I know I've not made a habit of talking politics here – as a non-linear thinker I often have trouble making a "logical" case for my positions. Anyway, I've been thinking lately about the whole tax scheme in these United States, and I think it's time for a flat, single-rate income tax.
Now, in some ways I know this is a pipe dream – corporate and wealthy interests would not stand for having their loopholes closed, and the Left would not stand to have their favorite means of social engineering shut down.
Here's what I envision (as I understand the flat tax concept – and yes, it's simplistic, I'm a blogger, not a mathemetician!):
- Cancel all sales and income taxes
- Cancel all exemptions, tax havens, etc.
- Institute a single-rate income tax, say 10%, that everyone must pay
I'm not going to go any deeper right now into why this kind of proposal would be spun into its grave by both sides (oh, the irony). But here are some links where you can read up on flat-tax initiatives.
- The Liberal Case For A Flat Tax
- The Amery Flat Tax (Dick Armey, R-TX)
- Description Of Various Flat Tax Proposals
- A decent case against the flat tax: Flat Tax Fiasco
Anyway, I'm still researching this issue, so I welcome discourse on the topic. What do you think?