Instead of whipping out widespread tax reform like consumption tax, flat tax and others to *try* avoiding taxes; people need to understand that tax incomes must in theory be equal to expenditures. Therefore to reduce taxes, spending reduction is the only option if this is your ultimate goal. Focusing on the tax code is like trying to make 2 + 2 = 5 or attepting to get 5 with 3 + 1...no matter how you cut it, it's not going to happen.
Being a somewhat compassionate conservative, I do advocate key areas where I feel we as a conscious, well informed and enlightened group, can offer those who are helpless not by any fault of their own.
I would like to hear what areas you feel government should be responsible for, how much is required to create respectable levels of funding for these programs and how you feel these should be paid for.
____
Now for my opinion: when it comes to fair taxation, progressive is often seen as "unfair" as it focuses on the rich the most relative to the middle and especially lower class. Flat tax attempts to address this so called problem with an *equal* tax rate. People somehow create this logic that flat tax is fair tax, when in actual fact, it is just another way in which the rich are taxed more. I start to wonder; if flat tax were implemented, how long would it take anti-tax people to say..."well 20% of 100k is far more than 20% of 50k...for the same services and benefits, how is that *fair*". Then there are the Dissipates of the world who talk of a no tax, anarchy/capitalist society. I would have to argue that in such a regime there would indeed be a group of people (large or small) who would be severly oppressed creating an "unfair" system. Then consider the inherent value of currency, those who are rich are more likely to save and have far more disposible income to invest in items that likely will raise their net worth (houses, stocks, bonds, education); unlike the mainstream citizen who buys declining investments (vacations, rent, clothes, electronics, computers)...making money *progressively* easier to grow with wealth. This leads me to the conclusion that progressive taxation is the only true *fair* taxation.
Just because I advocate progressive taxation, doesn't steer me away from my fiscally conservative values, I do look to minimal spending, focusing on a few key social safety net for those held back by no fault of their own, paid through taxation. My views in a nutshell:
I support small government, free trade, economic freedom, capitalism, large education and R&D funding, social safety net for poor with respect to healthcare, proven environmental concerns, deficit spending if investments are worth while, aggressive immigration.
I am against subsidies of all types, welfare (in current form), large military, government involvement in social issues, foriegn aid (economic aid much better).
...Discuss!
Being a somewhat compassionate conservative, I do advocate key areas where I feel we as a conscious, well informed and enlightened group, can offer those who are helpless not by any fault of their own.
I would like to hear what areas you feel government should be responsible for, how much is required to create respectable levels of funding for these programs and how you feel these should be paid for.
____
Now for my opinion: when it comes to fair taxation, progressive is often seen as "unfair" as it focuses on the rich the most relative to the middle and especially lower class. Flat tax attempts to address this so called problem with an *equal* tax rate. People somehow create this logic that flat tax is fair tax, when in actual fact, it is just another way in which the rich are taxed more. I start to wonder; if flat tax were implemented, how long would it take anti-tax people to say..."well 20% of 100k is far more than 20% of 50k...for the same services and benefits, how is that *fair*". Then there are the Dissipates of the world who talk of a no tax, anarchy/capitalist society. I would have to argue that in such a regime there would indeed be a group of people (large or small) who would be severly oppressed creating an "unfair" system. Then consider the inherent value of currency, those who are rich are more likely to save and have far more disposible income to invest in items that likely will raise their net worth (houses, stocks, bonds, education); unlike the mainstream citizen who buys declining investments (vacations, rent, clothes, electronics, computers)...making money *progressively* easier to grow with wealth. This leads me to the conclusion that progressive taxation is the only true *fair* taxation.
Just because I advocate progressive taxation, doesn't steer me away from my fiscally conservative values, I do look to minimal spending, focusing on a few key social safety net for those held back by no fault of their own, paid through taxation. My views in a nutshell:
I support small government, free trade, economic freedom, capitalism, large education and R&D funding, social safety net for poor with respect to healthcare, proven environmental concerns, deficit spending if investments are worth while, aggressive immigration.
I am against subsidies of all types, welfare (in current form), large military, government involvement in social issues, foriegn aid (economic aid much better).
...Discuss!