Oh good heavens help us...
Aug. 11th, 2004 02:25 pmThe latest idea from Herr Shrub: Let's get rid of the income tax and replace it with a national sales tax.
This is the worst idea I've heard from the Idiot-in-Chief since... oh, who's counting?
I don't know a lot about economics, but I come from Tennessee, home of one of the highest sales taxes in the nation (including on food, and yes I do mean groceries). And sales taxes are definitely regressive.
Do the math. Say a person needs x amount of food to survive, taxed at 8%. For Bill Gates that tax is nothing; for the average middle-class American it's an 8% jump in the food bill. Talk about your cost of living increase...
I guess this is his way of saying he doesn't think he's put enough of the tax burden on the middle and lower class.
And if this post pisses you off, I don't give a fuck.
EDIT: Excellent article from
resipsaloquitor:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/11/news/economy/election_tax/index.htm?cnn=yes
This is the worst idea I've heard from the Idiot-in-Chief since... oh, who's counting?
I don't know a lot about economics, but I come from Tennessee, home of one of the highest sales taxes in the nation (including on food, and yes I do mean groceries). And sales taxes are definitely regressive.
Do the math. Say a person needs x amount of food to survive, taxed at 8%. For Bill Gates that tax is nothing; for the average middle-class American it's an 8% jump in the food bill. Talk about your cost of living increase...
I guess this is his way of saying he doesn't think he's put enough of the tax burden on the middle and lower class.
And if this post pisses you off, I don't give a fuck.
EDIT: Excellent article from
http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/11/news/economy/election_tax/index.htm?cnn=yes
If only we knew someone who deals with lawyers all day. . .
Date: 2004-08-12 08:25 am (UTC)The 16th amendment states "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."
It doesn't say anything about a sales tax, just income.
Re: If only we knew someone who deals with lawyers all day. . .
Date: 2004-08-12 08:51 am (UTC)Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;