Posted on 01/20/2008 6:29:07 AM PST by Man50D
During an election season, one of the first losers is the truth. The current misinformation campaign against the FairTax has been particularly virulent. Last month the FairTax was being panned by some columnists as a "crackpot scheme," even though it could be collected exactly the same way as its close cousin, the value-added tax, which is the most successful tax in the world. This month the FairTax is being vilified by various columnists as a tax increase for the middle class, even though it would provide a substantial tax cut for two-parent middle class families. Specifically, in a recent column, George Will asked, "Do you want a president (Mike Huckabee, proponent of a national sales tax of at least 30 percent) pledged to radically increase the proportion of federal taxes paid by the middle class?" Similarly, Time magazine's business and economics columnist Justin Fox wrote a blog piece entitled, "The FairTax and its big break for the $200,000-plus crowd."
The FairTax is a national sales tax that would replace the income taxes, the payroll taxes, and the gift and inheritance taxes. It would be a 30 percent sales tax on retail purchases. Since 30 cents is 23 percent of $1.30 (the amount you would pay on a $1 item), a 30 percent FairTax would cost you about 23 percent of your consumption. To help you pay the tax, you would get a prebate check or a debit card credit at the beginning of each month equivalent to the amount you would pay when buying necessities. In 2007, that amount would have been based upon $10,210 spending per adult and $3,480 spending per child.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
a system with a sucess penalty with at its heart a monthly check based on “from each according to their ability to each according to their needs”
suuuuure keep drinking that kool-aide.
you might as well call the Fair Tax Scam “New and improved Marxism Lite”
(and no trans fats too!)
Newsflash even with a flat tax system you would still need the same people to manage the flow of money.
Which clause does the monthly federal debit card payment come under?
“Yes, you do.
Do you get a paycheck or monetary income ( directly or indirectly) in any form because the current IRS system exists?”
Sorry, I was reading in something that is not there. (I’ve seen some pretty arrogent people on the FT bandwagon and was anticipating a possible ambush.)
The answer is “no”. Not one penny that I can think of.
I can’t believe you think the Fair Tax is complicated. Compare and contrast it to the income tax, the above the line deductions, below the line deductions, credits, progressive rates, estimated tax filing deadlines, etc.
The current system is nothing short of INSANE. If we were designing a system from scratch and the stated objectives were to make the system as difficult and onerous and hard to comply with as possible, WE COULDN’T DO A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!
To workers, we need to explain this: No more Federal Income Taxes or Social Security or Medicare taxes will be taken out of your paycheck. Instead, you’ll pay taxes at the point you buy goods and services. So that you don’t pay taxes on essentials, every month you will receive a prebate equal to the amount of tax due on basic necessities.
What is so hard about that?
I suspect that a case could be made that EVERYBODY in the US can be shown to "benefit" indirectly from the IT. It's still a stupid question. Sorry.
Stupid questions get stupid answers. The answer to the question you are really asking is HEdoublehockysticks NO!
Ummm - don't forget the BIG "pay increase" in the paycheck - every cent now being taken out for all the different taxes would be in the pay check - you get the GROSS - every penny you earn. Look at your paychecks and add THAT up!
Then you have the control over most of the sales taxes you pay by your own choices of what you buy. YOU decide how much of your money will go on taxes - it won't be stolen from you.
For example: my closet is full of top-brand clothing and shoes. I have 3 London Fog coats, a full length wool-Alpaca coat (new retail $600.) jackets by WoolRich, LL Bean etc - which I spent from $2.50 to $4.50 for. One of the London Fogs I went whole hog for, paying $8.99 The $600 dollar wool/Alpaca coat cost me $5.00. Some of these coats still had the original store tags - and I defy anyone to be able to tell any of them weren't brand new off the shelf.
Same with my shoes - nothing but leather and top name brands - average $65 dollar shoes for 95 cents.
And there would be NO National sales tax on any of the above.
So is someone feels they are too good to buy second hand, they can choose to pay the hundreds of extra dollars for new stuff AND the sales tax.
Bottom line: the bulk of taxes a person pays, under the FAIR TAX, is up to US, not the gov't. Buy a used car - no tax...etc.
But for the basic necessity level - the prebate pays for the taxes. The GROSS in the paychecks is gravy and the savings people can pocket by their purchase choices is more gravy.
The desert is: NO APRIL 15th dread. NO control from Washington. (That's the main reason for the pols not wanting to loose the IRS. They loose the KGB control/threat over "The Little People" =
You are right to think that way because Canada imposed the GST and kept their income tax.
And Canada has suffered for it.
Obviously!
The question is would the collection costs be more or less under the Fair Tax ?
What is the cost in the number of pennies per dollar collected under our current system? ( private costs and government costs)
What would be the cost in the number of pennies per dollar under a Fair Tax system? ( private costs and government costs)
By the way,,,I have the same question for you that I have for Proud2BeRight and Paladin2:
Do you, longtermmemmory, Proud2BeRight, and Paladin2 benefit directly or indirectly from the ***business and occupation**** of IRS collection, IRS management, IRS law advice, or IRS tax preparation, or any other form of handling and managing IRS taxes?
Under the current IRS system there are ARMIES of accountants, lawyers, payroll tax firms, tax prep services, and whole departments of some large industries are dedicated to managing IRS taxes. EVERYONE of these people would have their livelihoods threatened by a Fair Tax.
It is not a stupid question. If you benefit from the business of IRS management then your opinions are not necessarily impartial.
I am beginning to conclude that you do benefit.
I was using $10,000 as a simple, round number to easily show the falsehoods about it being a 30% tax, not as a real-life “this is how much you would actually pay” example. Ya know, trying to make it more basic for those who have math deficiencies.
The old false but accurate argument.
No. I donwanna. You tell me.
I am up to my keester in alligators, steering a horizontal (oil) well in Montana. I am 14 hours into my work day, so if you just want to snipe minor points of semantics, have at. If you have a point to make, quit hiding smugly behind your keyboard and make it.
Others here might not want to wait until I have time to google up some colonial common law, and I am many miles form my library.
This is the anti's favorite argument. It is also their dumbest one. Do you guys know how to "Google" communist manifesto? Try it.
Is it me or does that 2nd plannk say: "A heavy progressive or graduated income tax."?
The real scammers around here are the liars that make up their own FairTax.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Study constitutional law then get back to me.
And study as a nuetral person..not as a socialist or other.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.