Reddit reviews The Fair Tax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS
We found 19 Reddit comments about The Fair Tax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
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Believe it or not, The Fair Tax book is actually an interesting read. The amount of money spent dealing with taxation and the amount of money not collected because of our current tax (due to things like the black market) is absolutely staggering.
If you're at all willing to look into it. Please find a copy of The Fairtax Book. It's a very easy read, and may completely change your viewpoint.
The Fairtax has so many great effects beyond a change in the collection process of taxes. It makes it completely transparent and voluntary. The current Fairtax bill also makes it much more difficult to levy new taxes, but makes it easier to decrease them.
Please ask any questions about it. I personally think a change in tax policy can have the most positive benefit to our country of any issue we currently face. The Fairtax, in my mind, makes the most sense.
He is for privatizing prisons, so long as they deliver the same quality of service at a lower price, but he's aware that either private or government-run prisons are subject to the guard lobby organizations, which fight to get more people imprisoned. He talks about this at length on Joe Rogan's podcast. But more importantly, he's for ending the drug war, and releasing non-violent offenders, which would significantly reduce the prison population and bring people back into society.
He is in favor of the Fair Tax which would end federal income and payroll taxes, and corporate income taxes. Instead we'd have a national sales tax on new goods and services. (Used goods would not be taxed). There are a handful of states that operate this way with their own state taxes. No income taxes, just sales tax. This plan and idea are very nuanced, so I suggest you read up. (The book about it is FAR better than their website, unfortunately.) But this is a very progressive tax system with the prebate setup. As a Libertarian, he's against crony capitalism, so the tax breaks you're talking about that were bought by lobbyists would probably be on his list to fix. Government shouldn't give anyone preferential treatment. On a side note, the wealthiest people in the US pay a tremendous amount in taxes. This "fair share" stuff is utter nonsense. See this chart and watch this video about "Deficit Day."
He wants to end the wars, and end our interventionalist foreign policy that wastes money, lives, and makes us less safe.
Why does the person making $100,000 have to spend 80%? The FairTax plan encourages saving. It also only applies to new goods, so buying a pre-owned car, for instance, means you don't pay the FairTax on that purchase. The prebate system ensures that anyone including the poor shouldn't have to be paying any taxes, assuming they are spending within their means.
I strongly suggest anyone read The FairTax book. The chapter on the built-in tax costs on the products you buy (ever hear "businesses pass the costs on to the customer") is eye-opening.
Eliminating all taxes or eliminating income tax?
Pretty good read on eliminating income tax and IRS.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Fair-Tax-Book-Goodbye/dp/0060875496
By eliminating the income tax code, prices fall on everything consumed (which has the cost of the tax code for producers built into it). You add a national sales tax of like 18% I think (around the amount prices would fall) and everyone gets most of their paycheck now, prices are the same, government is still funded, and no need for IRS or tax preparation, tax collections, etc.
Even covers the poor by giving everyone a prebate (a check to cover sales tax on "essentials") every year. Suggests that employees of the IRS could still be retained to implement this process.
tl:dr - by eliminating tax code and instituting national sales tax, you get rid of shelters, loopholes, special interests. prices stay the same, everyone receives a 'bump' in income by taking home nearly all of their pay and government is still funded.
It so rare to find someone on reddit who is open to at least learning about a new idea. :)
If you want to learn more you can check out the FairTax.org website. There was also a book and a follow-up book written about it. Finally, you can check out the actual text of the proposed House bill.
Is the plan perfect? Nope, but there are no perfect plans when people are involved. I just think its better what we have right now and its the best idea I've seen to replace the current system.
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It's very rare that I get stupefied like this. Seriously, upvote for your density. You knocked me for not picking up your sarcasm before, but you totally miss not only my own sarcasm but the fact that what I stated is not a conservative argument but the epitome of a liberal argument?
Before I get into the rest of my argument, let me remind you of something. Sure, the top 20% may own 85% but in 2008 the top 25% paid 86% of the taxes. The bottom 75% paid only 14%, the bottom 50% only paid 2.7%. Is that not fair enough? Apparently not.
