Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

I'm not armed with the proper numbers and I'm not an accountant. So this is theoretical.

I'd start with the federal budget. That's how much income we need every year. Then take the total income of all the taxpayers and determine what percentage of that is required to meet that. for the sake or argument, lets say that is 18%.

Then you make everyone, I mean everyone, owe the 18% on all of their annual income. No tax credits, no tax subsidies, no deductions, no deferments, no avoidances of any kind.

For practical reasons there would have to be a minimum income, below which no taxes would be owed. I'm talking 10,000 or 15,000 . . . bare subsistence income. The widows, elderly, students, and people working low-pay and part-time jobs really can't be taxed at those incomes. Every cent they earn goes directly to food, shelter, medicine, and transportation to work.

We might have to raise the minimum wage ($14,500 for a full-time job) so that those people can afford to pay their fair share of income taxes. It's hard to see anybody getting by in America under $20,000 in this century. $10/hour is not unreasonable for full-time work. Taco Bell pays $8.50 already.

Then, with a flat tax, nobody will have to pay for a tax specialist to figure out their taxes. You just divide your income by the rate. This number would be adjusted every year. if spending got too high, the rate would go up and people would complain to congress. If spending got to low and infrastructure was falling apart and services unmanned, then the rate would go up enough to compensate for spending.

The deal would be that whatever spending Congress did or whatever cutting congress did would directly impact all citizens. When people lobby for a upgraded new interstate system, congress would have to say we can do this, but the tax rate will go up 1%. If the public felt that it was justified their representatives could make it happen. Conversely if the tax rate rose to 22% and people felt uncomfortable, then services and infrastructure could be curtailed and people would see it in their taxes.

It would end us going off to war without the support of the people. War expenses would come directly out of income and rates would go up to pay for it. This will keep public pressure on to keep wars rare and short. We paid for WWII with higher taxes and War bonds and rationing, we should go back to that. A war effort should involve everybody, not just the tip of the spear.

 

We're talking about what is best for the nation, Scooter. And it does benefit the minimum wage worker. It allows him to pay his fair share of taxes without giving food or bus fare. It makes him a full part of the working world, taking no subsidy, and all he need do is keep climbing the ladder.

 

Then why are you a republican? They will fight this tooth and nail. Complex tax codes benefit those with the resources to take advantage of them and the GOP see's this as an attack on rich people's cherished tax havens.