Following is a letter to the Editor of the Wall St. Journal from a member of Americans for Fair Taxation. It proves the FairTax movement is alive and well, even in Brazil!
Editor, Wall Street Journal
Dear Editor,
Steve Moore's advice to Republicans in his opinion
piece of October 5, 2007 to give its tax message a
makeover - perhaps a radical one - gives the GOP an
opening to the Fair Tax, HR.25 - provided the
Democrats or the Country of Brazil (yes, a
presidential candidate in Brazil wants to run on the
FairTax) don't seize it first. The Fair Tax is a bold
idea that, if handled properly, can hand the
initiative back to the party that supports it.
There are several powerful new messages in the
FairTax. First, keeping one's entire paycheck has
surprising resonance with lower-income and middle
class families. Second, when people are put back in
control of when they pay tax and how much tax they
pay, they support the FairTax. These messages speak to
the personal finances of every voter and are readily
understood.
Republicans, or any other political party (or
country), would benefit from open support of the
FairTax.
Jim Bennett
Co-State Director for New Jersey
Americans for Fair Taxation
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4 comments:
While many who are invested in the current income tax system seek to demagog the well-researched FairTax plan, FairTax's theoretical underpinnings have been professionally reviewed, and its acceptance in the professional / academic community continues to grow.
Renown economist Laurence Kotlikoff believes that failure to enact the FairTax - choosing instead to try to "flatten" what he deems to be a non-flattenable income tax system - will eventuate into an irrevocable economic meltdown, because of the hidden aspects of the current system that make political accountability impossible. Tom Frey, of the DiVinci Institute, foresees the coming collapse of the income tax system.
Here is why the FairTax MUST replace the income tax. It's:
• SIMPLE, easy to understand
• EFFICIENT, inexpensive to comply with and doesn't cause less-than-optimal business decisions for tax minimization purposes
• FAIR, loophole free and everyone pays their share
• LOW TAX RATE, achieved by broad base with no exclusions
• PREDICTABLE, doesn't change, so financial planning is possible
• UNINTRUSIVE, doesn't intrude into our personal affairs or limit our liberty
• VISIBLE, not hidden from the public in tax-inflated prices or otherwise
• PRODUCTIVE, rewards, rather than penalizes, work and productivity
Its benefits are as follows:
For INDIVIDUALS:
• No more tax on income - make as much as you wish
• You receive your full paycheck - no more deductions
• You pay the tax when you buy "at retail" - not "used"
• No more double taxation (e.g. like on current Capital Gains)
• Reduction of "pre-FairTaxed" retail prices by 20%-30%
• Adding back 29.9% FairTax maintains current price levels
• FairTax would constitute 23% portion of new prices
• Every household receives a monthly check, or "pre-bate"
• "Prebate" is "advance payback" for taxes payable on monthly consumption to poverty level
• FairTax's "prebate" ensures progressivity, poverty protection
• Finally, citizens are knowledgeable of what their tax IS
• Elimination of "parasitic" Income Tax industry
• NO MORE IRS. NO MORE FILING OF TAX RETURNS by individuals
• Those possessing illicit forms of income will ALSO pay the FairTax
• Households have more disposable income to purchase goods
• Savings is bolstered with reduction of interest rates
For BUSINESSES:
• Corporate income and payroll taxes revoked under FairTax
• Business compensated for collecting tax at "cash register"
• No more tax-related lawyers, lobbyists on company payrolls
• No more embedded (hidden) income/payroll taxes in prices
• Reduced costs. Competition - not tax policy - drives prices
• Off-shore "tax haven" headquarters can now return to U.S
• No more "favors" from politicians at expense of taxpayers
• Resources go to R&D and study of competition - not taxes
• Marketplace distortions eliminated for fair competition
• US exports increase their share of foreign markets
For the COUNTRY:
• 7% - 13% economic growth projected in the first year of the FairTax
• Jobs return to the U.S.
• Foreign corporations "set up shop" in the U.S.
• Tax system trends are corrected to "enlarge the pie"
• Larger economic "pie," means thinner tax rate "slices"
• Initial 23% portion of price is pressured downward as "pie" increases
• No more "closed door" tax deals by politicians and business
• FairTax sets new global standard. Other countries will follow
It's well past time to scrap the tax code and pay for government the way that America's working men and women are paid - when something is sold.
Very good commentary, Ian. Short and to the point, but you covered the FairTax quite thoroughly. Thank you for your input.
I wish the media would get involved to present the issue of FairTax. I have sent requests to each network for such a presentation. If they get enough requests, maybe more people would hear the facts and decide they aren't going to take it anymore. Thank you for your commentary and time.
What a great idea, Dee! The media is under the thumb of the people who are trying to control us through their mis-use of our tax dollar. Maybe you should start sending them a copy of the 18 minute FairTax CD. If you can't get copies from www.fairtax.org, I can make some copies for you and send them to you or anyone else who wants to pass them out to the media or friends.
Lets all get in there and start shaking up the media!
Thanks for your idea and for your good words, Dee, and keep up your good work.
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