Freedom to Choose

[Richard]

proud liberal - this category includes people such as BRTD, Opebo, jfern, and so forth.

[Bono]

I'm not a liberal, nor a Republican, nor a Libertarian, so i can't vote, but I would of course chose the lowest tax possible.

[A18]

I would pick the flat tax, regardless of whether it was higher or lower. Just a lot less work to fill out a postcard.

[jokerman]

If you can chose, what's the point of a higher tax?  It's like the parable with the two prisoners.  No one else is garenteed to pay a higher tax, so why should you?

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I would pick the flat tax, regardless of whether it was higher or lower. Just a lot less work to fill out a postcard.

Even if you owed no taxes under the progressive system?  I doubt it.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I'm not sure I understand the question.   Why would you not pay the lower tax if the tax system is set-up in that way?  It's not like I'm going to refuse to take deductions that I am entitled to, or pay the AMT when it is higher than my regular tax.

[Richard]

If you can chose, what's the point of a higher tax?  It's like the parable with the two prisoners.  No one else is garenteed to pay a higher tax, so why should you?

Liberals like to tell the world how it is good to be taxed.  Its always about "raising taxes" on those that have to give those that don't have.  Well, I have news for those people: there are millions on welfare that depend on you.  If you want to support welfare and health care and medicaid and medicare and other government crap, you need to pay in.  More.

Those people will, of course, actually do what they say they want.  I hope.  We'll see.

Those liberals that vote for the lower tax are simply hypocrites (like BRTD who refused to cancel his refund earlier this year).  Moderate democrats... that is much harder to discuss.  You will know if you're one of them that have the "tax everyone except me" attitude.

[Richard]

I'm not sure I understand the question.   Why would you not pay the lower tax if the tax system is set-up in that way?  It's not like I'm going to refuse to take deductions that I am entitled to, or pay the AMT when it is higher than my regular tax.

You're in favor of the Freedom to Choose then right?  Because if you're not, you're another idiot.  Remember, you are free to choose NOT to utilize the new flat tax system!

[A18]

Flat tax is typically progressive. It exempts about $13,000 for an individual, $26,000 for a married couple filing jointly, and several thousand dollars for a dependent.

I see the progressive income tax as a form of slavery, and a way for the government to run my life. I oppose it on a moral basis, and would do anything to free myself from it.

Because of all the deductions, a lot of rich people don't pay all that much over 20%.

Hong Kong implemented this system, and today, just about everyone is on the flat tax. People like it better.

Once you pick the flat tax, you're locked in for life.

Flat tax isn't necessarily lower, anyway.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I'm not sure I understand the question.   Why would you not pay the lower tax if the tax system is set-up in that way?  It's not like I'm going to refuse to take deductions that I am entitled to, or pay the AMT when it is higher than my regular tax.

You're in favor of the Freedom to Choose then right?  Because if you're not, you're another idiot.  Remember, you are free to choose NOT to utilize the new flat tax system!

No I'm not in favor of this.  I want everyone to be under the same set of obligations.  I am willing to pay my share of a progressive tax, but I also want the government to be properly funded, so I want everyone else to have to pay this tax too.  Taxes are an obligation, not a charity.  You don't get to choose how much you want to pay.  You can vote for people who support your preferred tax policy, but once that policy is enacted, you have to pay what they tell you to.

[A18]

We voted, and now we want them to enact a choice.

It worked in Hong Kong, and it can work here. Just about everyone will pick the flat tax.

[Richard]

I'm not sure I understand the question.   Why would you not pay the lower tax if the tax system is set-up in that way?  It's not like I'm going to refuse to take deductions that I am entitled to, or pay the AMT when it is higher than my regular tax.

You're in favor of the Freedom to Choose then right?  Because if you're not, you're another idiot.  Remember, you are free to choose NOT to utilize the new flat tax system!

No I'm not in favor of this.  I want everyone to be under the same set of obligations.  I am willing to pay my share of a progressive tax, but I also want the government to be properly funded, so I want everyone else to have to pay this tax too.  Taxes are an obligation, not a charity.  You don't get to choose how much you want to pay.  You can vote for people who support your preferred tax policy, but once that policy is enacted, you have to pay what they tell you to.

But it seems the obligation may be that you get to choose.  Of course, since you want the government properly funded (which can be done with a 5% flat tax, but that thats for a different threat) and you don't believe it can be done with the flat tax, you will pick the older, higher tax, right?

[A18]

No, if everyone paid a flat tax of 20%, with just personal exemptions, it would be roughly revenue neutral. The government can be funded with a flat tax.

And just about everyone will switch to the flat tax, as happened in Hong Kong and other countries that tried the same thing.

Once you're in the flat tax system, you're locked in. I don't see a revenue problem here; it certainly has worked where it has been tried.

[opebo]

Obviously I would choose the higher rate, as that would mean I was rich.  Better to get 30% of a million a year income than 100% of the pittance workers get.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I'm not sure I understand the question.   Why would you not pay the lower tax if the tax system is set-up in that way?  It's not like I'm going to refuse to take deductions that I am entitled to, or pay the AMT when it is higher than my regular tax.

You're in favor of the Freedom to Choose then right?  Because if you're not, you're another idiot.  Remember, you are free to choose NOT to utilize the new flat tax system!

No I'm not in favor of this.  I want everyone to be under the same set of obligations.  I am willing to pay my share of a progressive tax, but I also want the government to be properly funded, so I want everyone else to have to pay this tax too.  Taxes are an obligation, not a charity.  You don't get to choose how much you want to pay.  You can vote for people who support your preferred tax policy, but once that policy is enacted, you have to pay what they tell you to.

But it seems the obligation may be that you get to choose.  Of course, since you want the government properly funded (which can be done with a 5% flat tax, but that thats for a different threat) and you don't believe it can be done with the flat tax, you will pick the older, higher tax, right?

I guess the point is that my individual choice about what tax to pay doesn't make a difference as to whether or not the government get funded, since I am so small relative to the nation.  It only gets funded if a whole lot of other people also pay the higher tax.  So I'm willing to pay the higher tax, but only if offered assurances that enough other people will also pay the higher tax that the government will be funded to a level proportionate to the tax I pay.  These assurance usually come in the form of legal obligations.

[Ebowed]

Option 4