WILLisms.com: Taxes As They Should Be

« Happy Berfday, Will Franklin! | WILLisms.com | U.S. Military Operations Underway In Iran? »

Taxes As They Should Be

Rumor has it that taxes need not be postmarked until midnight, April 17th this year, but today is APRIL 15th which of course is the traditional tax day.

If only it were like this:

I'd like to take this opportunity to recycle a little rant I have at my old blog called Flat Tax Cure For Oppression:

I have always thought that the federal tax code 'disenfranchises' citizens by being so large and complex that no ordinary citizen could possibly take the time to properly understand it.

I don't mean literal disenfranchisment by being deprived of the vote, but a disenfranchisement of a citizen being alienated from their own governing process by a set of laws so impenetrable, that taxpayers must often hire a guru such as an accountant or tax lawyer just to figure out what to pay the government. In effect, you must pay an accountant or lawyer 'tax' just for the privilege of not screwing yourself over while figuring out what you owe. It is a form of minor oppression, but an oppression nonetheless, that puts a 'priestly caste' between the citizen and an understanding of their own government.

Take at look at the sheer size of the United States Code sometime. Or the CFRs, the Code of Federal Regulations. We live in a technically advanced society governed by the rule of law, and I understand that the size, breadth and depth of federal law is necessary. The downside of this is that it makes good citizenship harder and harder all the time, because it becomes harder and harder for the good citizen to even know what the rules are that governs his conduct.

Therefore the simplicity of the flat tax alone is a virtue sufficient to recommend it, regardless of what other disadvantages it may have. The tax process is the average citizen's most direct contact with the federal government - and so what a wonderful starting place for simplification it is.

Breaching the gap between citizen and government is only one of the myriad benefits of flat taxes, as explained in this analysis by Will Franklin.

I realize that a 29-cent stamp wouldn't get Joe Sixpack's taxes very far, but I love the young Elvis stamp!

Posted by Ken McCracken · 15 April 2006 02:58 AM

Comments

Listening to your tax rant I wanted to ask if you have heard about Fair Tax and how it is going to solve a myriad of problems. How the bill has over 55 sponsers and growing in congress. Go to fairtax.org or boortz.com to learn about the tidal wave that is about to engulf this great country of ours brought to you by the people.

Posted by: Darrell Sikes at April 15, 2006 07:17 AM

I like the Fair Tax, but I would need to see the 16th Amendment repealed, simultaneously. Otherwise we'd be almost inevitably stuck with both a national sales tax and a national income tax.

Posted by: Will Franklin at April 15, 2006 09:42 AM

Repealing the 16th amendment is part of the bill to implement the Fair Tax. It is all covered. read the book.

Posted by: Darrell Sikes at April 15, 2006 02:00 PM

I have read the book, actually. It oversimplifies the process. You can't just pass a bill. You need a Constitutional Amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment.

Posted by: Will Franklin at April 15, 2006 02:07 PM

ok We need an amendment. This is the strongest effort I know of that has a chance at changing the way we collect taxes. There are 55 representatives in the House signed on to the bill.

Posted by: Darrell Sikes at April 16, 2006 08:14 AM

I've always felt that paying for that stamp added insult to injury. Not only do I have to send them my money, I have to pay them to take it! It's like the Soviets charging the cost of the bullet to the familes of the men they executed.

Posted by: Mike at April 16, 2006 08:37 PM

...and a small (6" x 4.25") postcard's stamp would cost you only 24 Cents to mail. It's fitting that Elvis is, once again, more than the Government can deal with.

;)

Posted by: Mr. Michael at April 16, 2006 10:23 PM