If you had to pick a flat federal tax rate...

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

My parents were poor. Now they're rich.

If your tax system were in place, we'd be middle class.

It used to be a lot easier to get rich than it is today.

[A18]

Because most people would like to get rich, and would also prefer a decent economy.

They're dreaming - the likelihood of a poor getting rich is exceedingly remote.  A more reasonable course of action would be to vote in 'Eurosocialism'.

Seems to me that you've made a hard left turn from capitalist, to democrat to socialist. May I ask what brought that about?

Nothing's really changed - I always thought capitalism was great for the upper class.  I always had a fairly marxist understanding of how the economy works.  However now I'm just making the point that the majority of people would be voting in their economic interest if they voted for some redistribution.

'Marxist' and 'understanding' probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

I don't know why libertarians are so reluctant to face the fact that Capitalism, while it works exceedingly well for the top few percent of the population (primarily the owners),  is not particularly helpful for the lower classes.  You can still prefer it, just be honest about its effects.

Yeah. That's why poor people in socialist countries have such better living conditions than in the United States.

[John Dibble]

Because most people would like to get rich, and would also prefer a decent economy.

They're dreaming - the likelihood of a poor getting rich is exceedingly remote.  A more reasonable course of action would be to vote in 'Eurosocialism'.

Seems to me that you've made a hard left turn from capitalist, to democrat to socialist. May I ask what brought that about?

Nothing's really changed - I always thought capitalism was great for the upper class.  I always had a fairly marxist understanding of how the economy works.  However now I'm just making the point that the majority of people would be voting in their economic interest if they voted for some redistribution.

'Marxist' and 'understanding' probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

I don't know why libertarians are so reluctant to face the fact that Capitalism, while it works exceedingly well for the top few percent of the population (primarily the owners),  is not particularly helpful for the lower classes.  You can still prefer it, just be honest about its effects.

I have never once stated that capitalism has no drawbacks, however I believe that in the long run it benefits more people than any other system. I'm perfectly honest about it - my perception is just highly different than yours. It is my belief that the poor do benefit greatly from capitalism - it brings things that increase their quality of life within their reach that they could previously never have had. You are the one who seems to be in denial IMHO.

"The capitalist engine is first and last an engine of mass production which unavoidably means also production for the masses. . . . The capitalist achievement does not typically consist in providing more silk stockings for queens but in bringing them within the reach of factory girls for steadily decreasing amounts of effort." - Joseph Schumpeter

[A18]

People love socialism. You know, that's why communist countries never let their own citizens leave.

[muon2]

15% with an exemption for an individual who makes less than $30,000 and an additional $10,000 dollar exemption for each child.  I would then add a 5% national sales tax on high ticket items.

I agree with the use of sales tax to replace some of the income tax. It can be progressive by singling out uses that are generally beyond necessity. Sales taxes are also a better measure of the ability to pay than the income tax, since those who spend are demonstrating an ability to pay.

Income tax was much easier to track throughout the 20th century, since the sources of income (ie companies) were finite and tended to keep good records. With the rise of electronic transactions, it is just as easy to track sales as income. It is also easy to setup different rates for different items at the point of sale, and it is common in many states.

[opebo]

My parents were poor. Now they're rich.

If your tax system were in place, we'd be middle class.

It used to be a lot easier to get rich than it is today.

That is so true!  It was like falling off a log in the post-war era, through sometime in the early to mid 1970's. 

[A18]

We got rich in the 90s, and got a lot richer in the 00s.