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Why the income tax must go
Worldnet Daily ^ | August 8, 2002 | Harry Browne

Posted on 08/12/2002 2:18:13 PM PDT by Keyes For President

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To: TopQuark
But there are so few public goods.
21 posted on 08/12/2002 4:50:11 PM PDT by Satadru
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To: Radioactive
The IRS is the enforcement arm of the FEDERAL RESERVE ...

I agree with you but it does have power. It draws that power from FEAR. Yes, there is something to fear but who said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". Why none other than one of their very own.

It is NO COINCIDENCE that the Federal Reserve was created at the same time as the income tax.

Take care,
CATO

22 posted on 08/12/2002 5:00:46 PM PDT by Cato
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To: TopQuark
TAXES ARE COLLECTED. YOU PAY THEM WHEN YOU BUY THINGS. YOU PAY WHEN YOU SELL THINGS. YOU SHOULD NOT PAY TAXES ON YOUR INCOME BECAUSE THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO.

ENOUGH SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

23 posted on 08/12/2002 5:02:22 PM PDT by Radioactive
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To: motzman
I believe it was KARL MARX who advocated the graduated income tax as one of the 10 planks of the COMMUNIST MANIFESTO. What else do you need to know to support a flat tax?
24 posted on 08/12/2002 5:48:59 PM PDT by majic12
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To: Satadru
Yes. And they are sooo expensive.

And what is the point of that remark?

25 posted on 08/12/2002 6:55:15 PM PDT by TopQuark
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To: Radioactive
Radioactive, you are emitting too much energy! Could you please not use capitals so liberally? It is like shouting. No need, we can hear. And read.

I agree with you; I too think that the VAT is better.

26 posted on 08/12/2002 6:57:05 PM PDT by TopQuark
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To: LenS
the protection of the american people from terrorists will arise under harry browne's plan by americans being able to carry and thwart any attacks first hand... an armed citizenry is a safe citizenry... harry browne is right, doped up or not.
27 posted on 08/12/2002 6:58:37 PM PDT by teeman8r
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To: Keyes For President
Let me lay this on you.

To Rule a Free People you need to control three spheres, Political, Monetary, and Social.

In the three years 1912-1914 three measures were taken to take control of these spheres. Who were the Presidents during this time?? No PARTY monopoly on conspiracy or intrigue. Can I say treason??

1. To Control the Political the 17th Amendment was passed. This seemingly harmless admendment took the election of U.S Senators away from the State Legislatures and placed there election in the hands of democratic elections by the people. Harmless?? Not really because what happened was that in low population States outsiders came in and bought seats. Check out Arkansas, Alaska, Nevada, Hawaii. Think of other States with low populations preferably ones with only one Rep.

What can a Senator do?? RATIFY TREATIES which if you notice have been given a superior status to The Constitution. They also approve Federal judges. And how about their rulings, which unless Congress acts, carry the weight of Law? Isn't that the Legislature's DUTY??

2. The Monetary control was done just as you have said, throught the twin montrosities, the Federal Reserve, which is neither a Reserve or Federal, and the 16th Amendment which was needed to pay the INTEREST on the money? that the Fed would create for US. How sweet of them.

Just how can Congress delegate IT'S Constitutional duty to regulate the value of money??? Article 1, Sec. 8

3. The Social sphere was to be controlled through the Harrison Narcotics Act and subsequentially Alcohol Prohibition. Think what the WOD has done for social control.

Both Prohibition and the WOD also have the added benefit(for the scoundrels who gave us this crap) of TURNING us against each other in a fight to SAVE WESTERN CIVILIZATION.(from the yellow horde, communists, Mexicans, Hipsters, n******, hippies, fill in the blank with your favorite bogeyman.)

Keep the commoners fighting amongst themselves so they don't figure out who the real enemy is. "Braveheart", comes to mind when I think of who that would be.

All seemed reasonable and even prudent by many but those are the seeds that were planted and my haven't they raised a healthy crop of weeds in the garden of liberty.

Regards from Hardyville,
CATO

28 posted on 08/12/2002 7:01:30 PM PDT by Cato
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To: headsonpikes
This article is being censored in a fashion.

It will not come up on current posts. You have to know it is there to read it. I wonder how much that cost. Check out the times and see for yourself.

CATO

29 posted on 08/12/2002 7:11:27 PM PDT by Cato
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To: Cato
This article is being censored in a fashion. It will not come up on current posts. You have to know it is there to read it. I wonder how much that cost. Check out the times and see for yourself.

Testing, 1,2,3,4....

30 posted on 08/12/2002 7:16:56 PM PDT by Keyes For President
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To: Satadru
A great thing about the consumption tax is that it will discourage consumption and encourage investment. Hence, interest rate will be extremely low because everyone will be saving.

Yea that's a great thing. (Martha is that you?) We can all invest in products no one is consuming because of exorbitant taxes. As to "extremely low" interest rates, the interest on savings would be "extremely" lower yet.

BTW, did you know under the so called "consumption tax" interest earned and paid is taxable. Interest is the price paid for borrowing buying (consuming) money.

There's no free lunch.

31 posted on 08/12/2002 7:20:13 PM PDT by lewislynn
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To: kcpopps
Yuck...I feel sick! I just sealed the envelope on my taxes tonite. I felt bad until I read your post....then I felt worse :(
32 posted on 08/12/2002 7:23:03 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
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To: Keyes For President
I would think the ones who scream the most on this thread about the income tax will be those who pay the least.
The rest are too busy working.
33 posted on 08/12/2002 7:48:12 PM PDT by A CA Guy
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To: stainlessbanner
It would be good if they went with the Reagan model of a top level of 28%.
But the idea of ending it would be crazy since the country can't run a military, roads, services and hospitals for free.
34 posted on 08/12/2002 7:51:07 PM PDT by A CA Guy
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To: Keyes For President; LenS; Satadru; kcpopps; TopQuark; A CA Guy; majic12
Rather than post several different items, I will address several comments in just this one post.

