Quote:
Originally posted by Riceroni9:
Hi Beakybird:

You bring up many valid points. From my perspective, it is flawed logic to compare income between high and low earners from the standpoint of taxation. If all the loopholes were closed or eliminated and there was only one tax... I prefer a national sales tax... then those who spend instead of saving would be paying more.

Our economic system in the U.S. is based largely now on the credit model. This must change if we are to survive. Our greedy congress allows banks (who provide them with support or kickbacks) to charge horrendous rates of interest. It is plain and simple usery.

A simple, clean flat tax system would be fair to all concerned. If individual "A" earns $10 dollars, he pays 10% (assumed rate) and that would be $1.00 The same would apply to the "millionaire." What is wrong with that if all the other junk taxes and loopholes are eliminated?

I don't believe our founding fathers ever envisioned an IRS or CPA's being required to aid one in filing a tax return.

But hey, that's just one man's opinion. Anybody got a better idea?

Dave Rice


A flat sales tax would be so unfair. Let's say you make 1 billion a year, but you spend 1 million a year. You are only paying taxes on 1/1000 of your income. The person who makes 10,000 a year is going to pay a much greater percentage of his pay in taxes no matter how frugal he is. That sounds like an extremely unfair idea.

It might be a good idea to look at other countries that are doing it right - that have high average incomes and low levels of poverty and see what they are doing right. We live in a very insular country, and I think that we have a lot to learn from other countries. For example, the US is #40 in life expectancy. Instead of screaming we're #1, we should maybe look at what those countries whose people are living longer are doing (lifestyle, health care, fighting poverty) and emulate some of their practices where they might fit into our culture and government.