The tax on your phone bill is the "Gore tax" that was supposed to wire every classroom to the internet. Not only was the tax illegal but now we find that school districts, like Atlanta, have wasted tens of millions of those dollars on computers that are outdated and sit in warehouses. Your statement about the possibility of a double taxation down the road is sensible , but remember, the fair tax proposal repeals the income tax amendment. It would require a constitutional amendment to re-institute an income tax. Fat chance of that ever happening again.
the fair tax proposal repeals the income tax amendment. It would require a constitutional amendment to re-institute an income tax. Fat chance of that ever happening again.
Unfortunately the Fair Tax Act cannot repeal the income tax amendment, it can only set up the conditions where repeal can be seriously considered to be a viable action. With the repeal the federal income tax statutes, and a viable tax system taking the place of income taxes, the way is open for the Article V, amendment procedures to go forward in the form of an independant proposal to the states by 2/3 of both Houses of Congress as is required under the Constitution.
With income tax the primary means of collection federal revenues over the last 100yrs, the mere dependance upon the income tax infrastructure has been one of the dominant obstacles in the way of an amendment to prohibit the use of taxation on incomes.
No, not that tax. There was, as I said, a tax added to phone bills to fund a war in the late 1800's, it is still on there today, unless in was finally repealed due to consumer complaints in the last ten years.
Actually, as wrong as he was on his main point, he is right on that telephone tax. It was started to generate money for teh Spanish American War (1898 IIRC) and is still in place.
Of course that tax is justified because that war is still ongoing. ;-) Isn't Eastasia always at war?
algore learned from that experience and did the same thing with the internet wiring scheme for schools.
Fat, indeed.
The first income tax was imposed by Abraham Lincoln, without benefit of an amendment empowering Congress to pass one or Lincoln to collect it. Lincoln had everything he needed: he had a war, and he had the Army. He collected the tax, and everyone paid, never mind that it was unconstitutional.
You underestimate politicians and their ability to abuse power. I agree with your interlocutor, the income tax would come back.