Perry's plan does not broaden the tax base (i.e., turn more non-taxpayers into taxpayers).The tax base is not who or how many pay.Perry’s plan does not broaden the tax base by making everyone pay something.
A tax base is what you pay on or of.
A broad sales tax base means you pay tax on absolutely everything you spend money on. When a sales tax base is broadened it means you pay tax on more stuff. They usually fool the dupes by lowering the rate a little. (do you really cheer that on?)
A broad income tax base is paying a percentage OF more of your income like savings, capital gains etc..
BTW, it's a little hypocritical to knock Perry's tax PAYER base when Cain is out there touting "empowerment zones" and his phase 2 Fairtax with "prebates".
Yes, broadening the tax base can mean making more stuff subject to tax.
But no, that's not all it means. It can also mean making more non-taxpayers into taxpayers. In fact, this is often the ultimate result of making more stuff subject to tax. This pulls more people into paying taxes.
In the context of this debate, considering one critical goal is to stop the growth of the parastite class by beginning the process of making them pay taxes, and pay in a way that vastly increases the amount of political accountability in the system for all of us, it's important to focus on the ultimate result of making more nontaxpayers into taxpayers -- i.e., one way of saying "broaden the tax base."
Obviously, we wouldn't be having this meme going around about how "broadening the tax base = taxing the poor" (see also my Michele Bachmann analysis at #122), if it weren't understood that the broadening here is as to taxpayers.
BTW, it's a little hypocritical to knock Perry's tax PAYER base when Cain is out there touting "empowerment zones" and his phase 2 Fairtax with "prebates".
I've read this several times and simply can't figure out what your criticism is. If you'd be so kind as to elaborate, I'd be glad to respond as best I can.