Back to what stupefied me, you asked (formatted to get to the point of the question):
> Whatever amount the haves have at the moment are we anywhere near taxing them at the amount that we should be to have a fair and equitable society?
And I answered:
> But to placate you a moment, in order to tax the haves enough to have any shot at a 'fair and equitable' society, the tax rate would have to be 100% of everyone earning even a cent, followed by a gracious rebate from the government so that everyone receives the same amount of money. From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs, right? Show me a large society where Karl Marx's ideals have taken good hold without requiring genocide and the stomping out of man's God given rights.
That answer is not my position on what would help this country. It is not a conservative opinion or argument. If you want to force a truly equitable society, that's the option you're looking for. Not me, I personally despise that option, because it forces everyone at zero. That's what you're really looking for, in case you don't realize it, to try and force a fair and equitable society. The problem is that no society will ever truly be completely fair and equitable. I just gave you Karl Marx's idea of a fair and equitable society, which is what many liberals and the left lean towards without even knowing it.
Now, allow me to state my opinion as a Conservative clearly since you obviously mistook what I was saying before. It may be complicated but I'll break it down for you so you can follow. Pay attention, you might learn something or even see something that you like.
Maybe you'll still think that conservative ideals are idiotic, and you're more than welcome to have your opinion. This is as clear cut as I can make my positions as a Conservative. What's your beef with them?
edit: Unless you're just going to say "TL:DR, you're still a conservative asshole."
One does not simply understand the fair tax, one purchases the short book for a penny on Amazon and reads it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0060875496/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1347416828&sr=8-1&keywords=fair+tax&condition=used
>But those are not solely the domain of a "Fair" Tax. Those things could be done in any system, so they're not an inherent advantage of the "Fair" Tax.
This is arguing for the sake of arguing. No other system proposes this. The FairTax is an actual bill introduced in congress. Part of it repeals these other taxes. The foundation of the bill is based on repealing these other taxes.
>Most drug dealers are not living the high life and getting rich. They're barely scraping by. Their rebate check from the government would probably outpace what they're paying in "Fair" Tax.
Cite your source and I'll address this.
>All of Europe also supplements their VAT with an income tax. By eliminating our income tax, we'd have to raise the VAT well above what Europe charges. The two situations are not identical and you know that.
You asserted that taxing tourists kills tourism. I proved you wrong with an example. Also, the FairTax isn't a VAT.
>And my point is that those lobbying activities are just as harmful to the integrity of our political system and they aren't addressed here. Arguing that a "Fair" Tax reduces lobbying is completely worthless as long as our politicians are still bought and paid for by a hundred other lobbying organizations that still have an interest in bribing officials. You're just shrugging and saying, "Well at least they're only getting bribed for favorable regulations now, instead of tax breaks." So what?
So we shouldn't reduce the means to bribe politicians in one way because we can't do it in every way?
>Which would still mean that the SSA would need to be larger than it is now, negating at least part of the savings you get from shutting down the IRS.
The IRS is HUGE and has way more responsibilities than just automating a bank draft. Again, you're just asserting that one would wipe out the other. Until you cite a source, I have no need to address your assertion.
It has become clear that you're engaging in partisan arguing. You're defending an imperfect system and attacking a new idea (very progressive of you). It isn't a Republican vs Democrat thing. I'd encourage you to read up on the FairTax to get a better idea of it. One of the books below is specifically written to address criticisms. From the opening it admits that it is not a perfect tax, but far superior to our current system. I'm not going to argue anymore because it's become clear that you're not even considering it, you're only acting to reinforce your existing opinions. It's healthy to question a new idea, but that's not what this is.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Fair-Tax-Book-Goodbye/dp/0060875496/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347053051&sr=8-1&keywords=fair+tax
http://www.amazon.com/FairTax-The-Truth-Answering-Critics/dp/B0027CSNOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347053051&sr=8-2&keywords=fair+tax
> abolish the IRS
I like the sound of that. I wonder when we'll pass the Fair Tax.
This book is great: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fair-Tax-Book-Goodbye/dp/0060875496/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344964945&sr=8-2&keywords=fairtax
To really get a clear view of all the details give the fair tax book a shot
In 1910 Federal spending was 6% of GDP.
