-Jan-
01
Give Us A Flat Tax and Empower Our Economy (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comments (2)

Every once and a while you hear a politician or even the President mutter the phrase “flat tax”. If you’re like me, that phrase makes your heart jumps into your throat. Then a few days go by and that magical phrase is never mentioned again. It just comes and goes like a mid summer’s night love affair. For those of you who are a product of our fine public school system, a flat tax is a standard percentage on all wages that are earned and nothing else. Simple. Right. For some unknown reason we are taught either as kids, or though the left wing media, that people wealthy and successful are born with some special gene that products their success. Due to this unfair power they possess over us, they should be punished and forced to pay crazy high tax rates so their wealth can be re-distributed to the “less fortunate”.

Let me re-phrase all that in simple terms, people who work hard should be punished for their success, and people who are lazy should be rewarded for their failure and so called “misfortune” in life. I understand certain people honestly face the difficulties of life and have misfortunes happen to them, but I truly believe we are judged on how we take these challenges and pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get after it. When it’s all said and done, I want to stand there at the gates of heaven and say to St. Peter and our lord, I did my best; I persevered and fought my fight, and accomplished what I set out to do. In the end, that’s all the really matter.

With that having been said, why should we be punished for trying to do our best, not only ethically but financially as well? If you want to go through life content with simply getting by and doing as little as possible then go ahead, it’s your choice. The vast majority of us want to do more, and accomplish much higher goals, and that is great! It’s the American way! Then why are we punished for success? For example, say you are a lazy person or just someone who lives day by day and doesn’t worry about retirement or anything of that nature and you make a livable $15,000 a year income. That’s fine, and you’re put in a low tax bracket and pay the lowest amount of taxes. On the flipside, you might have someone who decided to work hard, put themselves through college, become successful and in return they make $140,000 a year. Why do they deserve to be put into a higher tax bracket, and pay more in taxes just because they want more out of life? It makes no sense. Our current tax structure is set up to punish the successful and wealthy with high taxes and re-distribute their wealth though welfare methods. It’s not fair and it’s not right!

Why can’t we have a basic flat tax?

For instance, say one day the government actually does something for its citizens and it abolishes the IRS and institutes a federal flat tax of 20%. Just image the effect it would have on people, especially people who strive to do the best they can. Americans, by nature, love to work and they love their toys, so let them work 60 hours a week if they want to. Let them earn more money and let them keep their money! When government gets out of peoples lives and cuts taxes and lets people do what they want, it has a dramatic effect. They spend the money on things they want and it has a domino effect on the economy. Every time taxes are reduced the economy booms; and believe it or not, government income actually rises. Now you say, how can you cut taxes and at the same time the government take increases? How could that be? It’s really quite simple. When you leave the financial power in the citizens’ pocket, where it belongs, you empower them to spend and buy more, thus thrusting a ripple effect throughout the US economy on all levels.

Imagine being free to work more and try to achieve higher goals without the restraint of higher tax brackets and higher taxes. Imagine being rewarded for you hard work! A flat tax is a dream for America; it would make this nation prosper 1,000 times more than it already has. The less government is in our lives, the better off we are as Americans.

2 Comments - Post your comment below.


Mike Rundle
Jan. 2, 2006

I agree Dave, definitely. We talked extensively about flat taxes in my econ classes, and they just make sense.

Now as long as our government doesn't drop a value-added tax on our purchases like England then we'll be all set. Damn brits are crazy.


Verno
Jan. 2, 2006

Maybe you are leaving the dark side and becoming a conservative!! lol

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