Which tax system is most 'fair' (1 Viewer)

[fredmertz]

What's the most 'fair' tax system? (not asking which is most sustainable, just which would be most 'fair', in a morality sort of way)

 

[Slartibartfast]

Progressive tax

 

[TurtleDude]

fairness has no meaning since it is twisted beyond all recognition

the most fair tax is a use tax. You pay for what you use.

the second fairest tax is a consumption tax-everyone has to pay it and the more you engage in transactions, the more you pay. a gasoline tax is a form of that as is a sales tax

the next fairest tax is a flat tax--true, many people end up paying more than they use just as many pay for far less than they use but the advantage of this tax is that politicians cannot pander to non tax payers or low bracket tax payers with promises of more handouts paid for by those in higher brackets

a progressive income tax is the worst and least fair because those who pay the most taxes are held hostage by the majority of voters who can continue to vote up the taxes on teh top bracket in order to loot their wealth

under a progressive tax, the state of having to pay far more than what you use is accentuated.

morally, no one should have to be forced to care for someone unless the former is responsible for the plight of the latter. to claim that it is fair to make someone shoulder the responsibility of another is clearly specious

 

[ludahai]

The FairTax

Americans For Fair Taxation: Americans For Fair Taxation

 

[samsmart]

Progressive tax.

 

[peepnklown]

I concur with the FairTax

 

[molten_dragon]

I'd say one of two things. Either a federal sales tax, or a semi-progressive income tax, where everyone is taxed a flat rate on any earnings above a certain threshold meant to guarantee a minimum standard of living.

 

[TurtleDude]

I'd say one of two things. Either a federal sales tax, or a semi-progressive income tax, where everyone is taxed a flat rate on any earnings above a certain threshold meant to guarantee a minimum standard of living.

If you want a guarantee-by a toaster

Clint Eastwood to Tom Skerritt in "The Rookie"

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

If you want a guarantee-by a toaster

Clint Eastwood to Tom Skerritt in "The Rookie"

"If you want me to dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, believe me I've got time."
-Chris Farley in Tommy Boy

 

[Gipper]

I'll take flat tax for 400, Alex.

Pretty easy question though. Liberal - progressive tax. Anything but liberal - fair/flat tax.

 

[Sov]

A protection racket is exactly that, regardless of the details of the particular racket.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

One of the following three


A flat income tax on all income over a specified amount. Income being any and all things including dividends, interest income, rental income wages, gifts etc. No deductions except for childern

A sales tax on most goods and services. Exclusions for basic foodstuffs, and primary residences (either rent or when purchased

A flat asset tax. For example a 1% tax on all assets from homes to, stocks bonds, valuable art, or collectables

 

[pbrauer]

A progressive income tax is best because it taxes those who can most afford it. They also benefit the most from the commons, paid for by taxes, they use to generate their wealth.

 

[cpwill]

the fairest is a consumption tax for a couple of reasons:
1. it will be generally progressive in nature; those who make more, spend more.
2. it's almost a voluntary tax; you only pay on that percentage of your wealth that you choose to spend. as a social construct, this will thus create the least amount of tension. currently charges that 'the rich don't pay their fair share' or 'half of Americans parasitically live off the other half' are utilized by demagogues to set Americans against each other.
3. because consumption is generally more stable than income, taxing it will reduce the damage done to the US fiscal status by business cycles and the inevitable social damage and distrust that goes along with it. no one need blame each other for the loss of revenue.

in addition there are several moral benefits to a consumption tax vis an income tax. if you want more of something, subsidize it. if you want less of it, tax it. taxing employment lowers employment and makes it more difficult for people to support themselves and their families. taxing consumption, however, provides an incentive for people to save and invest rather than overconsume via debt (which our current system has done). Liberals are upset that Americans consume a larger per capita share of the worlds' resources; well, this is a way to counteract that. Conservatives claim that you have to save in order to invest or you (and the economy) becomes dangerously exposed. Lowering American consumption and increasing our savings will make us more economically stable, and will reduce the need for social safety nets. Though I don't think that government should be in the business of picking winners and losers in the economy; the taxing of goods known to be harmful (cigarettes, alcohol, gambling) has been part of our society for a while, and there is no reason why taxing such items more wouldn't reduce their consumption and some of the problems they solve.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

A so-called "progressive" tax is actually regressive, since it punishes accomplishment.