In 1913 we created the Federal Reserve and passed the 16th amendment.
In 2010 Federal spending is 46% of GDP.
If you are serious about averting dictatorship then we must end the Fed and repeal the 16th amendment
"prebate" is the most critical term you need to search. The prebate provides the infrastructure that you need for the Basic Human Income.
I could point you to fairtax.org, but I think the way they describe it is more confusing than anything. Honestly, I think this book is a lot better way to get to know it.
There is one good thing on the FairTax site. You can see the sponsors here which includes some democrats. It's a good plan.
The prebate is a stipend to make sure that poor people never end up poorer because of the consumption tax. The prebate is enough money to cover the full amount of the consumption tax based on the federally defined poverty-level income. The tax plan is simpler (which is the beauty of it) because it doesn't need to exempt food, medicine or anything else. The prebate covers it instead. (One of the problems with the FairTax website is the way they describe necessities as being tax-free. That's kind of true, but the individual taxpayer gets to decide what a "necessity" is. There are no exemptions, just the prebate.)
Of course, no one says you have to spend all the money that you make. If you're making $90k per year, but buying used goods (which were taxed once, and only once, when they were new), living simply and saving for retirement, you could also avoid paying the tax.
If you're making a million dollars per year, that's just going to be a meaningless bunch of zeros in your bank account unless you actually spend it. More likely, you'll be out buying nose jobs and new cars and paying the tax on every bit of it.
It's kind of a luxury tax, without being so narrowly defined. The FairTax replaces regressive taxes. (Taxes which are easy on the wealthy and easily manipulated by lobbyists to create loopholes.) Luxury taxes are progressive, (Heavier on the wealthy.) unlike other consumption taxes.
It's been a long time since I read it, but this book breaks down the expected amount if you want the move to be revenue neutral. Their estimate may be a bit high now due to the recent income tax cuts but it should still be pretty close.
> Your attempt at an ad hominem attack on my bravery is duly noted.
My comment regarding your willingness to consider presented evidence isn't part of my argument for the FairTax. It was an observation on your unwillingness to participate in good-faith conversation by availing yourself of presented information.
> As I mentioned elsewhere, with this 'prebate' we'd still have conservatives arguing what costs are basic, and what are not.
No, it's spelled out in the plan. I haven't read the newer critic rebuttal book yet.
> In the end, the fair tax would hurt the poor more than the rich.
I presented evidence that it wouldn't; where's your evidence? Regardless, I will concede this: it's hard to imagine a new, more equitable, tax program that wouldn't tax lower-income people more.
Also from Walter Williams:
> Aside from the fairness issue, 47 percent of taxpayers having no federal income tax liability is dangerous for our nation. These people become natural constituents for big-spending, budget-wrecking, debt-creating politicians. After all, if you have no income tax liability, what do you care about either raising or lowering taxes? That might explain why the so-called Bush tax cuts were not more popular. If you’re not paying income taxes, why should you be happy about an income tax cut? Instead, you might view tax cuts as a threat to various handout programs that nearly 50 percent of Americans enjoy.
Plug for a "Fair Tax" solution.
https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Tax-Book-Saying-Goodbye/dp/0060875496
While not the best written book. It does get the idea across to people looking into the subject. If you want to dig deeper into it and see much more data, there are other books you can read.
Quick cover of the ideas inside.
I personally found the topic interesting. I've read a few more books on the subject and I think it has some merit. The current situation is obviously is ripe for fraud, errors, and it's rather burdensome.
There are many other ideas out there to fix the US tax code. Some of them I really like. I might post more books later if you like.
>“The Fair Tax.” What is this? It isn’t defined
It has been very well defined.
Read up on the FairTax. It's a proposal to eliminate the current mess of regulations and replace them with a national sales tax. It addresses the issue of regressive taxation by proposing a "pro-bate" - a payment to each household for the tax they will pay in the next month for spending up to the poverty line. Then, you essentially only get taxed for "excess" spending, which rich people do a lot more of than poor people. Check it out.