Have you seen this new taxation bill in Congress yet? Of course you haven’t since I just made it up. But with fairness and equality the mantra of today’s liberal/progressive movements, why not integrate them into our tax code and tax collection system? The left likes to claim the title of the all-inclusive party in which everyone is welcome and treated the same. No discrimination, no disparity, just completely equal and just.
So why not put that theory to the test? Most have heard of the flat tax proposals being floated to replace the current tax code. Let’s take it a step further. Rather than the same tax rate for all, shouldn’t it be the same tax amount for all? You know, one person/one vote type thinking? Why would the left ever support a progressive tax rate that means the wealthier amongst us pay more? They are still just a person completely equal to the rest so why discriminate against them by penalizing their material possessions?
Of course I’m asking a rhetorical question because virtually no one supports this true measure of equality. Certainly not the poor as they generally pay no federal income taxes as it is. I would even contend that the rich don’t like it despite the seemingly obvious alternative to lessen their tax burden. They are investors and business owners and recognize the necessity for a modern infrastructure and the tax base required to provide it. Decreasing the tax base per person to an amount that even the poor can afford means an overall massive decrease in the total tax revenue collected.
So who would support it? Only a slice of the middle class who have grown tired of watching the poor benefit from the welfare state and watching the rich keep getting richer off of our crony-capitalism and crony-corporatism rewards system.
Can you imagine if a truly fair and equal tax rate were implemented at a level that raises enough revenue to match government spending? Obama finally released his budget for 2014 that spends $3.77 trillion in taxpayer revenue. We need to examine raising that much as fairness would seem to apply to a balanced-budget approach.
Let’s look at the logistics of applying this new tax rate. First, it isn’t an income tax. That leaves out too many people who either aren’t working or not earning income. Remember, fairness and equality. Everybody must contribute and participate. FETA would be an existence tax for Americans. If you’re capable of drawing breath and residing in America, you should have to pay your fair share.
That makes it simple. Every adult American citizen should have to pay this tax until death. Can’t be any more equal than that. Many millions would howl that this isn’t fair but let’s remember the premise. Every person is created truly equal so throughout their life they should have that same level of respect given to them.
The guideline then becomes any adult 18 and older which according to the U.S. Census Bureau is somewhere north of 235 million people. A simple calculation of $3.77 trillion divided by 235 million means everyone’s “fair” and “equal” share of the tax burden would be…. drumroll please…just over $16,000 bucks. Each. Per person. Totally fair and equal.
Can the total equality crowd complain about that? It shouldn’t matter if you have a job, are disabled, are a retired person, none of it. You live here, you benefit from the American system.
How about our tax collection system? Want to have an immediate and profound effect on people and their perception of the income tax system? Collect taxes in cash each and every week from them personally. No more income withholding. If people had to pay their share of the income tax in cash every week, they would be shocked at how much it is and we would have protests unlike anything America has ever witnessed. Direct deposit, electronic banking and credit cards have effectively neutered our pain threshold for spending our hard-earned dollars.
The $16,042 share of each American’s tax burden (which is federal only by the way) would amount to about $308 dollars due in cash each week at your door when the collection/enforcement agent shows up. No, it wouldn’t be an IRS agent, the IRS would be abolished since we no longer have an income tax. Fair and equal.
OK, I’ve had enough fun now. Not a chance in the world any of this ever happens but it does serve to highlight the hypocrisy of the fair and equal crowd who really want nothing of the sort. Nor would most not even involved in promoting all this fairness and equality. Paying a truly equal share of our federal government’s spending addiction, and paying weekly in cash to boot, is a frightening scenario. Add in your state and local tax burdens on top and the reality of just how out-of-control our centralized government has become would hit home.
Spellchek 