Sam Brownback wants to use DC as his "laboratory."
Given the Senator's hostility towards the scientific method, that is truly alarming.
Man, if anyone needed another example of why the District needs more autonomy from Congress (or at least some full-fledged Representation):
Mr. Brownback said that making D.C. a test case would, with limited potential for negative impact, provide valuable data about the effects of a flat tax that would prove helpful in determining whether it should be applied nationwide.
...
Of the flat tax, Mr. Brownback said: "We're going to hold some
hearings about what that might look like, and the District we can use as a laboratory."
The District of Columbia has the greatest income disparity between its poorest families and richest families of any major metropolitan area in the nation. Reducing taxes on the wealthy while increasing them on the middle class is not what is needed, to put it mildly.
Thankfully, this proposal would apply only to federal taxes, so it wouldn't necessarily risk destroying the city's finances, though if the plan put in place got rid of local tax deductability, it could make funding city services more difficult, though it's too early to tell how that will play out, at least from the article that I read.
Also, on matters of tax policy or otherwise, the District of Columbia is not a laboratory for Sam Brownback, or any other member of either chamber of Congress to experiment in. The District is a full-fledged major city, with a population size similar to Alaska, Wyoming and Vermont. The good news is that past attempts to implement similar schemes have failed. Also, the legality of such a bill would be highly questionable because it may amount to geographic discrimination, in violation of the 14th Amendment.
posted by Anonymous @ 1:48 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Do these people think about what they say before they say it? A whole city as a laboratory? OMG!
Pay Sweden a visit...and then talk about taxes....*S*
Affe
A flat tax at a lower rate would do wonders for the economy, it lowers corruption, lowers the amount of cheaters and non-payers on tax returns, makes it simple for anyone to pay thier taxes, and will increase tax revenue due to an increase in economic output.
Graham, or whoever wrote this column, should take a look at the Laffer Curve to understand more about our over taxiation that he didn't seem to have a problem with in the writing: "Thankfully, this proposal would apply only to federal taxes, so it wouldn't necessarily risk destroying the city's finances"
Also, where did they say that taxes on the lower income classes would raise? I do agree on one point, that DC should not be the test lab for Congress, this should be implemented nationwide, for all of us to enjoy.
One thing that should be pointed out, something that everyone against a flat tax seems to ignore, is that under a flat tax (at least the one proposed by Steve Forbes) no one would pay any federal tax up to something like 45,000 dollars for a family of four, and over 60,000 for a family of six. So how is that hurting the working class? Yes, wealthy people will pay less federal income tax under a flat tax, but low-income families will pay nothing!
One thing I would like to add though, is that a flat tax, or reduced taxes will only work if we stop congress, the senate and this administration from spending so much of our money. Actually, it is borrowed money from China that they are spending, it must be stopped!
10 percent sales tax. no income tax. balance spending within your means including paying back borrowing. and only borrow in an emergency!
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