Blow Up the Tax Code and Start Over

[BP]

Yeah it sounds great but what does this do to pre tax deductions, medicare, unemployment and social security? My actual federal income tax rate last year was well under 10%. If you factor in the other items it was more like 16%.

Then what will happen at the state/local level? Around 5% of my income goes to property taxes and those go up every year. Almost everything I buy has a 6.25% state sales tax and most of the time there is another 1-2% tacked on top of that. Then I have to pay for a state inspection and registration, plus fuel and booze taxes.

Rand is a conservative, which basically means he believes in a smaller federal government while allowing states to do what they want. This means either that 14.5% is supposed to be spread out to the states to cover their costs, which means a more powerful federal government or it's going to be in addition to what we are already paying. The federal government hands out a lot of money to the states so if he cuts it's funding the states will have to raise theirs.

I'm a conservative and I support Rand but talking about a flat tax isn't going to win an election. He needs to talk about how he plans on helping the middle class expand by bringing up the lower classes. Don't talk about getting rid of social welfare programs because that just scares away voters, he should instead talk about ways to eliminate the need for them.

[bcoop]

Yeah it sounds great but what does this do to pre tax deductions, medicare, unemployment and social security? My actual federal income tax rate last year was well under 10%. If you factor in the other items it was more like 16%.

Then what will happen at the state/local level? Around 5% of my income goes to property taxes and those go up every year. Almost everything I buy has a 6.25% state sales tax and most of the time there is another 1-2% tacked on top of that. Then I have to pay for a state inspection and registration, plus fuel and booze taxes.

Rand is a conservative, which basically means he believes in a smaller federal government while allowing states to do what they want. This means either that 14.5% is supposed to be spread out to the states to cover their costs, which means a more powerful federal government or it's going to be in addition to what we are already paying. The federal government hands out a lot of money to the states so if he cuts it's funding the states will have to raise theirs.

I'm a conservative and I support Rand but talking about a flat tax isn't going to win an election. He needs to talk about how he plans on helping the middle class expand by bringing up the lower classes. Don't talk about getting rid of social welfare programs because that just scares away voters, he should instead talk about ways to eliminate the need for them.

Rand isn't going to win the election anyways, because he isn't going to win the nomination. He's my choice, and I wish it weren't that way, but the GOP has been doing everything they can to stifle him in favor of Jeb fucking Bush since the day Rand announced he was running.

[Denny]

I bet politicians hate him with a passion.

This is like going into your boss's office and asking for a salary cut to match the fewer d u ties you need to do since most of your job is pointless... exactly what needs to be said.

[Broncojohnny]

I like how in any conversation about this the level of current federal spending is a foregone conclusion and is not up for debate. As though all we can do is argue about how much money the government steals from the citizenry every year.

[Gargamel]

i like how in any conversation about this the level of current federal spending is a foregone conclusion and is not up for debate. As though all we can do is argue about how much money the government steals from the citizenry every year.

^^^this^^^

[helosailor]

I like everything about this thread, except for the getting JFK'd part.

[46Tbird]

Yeah it sounds great but what does this do to pre tax deductions, medicare, unemployment and social security? My actual federal income tax rate last year was well under 10%.

Then under Paul's proposal, it would be 14.5%.

It will piss off a lot of poor and middle class people when they realize what a huge drop in taxes that rich people and corporations will get. But you also have to remember that those are the very entities that create jobs. There would be more money to get people into the workforce and upwardly mobile, as opposed to shifting it over to the government black hole of corruption and waste.

I am 100% willing to give it a shot. It is not feasible - or fair - to have the tax system remain the convoluted money redistribution scheme it is today.

[Craizie]

Then under Paul's proposal, it would be 14.5%.

It will piss off a lot of poor and middle class people when they realize what a huge drop in taxes that rich people and corporations will get. But you also have to remember that those are the very entities that create jobs. There would be more money to get people into the workforce and upwardly mobile, as opposed to shifting it over to the government black hole of corruption and waste.

I am 100% willing to give it a shot. It is not feasible - or fair - to have the tax system remain the convoluted money redistribution scheme it is today.

I love when my co-worker, who is a single mother of four, get's her tax return. She pays $0 in taxes out of check, and get's $10,000-$12,000 return every year. Fucking awesome.

[BP]

I love when my co-worker, who is a single mother of four, get's her tax return. She pays $0 in taxes out of check, and get's $10,000-$12,000 return every year. Fucking awesome.

It capped at $6143 last year, she pays in something but obviously gets it back.

[Craizie]

It capped at $6143 last year, she pays in something but obviously gets it back.

I've seen her pay check stubs. There is $0 taken out for taxes.

[dsrtuckteezy]

I love when my co-worker, who is a single mother of four, get's her tax return. She pays $0 in taxes out of check, and get's $10,000-$12,000 return every year. Fucking awesome.

ya but she's a single mother of four. she's already lost

[Craizie]

ya but she's a single mother of four. she's already lost

That is true. She blows all the money the day she gets it, too.

[Denny]

It capped at $6143 last year, she pays in something but obviously gets it back.

Not necessarily. I've had nothing taken out for years, even after I got back from working overseas. I've even had as much as 3500 back during that time.

[bcoop]

BP - I'm curious as to how your effective tax rate is under 10% being DINKs. I've got a house, make retirement contributions, donations, and have children, and my effective tax rate is typically 12-15%.

[Chili]

BP - I'm curious as to how your effective tax rate is under 10% being DINKs. I've got a house, make retirement contributions, donations, and have children, and my effective tax rate is typically 12-15%.

Maybe you make more and are in a higher tax bracket?