wright
Executive Director
FairTax.org
tom@fairtax.org
www.fairtax.org
1-800-FAIRTAX




Contributions to Americans For Fair Taxation are not tax deductible because we lobby for you in Washington, D.C.

[Remember_Salamis]

FairTax Bump!

[GSlob]

There is nothing fair in it: replacement of income tax by a consumption tax means stealthy introduction of double taxation on every after-tax saver; pretty much like death taxes, but this time on people still alive.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

The only "fair tax" is no tax at all. I have a better idea. Instead of imposing the flat tax or fair tax on taxpayers, why don't we follow the Constitutional provision and add the tax via tariff on all goods and services entering the country? I know. I don't have enough cash to buy the politicians off. Too bad. I'd love to keep the money I earned.

[ancient_geezer]

A Taxreform bump for you all.

If you would like to be added to this ping list let me know.

John Linder in the House & Saxby Chambliss Senate, offer a comprehensive bill to kill all income and payroll taxes outright, and provide a IRS free replacement in the form of a retail sales tax:

H.R.25, S.1493
A bill to promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national retail sales tax to be administered primarily by the States.

Refer for additional information: http://www.fairtax.org & http://www.salestax.org

[ancient_geezer]

Instead of imposing the flat tax or fair tax on taxpayers, why don't we follow the Constitutional provision and add the tax via tariff on all goods and services entering the country?

 

The Honorable James DeMint (R-SC)
United States House of Representatives
THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2001

• "There has been a shift in the relationship between individuals and government, he argues, such that fewer and fewer are paying taxes at the same time that more and more are receiving increasingly generous benefits. If it becomes the case that most voters do not bear a financial burden for this largess, then there will be little to restrain--and significant political incentives to encourage--the continued growth of government.

 

So many Americans paying little or no federal taxes makes for a natural spending constituency. It's like me in the restaurant: What do I care about extravagance if you're footing the bill?
---Walter Williams

 

To remove perception of the tax burdens of the individual, is to remove the goad which assures accountability of government to the electorate. Federal tax rates are high and government grows ever larger because a majority of the electorate do not perceive proportionately the burden their demand for largesse imposes on the minority of citizens.

The siren call for representation without taxation is the formula that got us where we are at today. The ability to hide or disguise taxation from the view of large sectors of the electorate allows the Congress to get away with the creation of the evergrowing monster that it fosters.

 

Federalist #35:

"Suppose, as has been contended for, the federal power of taxation were to be confined to duties on imports, it is evident that the government, for want of being able to command other resources, would frequently be tempted to extend these duties to an injurious excess. There are persons who imagine that they can never be carried to too great a length; since the higher they are, the more it is alleged they will tend to discourage an extravagant consumption, to produce a favorable balance of trade, and to promote domestic manufactures. But all extremes are pernicious in various ways. Exorbitant duties on imported articles would beget a general spirit of smuggling; which is always prejudicial to the fair trader, and eventually to the revenue itself: they tend to render other classes of the community tributary, in an improper degree, to the manufacturing classes, to whom they give a premature monopoly of the markets; they sometimes force industry out of its more natural channels into others in which it flows with less advantage; and in the last place, they oppress the merchant, who is often obliged to pay them himself without any retribution from the consumer. When the demand is equal to the quantity of goods at market, the consumer generally pays the duty; but when the markets happen to be overstocked, a great proportion falls upon the merchant, and sometimes not only exhausts his profits, but breaks in upon his capital."

Federalist #12:

• "A nation cannot long exist without revenues. Destitute of this essential support, it must resign its independence, and sink into the degraded condition of a province. This is an extremity to which no government will of choice accede. Revenue, therefore, must be had at all events. In this country, if the principal part be not drawn from commerce, it must fall with oppressive weight upon land."

• "The ability of a country to pay taxes must always be proportioned, in a great degree, to the quantity of money in circulation, and to the celerity with which it circulates. Commerce, contributing to both these objects, must of necessity render the payment of taxes easier, and facilitate the requisite supplies to the treasury."

Federalist #21:

"Imposts, excises, and, in general, all duties upon articles of consumption, may be compared to a fluid, which will, in time, find its level with the means of paying them. The amount to be contributed by each citizen will in a degree be at his own option, and can be regulated by an attention to his resources. The rich may be extravagant, the poor can be frugal; and private oppression may always be avoided by a judicious selection of objects proper for such impositions. "

"It is a signal advantage of taxes on articles of consumption that they contain in their own nature a security against excess.

They prescribe their own limit, which cannot be exceeded without defeating the end proposed - that is, an extension of the revenue."

[ARCADIA]

Forget about a "fair tax" and start thinking about what we can do to reduce the size of government at all levels. It doesn't matter what scheme you come up with to fund it; the basic problem is that we can not afford to carry that much overhead.

