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sturner wrote:

I hate the sawdust and sweepings that they use. And there is always the distribution problems.

A 98% tax on the rich should help find solutions to any distrobution problems.

Steyr AUG wrote:

sturner wrote:

I hate the sawdust and sweepings that they use. And there is always the distribution problems.

A 98% tax on the rich should help find solutions to any distrobution problems.

At that rate of price increase, the rich are the only ones with any money left anyway.

robco wrote:

The gubment would be exempt of course.

If such an idea were to come to pass, then the Constitution should be amended to no longer allow income tax.  Trust me, if they can implement both, they will.  I know, I live in the People's Republic of California...

Yes, that is an element of the fair tax idea.

The elimination of free enterpise, the National Sales Tax, and the declaration that we are corporate serfs.

Since we aren't dealing with reality right now, it suffices.

It's all on paper. I'm worth almost a million and a half. I may get to retire someday, when I'm in my 70's.

Forget the merits or flaws of a "fair tax."

All these jokers are living in continued denial of the finances of the government.

Social Security isn't the problem as much as Medicare and Medicade.  And pork.  And an occupation of a country with no exit strategy.

I don't want to be a single issue voter, but this stuff is very important to the nation.

I suppose they're just saying things that people want to hear, withnot necessarily intending to follow through, but how can they be taken seriously.  "Repeal of 16th amendment" ????  The so-called "party for small government" had control for 6 years, and they smurfed us.  Heck, did the outgoing Congress in 2006 even pass the complete budget ?

outrage++ here

ShnickyShnack wrote:

Steyr picks the oddest points to dispute.

Well, the fair tax advocates are rather dishonest on what tax rate they want to propose.  That's why they use language like "The FairTax is revenue neutral at $0.23 out of every retail dollar spent." but no one measures taxes per dollar spent.

robco wrote:

Wages have been stagnant.  With prices increasing, purchasing power has decreased.  The only reason we haven't dipped into recession is that everyday folks have been indebting themselves to rich folks to buy crap.  If they stop buying crap, the economy goes into recession.

It used to be that being middle class meant that you had assets - you actually owned them.  Your car, house, boat, etc.  Had an investment portfolio - y'know assets, positive net worth.  Now, it's about your credit rating and managing debt, juggling to keep all the balls in the air, refinancing, consolidating.  It's a mess.

It's sort of a continuation of the fact that money is imaginary.
In a way, it's like corporate stock. Your credit is based on what someone thinks your current and future ability to pay them is. A company's stock value is based on what someone thinks their current and future earning potential is.

Our economy is largely the product of economists' imaginations.

To be fair, there wasn't much time in the debate for clarity. Only time for sound bites.

Or they're just making the "starve the beast" stuff that much easier to do in 10-20 years.


(the fact that the starving beast may maul the living smurf out of the economy I guess isn't a concern)

C. Ives wrote:

kb5zhh wrote:

ShnickyShnack wrote:

Steyr picks the oddest points to dispute.

Well, the fair tax advocates are rather dishonest on what tax rate they want to propose.  That's why they use language like "The FairTax is revenue neutral at $0.23 out of every retail dollar spent." but no one measures taxes per dollar spent.

How are they being dishonest?  They come right out and say 23% on all new purchases (used vehicles, houses, etc. wouldn't be taxes, as they've already been taxed).

Here's the homepage for (I believe) the national fairtax movement.  Many states have their own sites, too.

I don't completely buy it, but I think it raises some very interesting points.

No.  You didn't see the lie.  If its 23% of the final price that a 30% sales tax.

Pariah wrote:

ShnickyShnack wrote:

Nah, starve the beast is extinct. Hell, it never was anything more than a lame-ass rationalization anyway.

Let's face it, it's as idiotic a concept as they come.

Yep. Whats going on is the republicans acting on the realization that they can write themselves checks out of the treasury and being conservative means never having to worry about tomorrow.
Planning, stewardship, responsibility...all pesky liberal values that just get in the way of a good plundering.

Yeah, the current state of affairs makes the New Deal and Great Society look laughably benign, not to mention beneficial.

I guess the bottom line is, regardless of the party you're gonna get big government. Vote Democrat, at least you'll get some programs!