Thompson Flip Flops on Taxes? [Did Fred Thompson Take 'Fair Tax' Pledge?]

ABC News ^ | July 30, 2007 | Teddy Davis

[SampleMan]

Amazing that anybody could call a 23 percent sales tax a “fair tax”. That’s the fundamental problem with the national sales tax. It’s about 15% to much.

Fair and correct are two different things. I would settle for a 50% sales tax, as long as it was flat, because I guarantee you that it would be 15% or less within 5 years.

The entire point of the Fair Tax is to make people realize what the government is costing them. When you take away withholding, flatten the tax, and present it to them several times a day, 95% of Americans will scream out for tax cuts.

[Man50D]

Amazing that anybody could call a 23 percent sales tax a “fair tax”. That’s the fundamental problem with the national sales tax. It’s about 15% to much.

You're paying more than 23% with the income tax! One dirty little secret about the income tax is most people are paying that much or more today much of it is just hidden from view. Fair Tax FAQ #5The income tax bracket most people fall into is 15 percent, and all wage earners pay 7.65 percent in payroll taxes. That’s 23 percent right there, without taking into account the 7.65 percent employer matching! Totaling more than 30%. On top of that, you have to add in the business taxes and associated compliance costs passed on to consumers in higher prices. The effective tax rate(after the rebate) on average will be 15.5%. That same individual will pay 17.3 percent of his or her income to federal taxes under current law.

[Man50D]

The dollar amount of tax is the same. Whether you’re quoting the tax inclusive rate or the tax exclusive rate.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Odd. The title on ABC News was different when I posted it.

[dynoman]

Exactly, Fred’s safety net is the fact congress will most lkely never pass it.

[RFC_Gal]

Don’t call it a sales tax if it is computed differently than every other sales tax currently in use on the consumer level in the USA.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Ah, no wonder.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=%22Duncan+Hunter%22&ie=UTF-8&scoring=n

The title was presented differently on Google News.

[plain talk]

If true, that’s a good sign. However, the Fair Tax plan is irrelevant as it will never see the light of day. What’s important is not this piece of legislation but the desire to reduce taxes within the existing system.

[therut]

Well how long do you think it would take people to demand the tax be lowered. See if all pay the same percentage it will wake up alot of dead beats who think taxes are a good thing. Every time the .gov wants to increase taxes they will have to increase them on EVERYONE!!!!! Plus you have much more economic FREEDOM. YOU decide what YOU want to buy and pay taxes on. It is a WONDERFUL idea.

[expatpat]

The point is that the “23%” rate is deceptive labeling. In the same way that a state sales tax is 6% of the base price, this tax would be 29% on the base price.

[expatpat]

The elite may have to grit their teeth and do something like the fair tax, given Tom Cryer’s recent court win.......

[RFC_Gal]

Do you find that the random uppercasing of words helps you prove your point?

[JoinJuniorAchievement]

Whose military are you a veteran of? American soldiers fight for a person’s right to vote for whom they choose.

I agree, you have the freedom to break your Oath. no one will arrest you.
Few will even remind you of it.
Still, We took an Oath:
To defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Hunter and Paul are the only two who have not attacked the Constitution with their votes in Congress.
Only you can control your Honor.

[counterpunch]

You one-percenters have some strange tactics for trying to gain support for your candidates.
You might discover you do your cause a lot more harm than good.
Of course that might be part of the reason they’re polling at <1%.

[Secret Agent Man]

I am sorry but 23% is too forking high.

Try 10% and then I’d say okay. 23% is friggin socialism. I’m paying a lot less under the current system. I want my taxes to go DOWN, not UP.

[omega4179]

a sales tax only hits the middle class, it is a DISASTER. The illegals and lower class will buy everything on the underground economy.

[JoinJuniorAchievement]

You one-percenters have some strange tactics for trying to gain support for your candidates.

I am here to remind Veterans of their Duty.
everyone can check voting records now. What a pol says on the campaign trail does not matter.
If you are not a vet, my message is not for you.
I am appealing to the heroes who put America first.
Few sacrificed for the common good like we did.
Our mission is not over just because we are not on active duty
Look at the voting records, it is easy, 1+1=2
It is not like we have a lot of choice.
If you don't understand Ron Pauls foreign policy, you can go with Hunter.
Neither has attacked the Constitution, that which we promised to defend.

[Nervous Tick]

>> We took an Oath: To defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic

You’re right! I remember taking that oath.

Let’s review the facts.

Al Queda is the enemy of US.
Al Queda is fighting us in Iraq.
Ron Paul wants US to cut and run out of Iraq. Leave with our tail between our legs while leaving our foreign enemy to hurt us.
Ron Paul is an isolationist maniac who would allow US to die at the hands of our foreign enemies.
Ron Paul is supported by a number of our moonbat domestic enemies, simply because he wants to turn tail in Iraq.

Add it all up, and I must conclude that because I love my country and swore to defend it, I could never vote for Ron Paul.

Thanks so much for reminding me that the oath I took is yet /another/ good reason not to vote for Ron Paul.

[counterpunch]

How is getting Hillary elected and allowing the Clintons to dance around the 22nd amendment “defending the constitution”?

I would really like to know.

[NHGOPer]

Wow, no investigation into Fred’s record? Somehow I get the feeling I’m watching molasses being poured in January in NH when listening to Fred.

How about gun control?