• '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    So what is the tax system you would prefer?  I think I covered almost all the bases in those options, if I missed one, I apologize.

    Anyway, there are a few in there that I like.

    I like the idea that all citizens total up their net worth and pay XX% to the US Government.  If you have a negative net worth, you don’t pay taxes, you might even get a payment from the government at a different YY%

    I also like the idea that you pay taxes to your state and then that state pays a tax to the government and each state pays the same amount.  Say, just for argument’s sake, $200 Billion each.  That would give the US Government $10 Trillion.  Just to demonstrate how it would work.

    There is a theory of the Value Added Tax.  I didn’t list it because I don’t understand it, to be honest.  However, I do understand that Forbes and Money Magazine both dislike VATs.  So I’m already biased against it.

  • '19 Moderator

    I say tax gambling, liquor, marijuana and prostitution and get rid of income tax!


  • I say remove property tax unless your buying it or selling it. Except keep the one time exemption

    No tax breaks for children or married people whatsoever.

    No tax whatsoever for over 65 ( no sales tax… nothing that would represent food of basic sustaining articles of life)

    Second, no cost for public parking whatsoever by the city/gov

    Third, no tax at all but only a larger tax on all good and services (flat) Any deductions due to medical are the only thing you send in and the government tells you what you owe… no more tax accountants … get rid of them all.

    No luxury tax

    No inheritance tax

    No hidden taxes on the utility bill for freaking handicaps and other garbage.

    Forgot to add… no exemptions for church or non-profit groups… they still pay the sales tax.

    Now people will grow their own food and raise cattle again… but they will have to move to the country because i would not allow victory gardens or smelly chickens in the city.

    No bartering either


  • I am very disappointed that a consumption tax was NOT included as an option.  As such, I did not vote.

    The Fair Tax is the best option currently on the table, and has the largest number of sponsors it has ever had.  Several Republican Candidates, include Fred Thompson, have already pledged to sign it if passed by Congress.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    From what I read, the Consumption Tax is also known as the Value Added Tax which I specifically excluded due, mostly, in part to Forbes Magazine and Money Magazine both of which dislike the Value Added Tax.

    If I’m wrong, let me know, I can add in another option if I think it’s warranted. :P

    Anyway, I like the idea of tax credits for having children.  But you’d have to have them brought to the hospital and checked up on so you don’t end up with 30 kids in a family who are all starving to death while mom and pop are morbidly obese.

    However, it’s moot with all the above options.


  • Anyway, I like the idea of tax credits for having children.

    ok then… tax benefits (deductions) only for one child under 18.

    The trick is to discourage families with 20 people all living in one house.

    And no grandfathered in deal either.


  • Jen, a Consumption tax such as the Fair Tax is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the VAT tax.

    The Fair Tax levies a tax ONCE, at the final purchase of a NEW good or service.
    VAT adds a tax at every step in the process.

    You may want to take about 4-5 hours and read Congressman John Linder’s book, The Fair Tax Book (premiered #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List for non-fiction last year) for accurate information on the bill currently before Congress.  You could also read the bill itself, HR 25.  The entire bill is only 160 or so pages.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    Actually, I prefer the latter.  I wouldnt mind a government payout, one time only, for every healthy baby a successful household has. (As in no bankruptcy in last 10 years, not on socialist payout program, at least one member is gainfully employed, and the unit has to be married, not seperated or divourced or single, widow/widower okay.)

    This way we can handle our future labor shortage by getting quality off spring to fill the void of the baby boomers.

  • 2007 AAR League

    You know I don’t see how this isn’t going to turn political …


  • I now chose consumption tax, though your characterization is incorrect of the current version before Congress.

    There are NO exemption, but there is a Prebate for the amount of taxes that would be paid on any and all spending up to the level of the poverty line for the household.

    The advantage of doing it that way is that:
    if you exclude food, then Bill Gates pays no taxes on a million dollar dinner party.
    if you prebate the tax on poverty level spending, then by choices made a family can potentially have ZERO tax burden, whether buying “exempt” items or not.

    http://www.fairtax.org

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    I put conditions on the Consumption tax to make it stomachable. :P  Food (not including candy and soda, etc), water and medicine are necessary to continue life, thus they should be tax free, IMHO.


  • Again, you may want to check out how the Prebate works with the Fair Tax.  You may change your mind once you see the details on it.


  • Oh, and with the Prebate, spending on HOUSING is potentially tax exempt (again it depends on individual spending)

    But with the Prebate you get back 100% of ALL taxes paid on ANYTHING up to the level of poverty line spending, so whether it is food, healthcare, housing, or your internet connection and cell phone for your at-home business is irrelevant tax-wise.


  • Going on the assumption that all taxes were immediatly abolished at this instant, I’d have to go with the following:

    -  Individual Flat Tax (as opposed to the income tax, no more dicking around with wealth assessment and having invasive “audits” performed on people)

    • Tax on Vehicles and gasoline (funds will be used SOLELY for the purpose of maintaining proper transportation and ensuring that transport routes are well serviced and in good condition).
    • Corporate Tax (funds that should be used to fund business grants and small businesses, NOT for subsidizing large corporations or foundering businesses!!)

    That’s about it. All other taxes that come along would be temporary ONLY for the duration of whatever project the funds are needed for (with a statute limit of 5 years).


  • @Jennifer:

    So what is the tax system you would prefer?  I think I covered almost all the bases in those options, if I missed one, I apologize.

    Anyway, there are a few in there that I like.

    I like the idea that all citizens total up their net worth and pay XX% to the US Government.  If you have a negative net worth, you don’t pay taxes, you might even get a payment from the government at a different YY%

    I can think of SOOOO many ways to generate “negative net worth”.  What a great incentive to gamble my ass off every year!!


  • If folks think that our current tax system is invasive and overbearing, imagine a system where the “actual value” of every single thing that you own has to be valued every year in order to pay your taxes…  A “Net Worth Tax” would be the ultimate Pandora’s Box of taxation.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    I agree, a net worth tax, or as I called it, a wealth tax, would allow the US Government to be overly invasive.  However, it is the only way to truly ensure that the middle class is not overly burdened with taxes and allow the poor the most benefit while punishing the rich the most.

    Currently, what we have, is a tax on the CREATION of wealth.  This system is specifically designed to prevent class permeation, in other words, it prevents the poor from becoming middle class and the middle class from becoming the upper class.

    Maybe a good compromise would be a wealth tax at the state level with the states, and the states alone, paying the US Government a subsistence allowance for government functions at the national level?

    Notice I am specifically not including business taxes, that’s a whole other ball game.  I am just interested in personal taxes.


  • Excuse me, but wasn’t Jenn banned from political discussion? And isn’t this a political discussion? As mods are participating I guess it is a bit late but I thought I’d ask anyway.


  • your right this is not political discussion.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    No offense, Frimmel, but instead of trying to get people in trouble, why not just let the Moderators do their thing?  I wasn’t banned from all discussion, I wasn’t even banned from political discussion, just the political forum.

    anyway, BACK ON TOPIC!


    The more I think about it, the more I fall in love with the idea that the states should collect the taxes and out of what the states collect, they pay the national government.  Keep the national government as far away from the people as possible.  Besides, it’s much easier to write one check to, say, the State of Illinois then two checks and have to worry about the post office losing one or both of the forms!

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