Huckabee's FairTax Plan

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Old Jan 7, 2008 | 01:45 PM
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Huckabee's FairTax Plan

thoughts?

http://www.reuters.com/article/bonds...0080106?rpc=64

CN:
eliminate all income taxes and replace them with a flat consumption tax
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by soundwave
thoughts?

I think its best summed up here:

"...has the support of martial arts guru Chuck Norris but few economic analysts."

If its OK by Chuck Norris, then it must be OK!
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 02:02 PM
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that's cuz Chuck Norris > Van Damme
lol
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 02:21 PM
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I'm thinking that it sounds great on paper. But I doubt it could happen in reality. Too many systems entrenched in the current system.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 02:49 PM
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you think it's more difficult to change our tax system than to change some middle eastern country to democracy?

Originally Posted by Racenut
I'm thinking that it sounds great on paper. But I doubt it could happen in reality. Too many systems entrenched in the current system.
i myself don't know enough about the flat tax plan and would like to learn about about it before deciding. But isn't that the same system as places like Hong Kong?
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by StupidDent
you think it's more difficult to change our tax system than to change some middle eastern country to democracy?
Well yeah, because here, we actually give a crap if the economy and entire way of life collapse before it's recreated.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:38 PM
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Ron Paul has had this as his platform for a long while. He wants to completely get rid of the IRS.

If it can be eventually worked out, why not?
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:39 PM
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fair enough...
Originally Posted by Racenut
Well yeah, because here, we actually give a crap if the economy and entire way of life collapse before it's recreated.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:45 PM
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The 'fair tax' isn't really fair. Think about what it does for the two extremes; if you're really really rich, the % of your income you give to tax will go down drastically (since your income is large and your normal spending is a small fraction of your income). But if you're really really poor, barely making it, then this system will bankrupt you (since you spend all of your money on just getting by, and you have a small income, the amount you pay in tax as a fraction of your total income will increase). Basically it's a GREAT way to make the rich richer and the poor bankrupt. And make the middle class poor.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:59 PM
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but there is a 'poverty line', so poor folks don't have to pay tax at all, isn't that right? I also found this... http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServ...ame=calculator

Originally Posted by MVWRX
The 'fair tax' isn't really fair. Think about what it does for the two extremes; if you're really really rich, the % of your income you give to tax will go down drastically (since your income is large and your normal spending is a small fraction of your income). But if you're really really poor, barely making it, then this system will bankrupt you (since you spend all of your money on just getting by, and you have a small income, the amount you pay in tax as a fraction of your total income will increase). Basically it's a GREAT way to make the rich richer and the poor bankrupt. And make the middle class poor.
you might be right the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. But I don't think I've seen enough data/math to tell me that. I just know, according to that calculator, I would be a much happier man.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 03:59 PM
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I'm looking at countries who currently use a flat tax system..... I'm not amused.




Old Jan 7, 2008 | 04:11 PM
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If you want to make rich people even richer, then sure, consumption tax.

If you value reducing the disparity between rich and poor, then tax investment gains at a higher rate than gains from a person's labor.
Old Jan 7, 2008 | 05:47 PM
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FairTax isn't Huckabee's idea, BTW. its been around for years.

And correct, it CERTAINLY doesn't do anything for the income gap.

I agree with drtofu's over all plan...we should be taxing capital gains over $X at a higher rate, aswell as significantly raise the federal tax limit.

Last edited by mcowger; Jan 7, 2008 at 05:51 PM.
Old Jan 8, 2008 | 10:35 AM
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Google Poll Tax and look up references to the UK - we tried a flat system there for council taxes/rates. It was introduced by the conservatives, was a catastrophic failure, and was subsequently reverted out.
Old Jan 8, 2008 | 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by jvick125
Ron Paul has had this as his platform for a long while. He wants to completely get rid of the IRS.

If it can be eventually worked out, why not?

Ron Paul is the ****. He will get people talking about real issues, but wont get elected.



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