LenS:  I'd hate to see the property taxes, sales taxes, and tariffs that would result.

Satadru:  I oppose a consumption tax system. It is such an efficient way to raise money, that the federal govt will collect a lot more in tax revenues which will increase the size and scope of the federal government. As such, it is a bad idea, unless the rate is very small.

kcpopps:  I've read that the intent would be to start out at 15-17% with the rate set to decrease over time. I would be leery of trusting the politicians to follow through on that and leave it alone - even if it were working perfectly.

All of these statements mistakenly assume that a National Retail Sales Tax (NRST) would have to be high.  Actually, a NRST has a built-in mechanism that works to force tax levels down, where the income tax makes it easy to increase tax levels.  Our current tax system is evidence of the ease in which the income tax is raised.  That is because most people do not consider taxes as having ever been their money, since taxes are taken out before the taxpayer ever sees the money.  The NRST, on the other hand, reminds the taxpayer just how much he is paying in taxes every time he pulls out his wallet.  That constant reminder will have the effect of driving sales tax levels down and keeping them low.

Lens:  Nor would I like to see what was left of our military.

TopQuark:  Oops! You forgot to tell us who will repair the roads, pay for the army and armements, etc.

A CA Guy:  It would be good if they went with the Reagan model of a top level of 28%. But the idea of ending it would be crazy since the country can't run a military, roads, services and hospitals for free.

There are a couple of things to consider here.  In all probability, if the income tax is abolished, another system of taxation (probably a tax on consumption) will certainly replace it.  Any such system of taxation would be designed to be revenue neutral, though it need not be, as explained below.

According to the OMB, in recent years, federal expenditures for national defense has been around 16 to 18 percent of total revenue.  Only another 1 or 2 percent is used to fund government overhead (salaries and infrastructure for Congress, the courts, etc.).  So, for less than 20% of what we are currently paying in taxes, we could fund 100% of the Constitutionally mandated functions of government.  Granted, that this is not likely to happen.  But, as long as we rely upon any form of income tax for revenue, it will certainly never happen.  It is the difference between not likely and never.

majic12:  I believe it was KARL MARX who advocated the graduated income tax as one of the 10 planks of the COMMUNIST MANIFESTO. What else do you need to know to support a flat tax?

Just one other thing.  Our current progressive income tax began as a flat income tax.

Marx would be quite pleased with a flat income tax, because he knew that once you have a flat income tax in place, it is only a small step to a progressive income tax.  In fact, the ONLY way that you can keep a flat income tax from becoming a progressive income tax is to not tax income at all.

Any tax based on income will very soon become progressive.


I don;t agree with all of Harry Browne's ideas, either.  But then, I doubt that there are very many republicans who agree with all of Dubya's ideas or those of their own representatives in federal and state governments.  That's just normal.  The sad thing is that the leadership of the GOP has become so afraid of losing their own power, that they are now willing to compromise their principles, rather than face even the slightest risk of facing a tight election race.  As a result, I find that I now agree with Harry Browne's solid stand on his principles (though somewhat different than my own), much more than I agree with the attitude of capitulation and appeasement, so obvious in Dubya and the GOP leadership.

 

35 posted on 08/12/2002 11:05:20 PM PDT by Action-America
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To: Action-America
Thank you very much for that post. BUMP.

Yes, it's unlikely. It's difficult. Congress will resist losing their stranglehold. But that doesn't mean we should give up.

I like the following quote, which does not specifically mention the tax issue, but is still appropriate.

There is no guarantee of success in the fight for individual rights and freedom.
  There is a guarantee of failure if you do nothing and remain silent.

36 posted on 08/12/2002 11:19:27 PM PDT by kcpopps
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To: Action-America
I bring up the 28% rate bacause that was the rate where the treasury packed their accounts with taxes because people were allowed to keep more. At 28% they would work much harder.
37 posted on 08/12/2002 11:22:25 PM PDT by A CA Guy
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To: Keyes For President
When we repeal those taxes, what will you do with that extra money?

Who are you trying to kid? They would have to instantly raise the sales tax. The only problem is, it is already over 8% in many parts of the country. Would consumers stand for another 10% or 15% on top of that? In their pay checks, they see the deductions but the tax is not passing through their fingers. Wait until they are paying $15.00 to $20.00 extra on every $100 they purchase.

38 posted on 08/12/2002 11:52:34 PM PDT by BJungNan
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To: Keyes For President
Keyes is a great man. I sure wish he and Pat Buchanan were president and vp.

yes, its time to end all tax laws. Rush has commented in the past about how laws in the US seem to be oriented to keeping Americans from moving up into higher tax brackets and becoming wealthy. At first, I thought Rush may be stretching the true, but upon further consideration, I think he's on to something.

Our very own government may be working to hold all of us down. Are poor Americans easier to control?

39 posted on 08/12/2002 11:57:11 PM PDT by SamBees
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To: kcpopps

There is no guarantee of success in the fight for individual rights and freedom.
There is a guarantee of failure if you do nothing and remain silent.

BANG!  Dead on target!

Yes, it's unlikely. It's difficult. Congress will resist losing their stranglehold. But that doesn't mean we should give up.

Absolutely.  And, the first step is to get rid of the income tax, in any form, because that is the basis for the rest of their stranglehold.  Without the income tax, they will not be able to continue the rest of their abuses of their Constitutional powers.

 

40 posted on 08/13/2002 6:37:39 AM PDT by Action-America
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