Posted on 09/16/2008 7:31:24 PM PDT by reaganaut1
In California, income or sales taxes have not been raised this year to close the budget deficit because Republican opposition prevented such measures from gaining the needed 2/3 majority. This should be a reminder of the need for such a supermajority requirement at the Federal level, the same as needed to ratify treaties.
The Republican party platform http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/GovernmentReform.htm#2 says
"Because the problem is too much spending, not too few taxes, we support a supermajority requirement in both the House and Senate to guard against tax hikes."
(Of course, when we had a Republican president and Congress, spending was unrestrained.)
I have not seen McCain or other Republicans advocate this. There may be little public clamor for tax cuts now, but that does not mean that people want tax increases.
A constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes has little hope of passing in the near term, but having the debate would highlight the differences between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats think that 51% of the people have the moral and legal right to confiscate the income or wealth of the other 49%.
The federal government can always fall back on the hidden tax of inflation and the more obvious deficit spending. While a super majority on tax increases would be nice it would be better to place it on increased spending.
even at the city level there are problems.
some cities exclude lower income people from the tax increases that they vote on.
i don’t think that’s right.
That, I believe, is something called a “poll tax”, and is illegal.
i think there’s a city in my valley doing this.
i’ll check around.
Please, get back to me on this one if you find something. Lawsuit heaven, if true. ;-)
ok.
i heard it on the radio that people below a certain income level would not be taxed.
ok.
i heard it on the radio that people below a certain income level would not be taxed.
ok.
i heard it on the radio that people below a certain income level would not be taxed.
something wrong with my vista?
I think that the less we change the constitution the better. Perhaps we should focus on changing Congress.
Generally speaking, people hate Congress—but like their own guy. We need to change that. We need to get rid of all of them. Period. Sometimes a few of the good need to go to make way for a new crop.
What is most needed at the federal level is initiative and referendum. Then the people of the USA could overrule our corrupt representatives when necessary, which lately is most of the time.
I’ve always been very proud of being an American. But as I’ve grown old I’ve come to the conclusion that our system of government is only the second best in the world. Switzerland has the best, and we ought to swallow our pride and copy the best features of their governmental system.
You should try the new OS; it's called Mojave, and is much better.
JUST KIDDING!
Mark
Which would accelerate the transition from a Constitutional Republic to a Democracy, something that the founders never wanted, because they knew from history that it's nothing more than "mob rule."
Mark
You need to type HARDER!
Mark
you mean
mouse
harder.
click that is.
How does voting out a do-nothing congress and replacing them with new blood change us from a republic? Methinks you misread my post.
“they knew from history that (democracy is) nothing more than “mob rule.”
Since 1891 Switzerland has proved otherwise. Our founding father respected experience more than mere theories.
Oops... I accidentally replied to post #11, rather than post #12. This is what happens when I try Freeping without my trusty 52 oz mug of iced tea!
Nope, I actually agree 100% with your post. Take a look at #12 though, which talks about federal referendums. Scary thought!
Mark
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