A regressive tax it as blatantly unfair as the "progressive" tax, but different, in that the current system provides more services to the poor so there's no reason the poor shouldn't pay more in taxes.

A flat percentage tax depends on how "income" is defined, and that definition can be as "fair" or as "unfair" as anyone wishes to make it.

A flat dollar tax is just bizarre and yet, how much fairer can it be, under the constraint of the Fourteenth Amendment that everyone have "equality before the law"? Take the national spending burden, divide it by the number of people in the country, and that's their share. If they can't pay, it should be deducted from their share of the next year's handouts before they can recieve any.

I kinda like it.

But, actually, a uniform retail-point sales tax on non-food items (alcoholic beverages are not food, nor is candy,processed snack foods, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.) could be the fairest method of all, and it's not on your list. The 16th Amendment must be repealed before any national sales tax is imposed.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Progressive tax.

Since you identified the most unfair of the unfair tax schemes possible as being most fair in your opinion, perhaps you can illuminate why you hold this false position?

 

[Aunt Spiker]

fairness has no meaning since it is twisted beyond all recognition

the most fair tax is a use tax. You pay for what you use.

the second fairest tax is a consumption tax-everyone has to pay it and the more you engage in transactions, the more you pay. a gasoline tax is a form of that as is a sales tax

the next fairest tax is a flat tax--true, many people end up paying more than they use just as many pay for far less than they use but the advantage of this tax is that politicians cannot pander to non tax payers or low bracket tax payers with promises of more handouts paid for by those in higher brackets

a progressive income tax is the worst and least fair because those who pay the most taxes are held hostage by the majority of voters who can continue to vote up the taxes on teh top bracket in order to loot their wealth

under a progressive tax, the state of having to pay far more than what you use is accentuated.

morally, no one should have to be forced to care for someone unless the former is responsible for the plight of the latter. to claim that it is fair to make someone shoulder the responsibility of another is clearly specious

Bravo!
I suppose consumption and use taxes as the ONLY source of taxes!

If I don't want to pay taxes - I limit my consumption and use. . . simple.

 

[samsmart]

Since you identified the most unfair of the unfair tax schemes possible as being most fair in your opinion, perhaps you can illuminate why you hold this false position?

Ask me in a way that doesn't show what an obviously biased partisan hack you are and I may.

 

[Your Star]

Progressive.

 

[Gipper]

It seems like the people here who feel like punishing success (aka progressive) seem to ninja in here with their liberal vote and smokescreen out just as fast without an input of why they would do that.

Until I hear otherwise, the default answer is "they're rich, I'm not, and I'm jealous".

 

[cpwill]

Ask me in a way that doesn't show what an obviously biased partisan hack you are and I may.

hmm. okay.

given that wealth is generated via mutually beneficial trade in which resources are moved to higher uses and in which both sides prefer that which they are left with after the trade; someone who is generating a higher income is by definition already donating more in terms of helping his fellow citizens. why would you wish to deliberately design a tax system built around punishing and disincentiving that, especially when such a model is guaranteed to reduce social cohesion and increase conflict via class struggle between the payers and the moochers?

 

[samsmart]

hmm. okay.

given that wealth is generated via mutually beneficial trade in which resources are moved to higher uses and in which both sides prefer that which they are left with after the trade; someone who is generating a higher income is by definition already donating more in terms of helping his fellow citizens. why would you wish to deliberately design a tax system built around punishing and disincentiving that, especially when such a model is guaranteed to reduce social cohesion and increase conflict via class struggle between the payers and the moochers?

While this is a more articulate way of asking, it is articulate partisan hackery. Better luck next time.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Ask me in a way that doesn't show what an obviously biased partisan hack you are and I may.

In other words, you can't.

Which we already knew in advance.

 

[cpwill]

While this is a more articulate way of asking, it is articulate partisan hackery. Better luck next time.

:roll: okay, you were asked nicely. now you are simply trying to avoid the question.

 

[samsmart]

In other words, you can't.

Which we already knew in advance.

It's not my fault you can't be a partisan hack long enough to not ask like a partisan hack.

Which we already knew in advance.