[editor-surveyor]

Important read.

[Willie Green]

It is important to study our nation's first revenue raising Act to understand the wisdom of the Framers.
[See, Twenty Years of Congress, James G. Blaine, 1884, Vol. 1, page 185]

A different, but informative online reference that I've come across is:

Foundations of the Tax Legislation Process: The Confederation, Constitutional Convention, and First Revenue Law

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Whew.. this stuff makes my head spin. I really appreciate the ping though. Problem is, just when I start to understand and agree with ONE poster..another one comes along to change my mind.. then another and another......

This is such a complicated issue. Sadly, I think one poster said something I wonder out loud often. If we take away the HUGE amount of taxes that corporations pay.. who is going to make up the difference?

It is like telling a family of 6 where both parents work, one of you must stop working. Sadly, that family has BILLS that commeserate (I think thats the word I'm wanting) with their income levels. Hard thing to change..and usually ends up in bankruptcy.

I'm hoping to understand this more..and will keep reading the thread. Thanks for the ping.

FRegards, Vets

[TLBSHOW]

Thanks and bookmarked

[harpseal]

The purpose of taxation in our nation at present is to concentrate power in groups that otherwise produce nothing. We will never get rid of the complicated tax structure we now have because far too many tax professionals live off the current tax code.

[PatrickHenry]

Another way to look at it ... imagine that the income tax ended, period, and for a brief, shining moment there was zero (Federal) tax burden on all of us. And zero record-keeping and form-filling out. Imagine the economic boom that would result if we could keep the hundreds of billions that are taken from us, and if we could avoid all the odious administrative tasks that the system imposes.

Then, reality rears its ugly head. The federal gov't needs money. How shall it be raised? Would we want to return to the nightmare system we had just dumped? I think not. It would be far simpler to tack on an additional sales tax at the retail level, where merchants are already involved in tax collection activity. No additional bureaucracies needed! Merchants could collect not only for the states, but for the feds too, and remit to the US on a monthly basis. The rest of us would remain free of the paperwork nightmare, and we'd pay taxes in accordance with our consumption.

Seems like a big improvement.

[ctdonath2]

Important read indeed. Pity an idea so central to our Constitution has gotten so lost. This is the solution we need and must restore! Tax not the citizens, tax those non-citizens who wish to do business here!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[Landru]

"Important read."

Oh yea, what part?
Here, this especially stuck out (for me):

"Madison, in discussing this Act before Congress, clearly pointed out a very important principal of American's original tax reform package:
"...a national revenue must be obtained; but the system must be such a one, that, while it secures the object of revenue it shall not be oppressive to our constituents."

HA!!
Guess we've strayed just a tad huh, what, starting 250 years ago.

Truth is?
The present day thieves (we're electing) are going to do precisely what they want to do on the subject of taxation et al.
Which does not mean they'll replace today's system with a NRST or any other contrivance.
To those who'd think -- or suggest -- otherwise I'd say just one thing.
Sober up.

As a matter of fact our politician-theives will do what they've always done.
Raise [all] taxes -- one at a time or in pairs -- no more & no less.

...using ever *new* & *creative* means to that end.

[mafree]

Thanks= marking for later read.

[Eustace]

Not reading the whole thing it appears to me that most people want to argue over the best way to tax "us" , meaning our wages.

It is my limited understanding that only profits were to be taxed , in other words the opportunity of doing business and not just self sustaining.

Our wages are not profits , they are a trade of time and ability for a given amount. As far as I'm concerned the sales tax is enough for the people who make it week to week.

It's rediculous to make people who are making poverty wages work five months of the year for a government who gives their money to people who don't want to work and accept welfare. This includes the millions of immigrants who ride this gravy train.

As a matter of fact , it's rediculous that people have to work for poverty wages in America at all. Our government tells us "American's don't want to man the jobs that the immigrants are taking." When in fact it's the corporations who make millions in profits each year who don't believe American's should be making decent wages , cutting into their profits , who are using the immigrants against unemployeed American's.