[EternalVigilance]

I intend to come if at all possible.

The FairTax is the only viable fundamental tax reform proposal on the table.

Everything else is a bad joke.

[EternalVigilance]

It doesn't matter what scheme you come up with to fund it

Sorry, you're wrong. The method of collection is HUGE.

Read Hamilton's words in the Federalist. The Founders understood that THE WAY you collect taxes is every bit as important as HOW MUCH you collect.

[ARCADIA]

[b]The method of collection is HUGE.[/b]

...and, you will not be able to touch it without affecting hundreds of thousands of pages of special interest financing imbedded within our tax code. Not just the budgeted stuff, but, also, very significantly, all of the unbudgeted items.

[Taxman]

Drive a stake through the heart of the income tax and the IRS bump!

[ancient_geezer]

Forget about a "fair tax" and start thinking about what we can do to reduce the size of government at all levels.

 

This chart does not look very promising for the future
financial well-being of our offspring, does it?

TAXES

 

100years of history under the income tax makes it clear that we will not get there (smaller government) from here (the income tax).

The NRST will allow every voter (for the first time) an opportunity to actually see what their government costs them on every receipt. It is only out of knowledge, that one can expect an electorate to exercise it's most important function, that "Eternal Vigilence" that is so necessary to preserving liberty.

[Badray]

"There is nothing fair in it: replacement of income tax by a consumption tax means stealthy introduction of double taxation on every after-tax saver; pretty much like death taxes, but this time on people still alive."

I have to assume from your comments that you are not familiar with the FairTax plan, are you? There are safeguards built into the proposal to address each of your concerns. Please read the bill and then come on board.

[Badray]

"The only "fair tax" is no tax at all. I have a better idea. Instead of imposing the flat tax or fair tax on taxpayers, why don't we follow the Constitutional provision and add the tax via tariff on all goods and services entering the country?"

I like it.

Now how do we get there? Who will propose your plan in Congress? How many cosponsors will you have on the bill? When can you expect passage?

Yes, I'm being a bit of a smart @ss, but you're right. That is the system the Founders provided and it worked for funding the government for 150 years. Trouble is, who follows that old Constitution thingy these days in Congress? Do most Americans even know that it exists?

I believe that the only way to get back to what you are proposing will be to first change to this system so that EVERYONE can see the cost of government and that they have a responsibility to share that cost. The system is fair and easy to understand and transparent. No exemptions or deductions or exclusions. Only after we make people aware of the cost of government can we have a hope to reduce the size and cost of it.

Currently, about 40% of the people do not pay federal income taxes for one reason or another. And many more than that get a government check each month. We may soon get to a tipping point where there is no chance of fixing this. There will be too many people who will vote away more of your paycheck.

I agree with you in theory. In practice, I have to be more practical and that's why I support the FairTax.

[Badray]

"Forget about a "fair tax" and start thinking about what we can do to reduce the size of government at all levels. It doesn't matter what scheme you come up with to fund it; the basic problem is that we can not afford to carry that much overhead."

You too, are right about the size and cost of government, but you have the cart before the horse.

Until people realize the cost of government and that they have a responsibility to pay for it, we'll never get there. If you don't pay for your lunch, do you care what it costs? How willing would you be to eliminate your lunch from the list of freebies?

Let's get this plan into place and watch for wonderful changes to begin to happen -- in the economy and in government.

[Badray]

"...and, you will not be able to touch it without affecting hundreds of thousands of pages of special interest financing imbedded within our tax code. Not just the budgeted stuff, but, also, very significantly, all of the unbudgeted items."

And that is the beauty of this. The FairTax is a revenue bill, not a spending bill. The revenue will be the same and so will the spending -- until people see what they pay for government and that ANY new spending program or increase WILL affect them.

[lewislynn]

replacement of income tax by a consumption tax means stealthy introduction of double taxation on every after-tax saver;

-------

I have to assume from your comments that you are not familiar with the FairTax plan, are you?

Yes.

There are safeguards built into the proposal to address each of your concerns. Please read the bill

I've read the bill, I must have missed the safeguards part...

Post them.

[Taxman]

I should attend -- have to check my calendar and my checkbook!

[smokeyb]

replacement of income tax by a consumption tax means stealthy introduction of double taxation on every after-tax saver;

I have read HR25 too. Show ME where the double taxation is. Taxes are only on NEW goods and services-end user. It gives you the chance to actually NOT pay any taxes if you want. The essentials that you buy which will be taxed ? You get an up front rebate. Where is the double taxation ?

[Your Nightmare]

The double taxation comes from people who have already paid federal income taxes on their savings would then have to pay federal sales tax when they tried to spend their savings.